Thursday marked Day 1 of the 2025 State Track and Field Championships at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, which began 3 days of 43 qualifiers competing from the 5 KQRadio area schools.
It would take the length of the day, but the first area state championship was scored in the 1A Boys 400m Dash as South Hamilton junior Kolby Hodnefield emerged victorious in a season-best and school-record time of 48.13 seconds.
“It feels awesome,” Hodnefield said. “Ty [Koehnk] did it last year and I told myself I had to get there next year. I wouldn’t be here without my parents, brother and trainers.”
LISTEN: Kolby Hodnefield after 400 State Title
The 400 capped a monstrous day for Hodnefield, who ran in the preliminary heats of the 100 and 200 earlier in the afternoon, and will enter Friday with the top qualifying time in 1A for the 100 (10.79) and 200 (21.71).
South Hamilton also saw Nick Severseike place 10th in the 400m Dash in 51.32, Braden Young would place 9th in the Boys High Jump with a mark of 20′ 7.5″, while Tessa Skartvedt started the girls meet for the Hawks by placing 10th in the shot put with a throw of 35′ 2″.
Classes 2A and 3A started the day, as Roland-Story started their meet with a solid performance in the girls shuttle hurdle, qualifying 4th for Saturday’s final in a time of 1:07.07 with the team of Brookelyn Jondle-Maddi Lucas-Taylor Rechkemmer-Selah Helgeson. Cody Long would place 17th in the long jump with a mark of 20 2″, while CJ Lucchesi made his Blue Oval debut in the 3200m run, placing 16th in a season-best time of 10:04.71.
“I had a lot of nerves, but I made sure I started getting ready well before just to be safe,” Lucchesi said. “I did as good as I could’ve done and I didn’t leave anything on the table.”
LISTEN: CJ Lucchesi talks 3200 performance
The Norsemen continued their positive trends with Kam Lande qualifying for Saturday’s final in the 2A Girls 200m Dash in a season-best time of 25.25, while the Norsemen 4×800 PR’d in a time of 10:17.92, placing 19th in the 2A Race. Adalyn Sporleder would place 11th in the girls high jump with a mark of 16′ 7.5″.
Fiston Carlson would place 20th in the 2A Boys 100m Dash, while Kam Lande got the Norsemen on the scoreboard in the state meet by placing 6th in the 2A Girls 400m Dash in a season-best time of 58.47.
“I felt good, I came into today in a good spot,” Lande said. “Just happy I was able to end today on a good note.”
LISTEN: Kam Lande talks her performance in 2A 200
Roland-Story ended their day with the boys shuttle hurdle, however the quartet would be disqualified following their performance.
Webster City saw a handful of athletes compete on Thursday, first with senior Jayden Weinzetl placing 11th in the 3A Boys 100m Dash in a time of 10.94 seconds. This was followed by sophomore Izzy Grossoehme placing 12th in the 3A Girls 400m Dash in a season-best time of 59.04.
“I was a little more prepared [for the atmosphere] than last year,” Grossoehme said. “I was able to focus more on my race rather than the nervousness of being in this environment.”
LISTEN: Izzy Grossoehme talks her performance in 3A 400
Fellow Lynx Justin Callahan ran his 400 soon thereafter, placing 11th in a season-best time of 50.94 seconds.
“Being here last year in a relay, it was a lot different as individual,” Callahan said. “It felt like there was so much more hype with the individuals, I felt strong coming out of the blocks and I had a pretty good finish there.”
LISTEN: Justin Callahan talks his performance in the 3A 400
Eagle Grove would pick up points in the girls meet from their lone qualifier, as senior Addy Jeske placed 6th in the 2A Girls Long Jump, with a mark of 16′ 11.75″.
Action resumes on Friday morning at 9 AM for the listening area, as Clarion-Goldfield-Dows sophomore Chaz Lane competes in the 2A Boys High Jump, while Webster City’s Addysen Poppen and Jakaela Cherry compete in the 3A Girls Shot Put, also beginning at 9 AM.