Boys state track notebook: Hook, Kiewiet 4th in field events

DES MOINES – Jordan Hook caught the shot put bug this spring.
 
The Grundy Center senior and UNI football commit had never had the sport stick until this season, when head coach Chris Conger convinced Hook to give it another shot after not coming out for track and field in his junior season.
 
Once Hook found success in putting his 6-foot-4 frame to use in the shot put ring, he went all in.
 
While he admitted he wishes he could've done better than his fourth-place finish in the Class 1A shot put state championship on Thursday in Des Moines, this season helped him understand his capabilities. Hook's best throw was a 51 foot, 6.5 inch toss.
 
"It was our conference meet, once I hit that 50 mark and threw a 53 but scratched stepping outside of the ring," Hook said. "When I threw that out there I knew what I was capable of, and it's just a mental thing of staying confident."
 
Hook reached the finals with a 49 feet, 3.5 inch throw in the second flight and landed a 50-9.5 and 51.6.5 back to back to power himself into the top half of the medal standings. Dawson Ellingson of Hudson threw a 59-5.75 on his final throw to win the shot put title.
 
The state medal was the latest highlight for Hook's season with the Spartans.
 
"We won four meets as a team, tied for the district title, that was huge," Hook said. "We've got a really dedicated team and it's awesome to be a part of that. Heading into UNI next year too, that will be a great experience from that team aspect."
 
The Spartans are also guaranteed another state medal after Will Grames qualified in 7th for Saturday's 200 finals after a 23.31 run in today's prelims.
 
"I felt pretty good coming into this," Grames said. "I didn't think [23.31 would qualify], just kinda got lucky. I need to get off to a fast start [Saturday] and just stay with the pack and try to pass a couple people on the backstretch."
 

Dike-New Hartford's Parker Kiewiet finished fourth in the Class 2A long jump state championship in Des Moines on Thursday. (Jake Ryder/The Grundy Register)
 
Parker Kiewiet had a lot of adrenaline on Thursday afternoon.
 
It nearly got the sophomore Dike-New Hartford jumper in trouble, but he was able to add to a fifth-place finish at this year's Drake Relays with a fourth-place medal at the Class 2A long jump state championship in Des Moines. Kiewiet's best jump was 21-8, with Miles Rupiper jumping 22-1 for the victory.
 
Just as he had in all three attempts last season at state, Kiewiet scratched on his first two attempts in the second flight. But then he unleashed his best jump of the day with his third and final jump, which led all jumpers heading into the finals.
 
"I was getting more speed than I thought I would," Kiewiet said of the early faults. "I had to make my adjustments and just have confidence in myself and have my dad and coach there telling me how I should scoot back and just trying to coach myself through the prelims."
 
Kiewiet, Drew Sonnenberg, Conlee Lyons and Ryan Moore finished ninth in the 4x800 championship in 8:23.82. Moore's anchor leg surged Dike-New Hartford into contention for a medal but it was an effort that ultimately fell about 1.5 seconds short.
 
"It felt good giving the baton to Ryan," Lyons said, "because you know Ryan will give it everything he's got to get where he wants us."
 
All four are anxious to come back after the sophomores Kiewiet, Sonnenberg and Lyons got their first taste of the Blue Oval with the junior Moore, who was on last season's 4x800 championship-title-winning team.
 
"For sure, you'll see us down here next year doing bigger and better things," Moore said. "We'll be huge next year."
 
Notes
 
BCLUW: Coby Willett, Koty Kruse, Connor Thompson and Jack Garber will run in Saturday's shuttle hurdle relay championship race after finishing 7th in 1:00.99 in the preliminaries. ... Caleb Silver was 23rd in the 3,200 in 11:07.53.
 
Dike-New Hartford: Grant Bixby, Ely Sohn, Seth Eden and Cade Fuller finished 12th in the 2A shuttle hurdle prelims, falling short of qualifying for the top-8 finalist spots.
 
Grundy Center: Derek Ciddio was 15th in the 3,200 in 10:23.79. ... Caleb Kuiper was 20th in the 400 in 53.59. ... The shuttle hurdle relay team of Colton Sandell, Nick Ascher, Jesse Mackie and Drew Rathe placed 16th in 1:03.34 and did not qualify for Saturday's final.