DES MOINES — Taking part in the grandest stage of the Iowa high school track and field season, South Hamilton senior Kate Barkema proved that she belonged with the ranks of elite sprinters.

On the first day of the Iowa High School Track and Field Championships, which took place on Thursday at Drake Stadium, Barkema punched her ticket to Championship Saturday by taking fifth overall in the preliminary round of the Class 1A Girls’ 100-meter dash.

Competing in the third heat of the prelims, Barkema took third with a time of 13.01 seconds. Placing fifth overall in the race, Barkema advanced to the finals of the Class 1A Girls’ 100-meter dash.

The senior will seek greater glory at 12:45 p.m. on Saturday.

Webster City junior Jaxon Cherry had some strong competition in the Class 3A Boys’ Discus Throw, netting eight overall with a distance of 158 feet, 10 inches.

Dubuque Walhert’s Duke Faley won the event with a mind boggling distance of 195 feet, one inch, which is a new state record.

Webster City sophomore Cloe Savitski took 23rd overall in the Class 3A Girls’ 100-meter dash, turning in a time of 13.36 seconds.

Senior CJ Hisler settled for 23rd in the Class 3A Boys’ 200-meter dash, as well, kicking out a time of 23.43 seconds.

Earlier in the day, South Hamilton senior Landon Grove placed 14th in the Class 1A Boys’ Long Jump, achieving a personal best of 19 feet, 10.25 inches. Grove took eighth in the second flight of the event.

Today will be the busiest day for both the Lynx and Hawks.

Starting at 9 a.m., South Hamilton freshman Dayton Ferrie will gear up for the Class 1A Girls’ Discus Throw, while the Hawk boys’ distance medley team — freshman Kolby Hodnefield, junior Reece Ricke, junior Ty Koehnk and sophomore Nick Severseike — will compete at 9:40 a.m.

The South High girls — Barkema, junior Ashlyn Erickson, sophomore Sydnee Flaugh and junior Tanna Thompson — will race at 11 a.m. for the Class 1A Girls’ 4×200-meter relay, followed by Hodnefield, Ricke, Koehnk and Severseike’s second race of the day for the Class 1A Boys’ 4×200-meter relay at 11:30 a.m.

Senior Carter Balvanz will sling the disc at 11:30 a.m., while freshman Isabel Swenson is slated for the Class 1A Girls’ High Jump at 12:40 p.m.

Before breaking for the day, South High will see the familiar team of Koehnk, Ricke, Severseike and Hodnefield in the preliminary round of the Class 1A Boys’ 4×400-meter relay, scheduled for 2:10 p.m.

Cherry goes back to work at 4:30 p.m. for the Class 3A Boys’ Shot Put, while the team of sophomore Jayden Weinzetl, junior Keegan Hisler, sophomore Luke Estlund and CJ Hisler will compete in the Class 3A Boys’ 4×200-meter relay at 5:25 p.m.

Webster City’s second day at the Blue Oval comes to a close at 6:50 p.m., when Weinzetl, Keegan Hisler, CJ Hisler and Cherry are scheduled to race in the Class 3A Boys 4×100-meter relay.

Results from Friday and Saturday will be reported in an upcoming edition of the Daily Freeman-Journal.