BCLUW confident entering 1A state track and field meet (PHOTOS)

GRUNDY CENTER – Jack Garber was so fired up about his team's shuttle hurdle relay time that he couldn't wait to run the 100-meter dash shortly after.
  
While Garber has his own goals in mind for where he wants to be at the end of Saturday afternoon in Des Moines, the BCLUW boys track and field senior and Iowa State commit is happy to be bringing along a lot of teammates for the experience.
  
The BCLUW shuttle hurdle team of Coby Willett, Koty Kruse, Neifer Ralston and Garber are the top seed in 1A after running a 1:00.62 at the state-qualifying meet last Friday. Fremont-Mills is the second seed at 1:00.90. The Comets will compete in a total of nine events in Des Moines this week.
  
Garber also has the second-fastest seed time in the 100-meter dash and 400-meter hurdles, with Garber winning the former by a hair over Grundy Center's Will Grames last Friday. His goal of a 110-meter high hurdle title is well in sight now, too, the top seed in that event by nearly four-tenths of a second and a seed time that will no doubt drop when Garber sees stiffer competition on the Blue Oval.
  
On Friday, Garber just wanted to enjoy the moment with the team. Neifer Ralston pulled even with North Tama's third runner as he crossed the line to send Garber off, and Garber only needed a couple hurdles to put distance between the Comets and the field.
  
"After that race, I let out a big 'Yes' and found my guys," Garber said of the shuttle hurdle win. "They were already down there by the time I was done, jumping around and having a good time. It's a fast time and I'm really proud of those guys. We didn't do too well down at Drake, and that really hit our ego. We've built ourselves back up and with that time, we're more encouraged than ever to go out there, and those guys' goals are to win a state title, too."
 
BCLUW boys qualifiers
100, 110 hurdles: Jack Garber
400 hurdles: Garber, Neifer Ralston
1,600: Caleb Silver, Ruben Montoya
3,200: Silver
4x100: Ben Paper, Carson Hoffman, Joe Mason, Jessie Moore
4x800: Montoya, Noah Gallentine, Henry Kaisand, Silver
Distance medley: Paper, Moore, Ralston, Montoya
Shuttle hurdle: Coby Willett, Koty Kruse, Ralston, Garber
 
COMET GIRLS LOOKING FOR MORE: With the best seed time in the Class 1A shuttle hurdle race at 1:07.57, the shuttle hurdle team of Kiersten Kruse, Payton Pekarek, Olivia Hughes and Lizzie Garber are eager for a chance at state-meet glory after Garber narrowly beat Belle Plaine's Kenzie Mantz to the line last Friday for a district title.
  
"Tonight was insane," Hughes said. "We haven't run that fast for a while, but to beat our old season-best by a second, we're so relieved."
  
Hughes and Garber will also run together in the 100 hurdles. Kenna Paxson will compete in the 400 hurdles, Dahlia Gardiner in the long jump and the 4x100 and sprint medley relay races will join the shuttle hurdle in competition at Des Moines.
  
"I'm excited to run shuttle again after running last year," Garber said. "We know that we can do some big things there and I'm very excited for that."
 
BCLUW girls qualifiers
100 hurdles: Lizzie Garber, Olivia Hughes
400 hurdles: Kenna Paxson
Long jump: Dahlia Gardiner
Shuttle hurdle: Kiersten Kruse, Payton Pekarek, Hughes, Garber
4x100: Kaylee Grant, Kruse, Garber, Hughes
Sprint medley: Kruse, Hughes, Fiona Speicher, Katie Thompson
 
For the full story, see this week's Grundy Register. Subscribe by calling (319) 824-6958 or clicking here. 
 
Photos: State-qualifying track and field at Grundy Center
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