RVC meet gives Panthers momentum

   With several of its athletes having personal records and/or season-best performances, the Monticello girls track and field team earned a solid fifth place finish at the River Valley Conference Meet May 4 in Tipton.

   The Panthers scored 61 points. Mid-Prairie was the runaway team champion with 128; Tipton was second with 81.

   “We were on point, and the girls came ready to compete,” Monticello coach Vallerie Lynn said. “We probably have the toughest 2A conference in the state, with some good 1A and 3A teams mixed in the bunch.”

   Monticello didn’t have any conference champions, but was runner-up in five events, and double-scored in two. Those included the 800, where Marisa Kehoe was second and Ava Capron took fourth; and the 1,500, with Leah Koehler second and Emma Althoff fourth.

   Althoff was also second in the 3,000. The Panthers were also second in the distance medley relay with the team of Ava Zimmerman, Keziah McQuillen, Hailey Henderson and Kehoe; and in the 4x800 with Koehler, Capron, Halle Recker and Kehoe.

   Mid-Prairie won the distance medley with what is currently the fastest 2A time in the state. Monti’s 4x800 beat its previous season best time by 10 seconds. The 4x400 team of Hailey Henderson, Capron, McQuillen and Kehoe finished third, knocking four seconds off its previous season best.

   “Marisa Kehoe had an amazing night,” coach Lynn said. “She anchored the 4x800 and distance medley, finished second in the 800 after a great battle with (Mid-Prairie’s) Danielle Hostetler, and anchored the 4x400.

   “Ava Capron had three PRs, Leah Koehler had two PRs, Hailey Henderson had a huge PR in the distance medley, Keziah McQuillen had three season bests, and Emma Althoff had two quality performances.”

State qualifying

here Thursday

   Monticello will host a Class 2A state qualifying meet May 11 at Dean Nelson Field, beginning at 4 p.m.

   Visiting schools include Alburnett, Anamosa, Dyersville Beckman, Cascade, Jesup, MFL MarMac, Northeast of Goose Lake, Oelwein, Postville, Waukon and Williamsburg.

   The top two finishers in each event will automatically qualify for the May 18-20 state meet in Des Moines. There will also be eight at-large spots from across the state in each event.

   “I think (the RVC meet) gave us confidence going into the state qualifying meet that we have the girls where they fit best in the lineup,” coach Lynn said. “The goal going forward is to keep the momentum going and have another great night Thursday.”

May 4

River Valley Conf.

Meet (at Tipton)

TEAM SCORES

     1, Mid-Prairie 128; 2, Tipton 81; 3, Cascade 75; 4, Maquoketa 74; 5, Monticello 61; 6, West Branch 54; 7, Northeast 51; 8, Camanche 41; 9, Durant 40; 10, Anamosa 33; 11, Wilton 31; 12, Iowa City Regina 29; 13, Dyersville Beckman 18; 14, West Liberty 13; 15, Bellevue 12.

MONTICELLO RESULTS

     400: 8, Keziah McQuillen, 1:06.54.

     800: 2, Marisa Kehoe, 2:22.64; 4, Ava Capron, 2:30.79.

     1,500: 2, Leah Koehler, 5:10.60; 4, Emma Althoff, 5:15.53

     3,000: 2, Emma Althoff, 11:14.41.

     Distance medley: 2, Ava Zimmerman, Keziah McQuillen, Hailey Henderson, Marisa Kehoe; 4:24.54.

     4x400: 3, Hailey Henderson, Ava Capron, Keziah McQuillen, Marisa Kehoe; 4:16.38.

     4X800: 2, Leah Koehler, Ava Capron, Halle Recker, Marisa Kehoe; 9:53.48.

     Shot put: 5, Dori Paddock, 32-8.5.