Morris equals Suttle with fourth straight pole vault victory; Oklahoma State eclipses 2003 mark, elevates to No. 11 all-time collegiate program and Southeast Polk IA breaks girls 4x800 record

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

DES MOINES – For Sandi Morris, it was worth the wait.

For Oklahoma State, all of the components finally came together for one of the great women’s 4x800-meter relay performances in collegiate history at the 110th Drake Relays.

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Morris equaled the all-time meet record with her fourth consecutive victory, prevailing in the World Showdown elite invitational women’s pole vault in her season opener following a seven-month layoff to recover from left ankle surgery.

Morris, the defending USATF Outdoor champion, cleared 15 feet, 7.25 inches (4.76m) on her second attempt to outlast Jenn Suhr and Emily Grove at Drake Stadium, matching the feat of fellow American Kellie Suttle (1998-2001) by winning four in a row.

Morris, who took one try at 16-0.50 (4.89m) in an attempt to surpass her own meet record, elevated to No. 3 in the world this year in the first competition since Sept. 8 at the IAAF Continental Cup in the Czech Republic.

Suhr, the world leader this year at 16-1.25 (4.91m), took second at 15-3.50 (4.66m) and Grove placed third at 15-1.50 (4.61m).

Oklahoma State ascended to the No. 11 program in collegiate history, with Kaytlyn Larson, Ariane Ballner, Jenny Martinez and Sinclaire Johnson running a world-leading 8 minutes, 25.41 seconds to eclipse the 2003 meet record of 8:27.42 held by Minnesota.

Johnson, who teamed earlier with Morgan Szekely, Molly Sughroue and Taylor Somers to also win the 4x1,600 relay in 19:22.96, anchored the 4x800 relay in 2:02.79.

Oklahoma State won the 4x800 and 4x1,600 both for the third time in five years and has the opportunity to complete the sweep Saturday in the distance medley relay.

Reigning USATF Indoor pentathlon champion Kendell Williams won the Tokyo Countdown elite invitational women’s long jump with a sixth-round wind-legal leap of 21-8.75 (6.62m), edging Kylie Price, who produced a second-round wind-legal effort 21-5.50 (6.54m).

South Dakota junior Helen Falda teased the women’s university-college pole vault record, but secured the third consecutive victory for the Coyotes with a first-attempt clearance at 14-1.25 (4.30m).

Sophia Rivera produced the first women’s javelin throw title for Missouri in meet history, opening the competition with a first throw of 179-10 (54.81m), which won the event by more than 17 feet.

North Dakota State freshman Akealy Moton prevailed in the women’s shot put on her final attempt with a mark of 55-0.25 (16.75m) to defeat collegiate co-leader Laulauga Tausaga of Iowa, who produced an effort of 53-8.25 (16.36m) in the third round.

Tausaga, who ranks No. 2 collegiately in the discus throw, achieved the winning mark in the fourth round with an effort of 187-5 (57.13m).

Tulsa junior Carsyn Spurgeon, who hadn’t surpassed 20 feet in her career, achieved a wind-aided lifetime-best 21-1.25 (6.43m) in the fourth round of the women’s long jump. Spurgeon achieved three consecutive jumps beyond 20 feet during the competition.

Wichita State junior Rebekah Topham won the women’s 1,500 in 4:24.76, with Minnesota freshman prevailing in the 200 in a wind-aided 23.66. Kentucky junior Faith Ross captured the 400 hurdles title in 58.21.

Meet records weren’t only limited to the elite and collegiate competitions, with Southeast Polk IA taking down the girls 4x800 relay standard that had stood since 2010.

Tarryn Hill, Magda McGowan, Mattison Plummer and Paige Blackford clocked 9:10.38 to eclipse the mark of 9:11.01 established by Dowling Catholic. Southeast Polk elevated to No. 4 in state history.

Kerris Roberts of Waterloo East IA earned a third career 100-meter dash title, equaling her own meet record from 2017 with a wind-legal 11.82 in the final. Roberts ran an all-conditions season best with a wind-aided 11.72 in the prelims.

Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln IA senior Darby Thomas followed her long jump victory Thursday with a triumph in the 100-meter hurdles Friday in a wind-aided 14.30. Thomas also placed second to Roberts in the 100 in 12.16.

Cedar Falls IA junior Mackenzie Michael ran a state-leading 2:09.88 to win the 800, with Iowa City Liberty ninth-grader Ashlyn Keeney producing a state freshman record 2:09.99 to take second. Keeney eclipsed the 2012 mark of 2:10.34 by Kaley Ciluffo of Pleasant Valley.

Tipton IA senior Jamie Kofron became only the second female athlete in meet history to sweep the shot put and discus throw in consecutive years, joining Abby Emsick of Lewis Central of Council Bluffs IA in 2000-01.

Kofron rallied with a 45-2.25 (13.77m) effort in the final round to edge national outdoor leader Brylie Zeisneiss of South Hardin, who opened the competition with a 45-1.75 (13.76m).

Davenport Assumption won the girls 800-meter sprint medley relay in 1:46.90, with senior Carly King adding a second victory in the 400 meters in 56.55.

Waukee IA won its first 4x200-meter relay in 1:42.45 and Keokuk IA sophomore Miracle Ailes prevailed in the girls high jump with a first-attempt clearance at 5-8 (1.72m).