Waukee Northwest senior Carney overcomes challenges dealing with back injury to become first athlete in meet history to win 100 hurdles, 400 hurdles, 4x200 and shuttle hurdle relays in same year; Erzen prevails in 800 and 1,500, with Ramsey capturing 1,600 and 3,200, Southeast Polk sets 4x100 record

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

DES MOINES, Iowa – Mackenzie Carney took on one of the most ambitious schedules in meet history last season, sweeping the 100-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles and 4x100-meter shuttle hurdles relay for Waukee High, as the prep schedule was limited to one day as a result of COVID-19 restrictions.

Carney, now an Iowa State-bound senior at Waukee Northwest High, will be remembered this season for one of the most courageous performances at the 112th Drake Relays Presented by Xtream and Powered by Mediacom and Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

RESULTS | RACE VIDEOS | INTERVIEWS | PHOTOS

Despite battling pain in her back and hips as a result of alignment issues that resulted in minimal workouts during the week of the meet and had her unable to even jog in warmups Thursday, in addition to her not being able to train over barriers prior to her races, Carney persevered to produce one of the most successful showcases by any athlete competing at Drake Stadium.

Carney became the first athlete, regardless of gender, at any level in meet history to win the 100 hurdles, 400 hurdles, 4x100 shuttle hurdle relay and 4x200 relay in the same year, helping Waukee Northwest have a significant impact in its first appearance at “America’s Athletic Classic.”

Carney capped her schedule with a personal-best 1:02.87 in the 400 hurdles, after rallying the Wolves to victory in the shuttle hurdle relay in 1:01.86, joining Faith Millsap, Camryn Weers and Natalie Harris in celebrating the win.

Carney achieved the rare feat of winning the shuttle hurdle relay representing three schools, capturing the title for Ames in 2019 and teaming with Harris and Weers to win last year for Waukee.

She also clocked 14.43 in the 100 hurdles and joined Morgan Engels, Avery Winter and Harris in winning the 4x200 in 1:42.18.

Carney also became the only athlete to sweep the three hurdling events twice in her career at Drake Relays, relying on extensive physical therapy in between races and the support of her family and coaches to complete the demanding schedule by racing a combined six times Friday and Saturday.

Harris, an Iowa signee, supported the two relay victories with a runner-up finish behind Carney in the 100 hurdles in a personal-best 14.60 and a second-place effort behind Adel-DeSoto-Minburn in the 4x100 relay by a 48.48 to 48.69 margin.

Makayla Crannell, Jada Grove, Olivia Tollari and Hallie Henfling led Adel-DeSoto-Minburn to its first relay victory in Drake Relays history, after placing 35th last year in 52.00 seconds.

Aidan Ramsey of Dallas Center-Grimes, a Drake signee, capped an impressive schedule by adding a 1,600 victory Saturday to his 3,200 win Thursday.

Ramsey surged late to prevail against 800 winner Jackson Mace-Maynard of Newton by a 4:15.96 to 4:16.27 margin. He also placed second Friday in the 1,600-meter sprint medley relay in 3:30.86.

Ramsey followed the sweep of Nate Mueller of Adel-DeSoto-Minburn from last season, becoming the eighth prep male athlete in meet history to secure 1,600 and 3,200 victories in the same year.

Ainsley Erzen of Carlisle completed an outstanding career trifecta in individual events at Drake Relays, securing the 1,500 victory by making a definite move in the final 200 meters to get past Addison Dorenkamp of West Des Moines Valley.

Erzen clocked 4:36.27 and Dorenkamp, also runner-up Thursday in the 3,000, ran 4:38.91.

Erzen, an Arkansas signee, prevailed in the 400 and 800 last year, but with the schedule confined to one day, she finished 20th in the 1,500 in her last of four events.

Following another 800 victory and second-place finish Friday in the 400, Erzen was able to compete in the 1,500 with significantly fresher legs, and the 800 state record holder took full advantage, joining Joy Ripslinger from Assumption, Stephanie Jenks of Linn-Mar and Shelby Houlihan of Sioux City East as the only prep female athletes in meet history to win the 800 and 1,500 in the same year.

Following runner-up efforts in the long jump Thursday and 110 hurdles Friday, Kole Becker of Lisbon prevailed Saturday in the 400 hurdles, edging Ryce Reynolds of Mount Ayr 53.49 to 53.50.

Becker also clocked 14.60 in the 110 hurdles and had a leap of 23-3.25 (7.09m) in the long jump.

Mason City celebrated its first boys 4x400 victory in the most dramatic fashion, with anchor Kaden Tyler diving across the finish line to edge Cedar Falls’ Cayden Schellhorn by a 3:21.55 to 3:21.59 margin.

Kale Hobart, James Fingalsen and Ra'Shaun Wynter helped Mason City earn a measure of revenge after Cedar Falls emerged victorious in their previous meeting a week earlier.

Sioux City North continued its rivalry with Dowling Catholic following an exceptional showdown in October at the Class 4A state cross country final.

Yemane Kifle, Natnael Kifle, Will Lohr and Gabe Nash led Sioux City North to victory in the boys 4x800 relay in 7:48.21, with Dowling Catholic’s quartet of Sam Leto, Will Ryan, Jackson Heidesch and Matthew Bootman clocking 7:50.85.

Dubuque Hempstead elevated from eighth last year in the girls 4x800 to secure its first title, with Camdyn Kay, Julia Gehl, Keelee Leitzen and Brooke O’Brien running 9:22.28.

Following a meet-record 41.82 in the 4x100 prelims, Southeast Polk’s Abu Sama, Titus Christiansen, Kyle Sisler and Cole Filloon helped the Rams sweep both the 4x100 and 4x200 for the second year in a row by clocking 42.00 in the final.

Solon celebrated its first girls 4x400 title at Drake Relays, holding off Ames 3:56.24 to 3:56.57.

Meghan O'Neill, Kaia Holtkamp, Gracie Federspiel and Emma Bock improved from 15th last year to deny Ames a championship repeat.

Pleasant Valley prevailed in the boys 4x110 shuttle hurdle relay in 59.72, despite Daniel Zietlow clipping the final hurdle and falling, before rallying to get across the finish line.

Max Doran, Grant Necker and Makhi Wilson helped Pleasant Valley achieve the breakthrough after not even competing in the event last year at Drake Relays.