This past weekend, on May 21-23, the annual state track meet was held in Des Moines at Drake Stadium. The girls track team had a total of 15 athletes competing for the Trojans.
Junior Savannah Mathias was one of the standout performers for West, finishing 10th in the Class 4A 400-meter run with a time of 57.96 seconds. She also competed in the 200-meter prelims and anchored multiple relay squads throughout the weekend. Senior Jena Frank ran a personal best of 1:00.15 in the 400 meters to place 18th — a fitting way to close out her career as a Trojan.
In the field, junior Sophia Austen ’27 cleared 5 feet even in the high jump to finish 14th in the state. Sophomore Amara MacLagan jumped 16 feet, 10.25 inches in the long jump for 11th place — an impressive mark for a 10th-grader on the state stage.
The relay teams were a highlight of West’s weekend. Six squads made the trip to Des Moines, and two of them posted times that ranked among the top marks in Iowa this season. The 4×200 relay team of MacLagan, Graham, Cornish, and Rahmouni ran a 1:44.28, the 27th-fastest time in the state in 2026. The 4×800 team of Kate Van Waning ’26, Adrienne Hodge ’29, Ellie DeWaard ’29, and Avery Nepple ’29 crossed in 9:46.51, ranking 36th in Iowa. Both were season bests.
The shuttle hurdle relay of Graham, Wing, Sieren, and Willis also posted a season best of 1:09.68 in the prelims.
The meet itself was historic. Waukee Northwest won the Class 4A girls title with 150.5 points, the highest team score ever recorded in Iowa Girls State Track history. On the boys side, West’s own shuttle hurdle relay of Ely Smock ’26, Waleed Ibrahim ’26, Cade Towler ’27, and Ryder Gorsh ’26 shattered the Iowa all-time and Class 4A record with a time of 55.39.
With Mathias returning for her junior season, MacLagan still only a sophomore, and a deep relay corps with state experience, the West High girls track program has plenty to build on heading into next year.
The boys team headlined the weekend with one of the most remarkable performances in Iowa track and field history. The 4×110-meter shuttle hurdle relay team of Ely Smock, Waleed Ibrahim, Cade Towler, and Ryder Gorsh ran a 55.39 in the final — an all-time Iowa state meet record. The previous record fell on the same day, as Waukee Northwest had run a 55.52 in an earlier heat, which would have been a record on its own. West’s squad topped them anyway.
Smock and Ibrahim both had standout individual meets in the hurdles. Smock finished 7th in the 110-meter hurdles final with a time of 14.46 and then came back to run a personal best of 54.01 in the 400-meter hurdles — the 38th-fastest time in the United States this year. Ibrahim was right behind him with a 54.08, the 42nd-fastest in the country. Both were personal bests.
In the field, sophomore James Barnett put together one of the meet’s best individual performances, throwing 59 feet, 3 inches in the shot put to finish 2nd in Class 4A — the 7th-best mark in Iowa this season and a personal best. Senior Colin Whitters also scored in the shot put with a 5th-place finish at 55 feet, 0.75 inches, and added a 15th-place showing in the discus at 153 feet, 5 inches.
Junior Mason Middleton cleared 6 feet, 3 inches in the high jump to place 5th in the state, a personal best and the 42nd-best mark in Iowa this year. Classmate Carter Spark also cleared a personal best of 5 feet, 11 inches for 18th place.
Junior Neil James ran a 22.07 in the 200-meter prelims, and sophomore Michael Hanna finished 21st in the 3200-meter run with a time of 9:42.32.
On the para side, sophomore Thad Longmire ran a personal best of 15.76 seconds in the boys 100-meter ambulatory event to place 4th.
The boys also put together a strong relay showing. The 4×400 team of Gopinath, Dunham, Nelson, and Goering placed 14th in the prelims with a 3:26.37, and the 4×800 squad finished 16th with an 8:09.48. The sprint medley relay of Luvandu, Hodge Jr., James, and Dunham placed 15th.
Find more results here.
