A few minutes later the South Hamilton senior left every ounce of liquid in his stomach inside a trash can on the infield, just a few feet from the finish line.

Hill happily hugged that trash can with two arms. Well, as happy as anyone can when he’s puking his guts out.

It was so worth it.

Hill and 4×800-meter relay teammates Logan Peters, Cole Berg and Quinton Grove brought South Hamilton its first relay state title in 31 years during the opening day of the Iowa High School State Track and Field Championships. The quartet, which has been the odds on favorite to win the Class 2A crown since early April, put up a time of 8:01.23 to fend off runner-up Underwood (8:03.05) by nearly two seconds.

South Hamilton - the 2019 Class 2A 4x800-meter relay state champion. DFJ photos/Troy Banning

“Coming into this race I just wanted to give it my all. I did that and I guess it showed afterwards,” Hill said while motioning towards his favorite trash can. “It was the perfect end to a story. We all had our best races of the year and you couldn’t put it together any better than this.”

Hill nailed it.

The foursome broke their own school record for the third time, this time by more than five seconds. Outside of a few meters on the backstretch during the anchor leg when Underwood attempted to make a move, the Hawks led wire-to-wire.

It was surgical, really. It was destiny too.

“We’ve all worked so hard this season, so to finally get it done is just awesome,” Peters, the 2018 state mile champion, said. “Honestly, it’s way better than the (individual) state title last year because I’m doing it with my best friends.”

Left to right, Logan Peters, Conner Hill, Cole Berg and Quinton Grove pose together on the Drake Stadium infield minutes after they won the Class 2A 4x800-meter relay, South Hamilton’s first relay state title since 1989, yesterday in Des Moines. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Peters led off with a lightning-fast 1:57.15 leg in the scorching heat to give Hill a cushion. The first-year runner nearly matched Peters with a 1:57.70 — his first 800 under two minutes — to add to the lead. Berg held onto the advantage with a 2:04.80 and gave Grove a 10-meter head start for his anchor leg.

A state-meet veteran, Grove maintained his composure when Underwood’s Brayden Wollan came up on his right shoulder and then passed him with 250 meters remaining.

“It’s always a little nerve wracking when it’s that last leg, but deep down I knew Q had him and would get the job done,” Berg said.

Berg was right.

Grove and Wollan ran side-by-side out of the final turn, but with 80 meters remaining Grove pulled in front and increased his cushion down the homestretch.

South Hamilton’s Brandyn Feighner attempts to catch his balance after landing in the sand during the Class 2A long jump at the state meet yesterday in Des Moines. He placed 10th. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

“I was a little nervous, but I knew I was going to have a finish because I was feeling good,” Grove said after his 2:01.46 split. “When we came around the curve I thought I’d get him on the homestretch and that’s what happened.”

The 10 team points that came with the title put South Hamilton into a tie for fourth in the standings, just one point out of the top spot. The Hawks will have an opportunity to add to it today in the distance medley relay. Brock Galetich and Sam Lewis will join Hill and Peters; that group brings the fastest qualifying time into the race and with Peters on the 800 anchor, it will give the Hawks another chance to contend for gold.

Also yesterday, South Hamilton junior Brandyn Feighner finished 10th in the long jump, missing a medal by a mere 31⁄2 inches. He twice jumped 20 feet, 31⁄2 inches; 20-7 was the cutoff to medal.

Feighner said his first jump of the competition was his best, but his toe was slightly over the board, resulting in a foul.

“I’m not really satisfied,” he said. “I know my first jump was my best, but the environment was really good.”

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Hawks’ senior Zakee Newman battled the heat for eight laps in the 3,200. He finished 22nd in 10:45.30.