Roomes runs on all three winning relays for Iowa State, which becomes only third program in meet history to capture sprint medley, distance medley and 4x800 in same year; Maswanganyi rallies Houston in 4x100 past North Carolina A&T, which triumphs in 4x400 behind strong anchor from Stewart in meet debut

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

For the limited crowd in attendance Saturday at the 111th Drake Relays presented by Xtream anticipating a potential collegiate record run by North Carolina A&T in the men’s 4x400-meter relay, those spectators might not have witnessed an all-time mark, but they were treated to a tremendous trifecta from Iowa State and one of the most thrilling 4x100 finishes in meet history.

RACE AND FIELD EVENT VIDEOS FROM DRAKE RELAYS PRESENTED BY XTREAM

Iowa State completed a two-day sweep of the 1,600 sprint medley, 4x800 and distance medley relays, with Jason Gomez, Roshon Roomes, Daniel Nixon and Festus Lagat holding off Air Force in the DMR to punctuate a dominant performance in the men’s team cup at Jim Duncan Track in Des Moines, Iowa.

Iowa State prevailed by a 9:42.12 to 9:42.70 margin over the Falcons, who received an impressive anchor leg from Sam Gilman, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Cyclones from becoming only the third men’s program to sweep those three relays in the same year at "America’s Athletic Classic," joining Illinois in 1943 and Kansas in 1954.

Roomes ran on all three relays for Iowa State, all of which produced the fastest collegiate times in the country this season. The Cyclones also received a victory in the 800 from senior Leonel Perez in 1:50.79.

The showdown involving Houston and North Carolina A&T in the 4x100 relay didn’t disappoint, with Shaun Maswanganyi coming from behind to edge Akeem Sirleaf on the anchor leg, with the Cougars prevailing by a 39.142 to 39.149 margin.

It marked the first 4x100 victory for Houston at the meet since 2006.

North Carolina A&T was unable to challenge the 2018 collegiate record of 2:59.0 achieved by USC, but the Aggies did become the first Historically Black College or University to win the 4x400 title at the Drake Relays since Texas Southern in 1974.

Randolph Ross, Daniel Stokes and Sirleaf set up Trevor Stewart, who produced a 44.49 anchor split to help North Carolina A&T triumph in 3:02.14. The Aggies produced the top collegiate mark this year by running 3:00.23 on March 27 at the 93rd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays. 

Tavarius Wright won the 100-meter dash for the Aggies, clocking a wind-legal 10.37, with Rasheem Brown securing a third victory for North Carolina A&T in its meet debut by running a wind-aided 13.68 in the 110 hurdles.

Indiana State won its fifth title in the 4x110 shuttle hurdle relay, producing the fastest collegiate performance this year of 59.89. 

Matthew Lewis-Banks, Avery Taylor and Daryl Black returned from the Sycamores’ 2019 championship lineup and were joined by freshman Quincy Armstrong, who helped add another win to a resume that already included victories in 2001, 2012 and 2016.

South Dakota senior Zack Anderson, who shares the Division 1 high jump lead at 7-5 (2.26m), cleared 7-4.50 (2.25m) on his third attempt to secure the title.

North Dakota State junior Alex Talley, second in the shot put Friday, won the hammer throw Saturday with a second-round effort of 222-1 (67.70m).

Drake crowned a champion of its own with senior Cloud Masibhera producing a wind-aided effort of 48-1.75 (14.67m) in the triple jump.

Indiana State freshman Noah Malone, a visually impaired athlete, completed his second sweep of the Paralympic 100 and 200 at the Drake Relays in three years, clocking a wind-aided 21.58 performance Saturday in the latter.

In the earlier collegiate competition Saturday, Augustana of South Dakota completed its first sweep of the men’s and women’s distance medley relays since 2014, with Evan Johnson, Ryan Sully, Tiegen Lindner and Austin Miller clocking a program-record 10:07.80 to move up to No. 10 all-time in Division 2.

Northwest Missouri freshman Reece Smith elevated to No. 4 this year in Division 2 in the 3,000 steeplechase, clocking 8:51.83.

Emporia State freshman Travis Morrison, already No. 8 in Division 2 this season in the shot put, prevailed with a fifth-round mark of  55-4.25 (16.87m).

Minnesota State’s Shaheed Hickman, Cornelius Bright, Nicholas Sharma and Bryant Brown won the 4x100 relay in 40.76 for the No. 8 effort in Division 2 this year.

Taylor Rooney of Gustavus Adolphus, the Division 3 wind-legal leader in the 110 hurdles, produced a wind-aided 13.98 to hold off Jaheem Hayles of Iowa Central Community College in 14.04.

Wartburg’s Dallas Wright, lowered his own top Division 3 performance in the 400 hurdles by clocking 51.52.

Noah Zastrow, the Division 3 pole vault leader competing for Wisconsin-Stout, cleared 17-0.75 (5.20m) on his third attempt to secure the title. Zastrow has already achieved a 17-5.50 (5.32m) mark this season.

Chantz Minear, Tyler Miller, Spencer Thomas and Kacyn Pickering led Grand View to the 4x110 shuttle hurdle relay title in 1:01.78, the No. 2 performance in NAIA history.

Jacob Cornelio of Concordia (Nebraska), the 2020 NAIA indoor weight throw champion and hammer throw leader this year, relied on a first-round effort of 208-5 (63.52m) to capture the championship.

Dordt’s Matthew van Eps, the defending NAIA indoor 800 champion, clocked 1:50.14 and is ranked No. 2 during the outdoor season.

Damoy Allen won the 200 in a wind-legal 21.23 for Indian Hills Community College, which also had Justin Walden, Elijah Berry, Nathan Simmons and Kendrick Winfield edge Oklahoma Baptist by a 3:12.41 to 3:12.52 margin to win the 4x400 relay.

Iowa Central freshman Jerome Jessup emerged victorious in the 100-meter dash in a wind-aided 10.46.