Class 1A boys notebook: Grames, Garber just getting started (PHOTOS)

DES MOINES – Grundy Center's Will Grames earned his first medal of the 2019 state track and field meet on Thursday and has lined himself up for a couple more.
  
Grames finished sixth in the 1A boys 400-meter dash in 50.58. That came moments after he qualified for the 100 in a time of 11.13, the third-best time out of the prelims. His 22.31 preliminary time in the 200 is a school record and was the best 200 prelim time in 1A on Thursday.
  
"My goals for this year are set high," Grames said, "and I felt like doing what I did today gives me a chance to accomplish them."
  
The 100 finals are scheduled for 12:55 p.m. on Saturday. The 200 finals will run at approximately 2:05 p.m. later that day.
  
The Spartan boys are officially on the scoreboard with Grames' medal, and they'll be looking for more team points tomorrow with finals in the 4x200 and distance medley.
  
"I knew we had to start it of today if we wanted any chance of placing as a team," Grames said. "Last year we were happy to be here, and now it's a lot different."
  
GARBER, COMETS SET THE STAGE: BCLUW's Jack Garber will run in the 1A 100 finals with Grames after qualifying eighth in 11.38, six hundredths of a second ahead of the finals cutoff.
 
Coby Willett, Koty Kruse, Neifer Ralston and Garber also have the top qualifying time following the 1A shuttle hurdle prelims, running 1:00.72.
 
"The goal was to earn the top spot and we came out and ran very close to the best time of the year," Garber said. "I told them if we keep running this time, we'll be state champs."
 
Garber wasn't happy with his 100, but relishes the chance to raise his competition level for the finals on Saturday. He welcomes the upcoming challenge of running the shuttle hurdle, 100 and potentially 110 hurdles finals virtually consecutively on the event schedule.
 
"We don't want to settle for anything less than the title," Garber said of the shuttle hurdle. "I want to perform by best for the team too, they're trying their hardest and hopefully we can whip it together to get a state title for the team."
 
Grundy Center's boys 4x800 relay team of Derek Ciddio, Soren Cleveland, Mitchell Munson and Jensen Clapp took 10th in 1A in 8:32.73, going under their seed team and improving a spot on their 11th-place seed.
 
"This is awesome," Munson said of the opportunity to run at Drake Stadium. "It's my last shot at any sport and it's a great way to finish up a senior year."
 
Freshman Soren Cleveland will be ready to improve: "I know now that I need to build up a little bit more endurance and work hard in the offseason to get better for next season."
 
BCLUW's 4x800 team of Ruben Montoya, Noah Gallentine, Henry Kaisand and Caleb Silver finished 22nd in 8:45.57.
 
Silver's run in the 3,200 was invalidated due to a controversial decision to let the results of the 1A race stand after seven laps when the bell signifying the last lap was rung a lap early, causing several runners to stop running after what they thought was their final lap.
 
Only the top 10 places were awarded based on video tape of the runner order after seven laps. As a result, the 1A title changed hands from Joe Anderson of George-Little Rock to Will Roder of Gehlen Catholic.
 
For more state track and field coverage, see next week's Grundy Register. Subscribe by calling (319) 824-6958 or clicking here.