The Southeast Valley boys’ track & field team traveled to Sac City on Tuesday, May 2nd for the Twin Lakes Conference meet as the defending conference champion. In a tight team race that was back and forth between the Jaguars and Sioux Central all night. Taking a 2 point lead into the 4 x 400m relays, the Jaguars needed to stay within one place of the Rebels to win the title. Unfortunately, Sioux Central was able to win the 4 x 400, while SV finished 5th. Sioux Central won the team title with 130 points to the Jaguars’ 126 points.

Individually, the Jaguars walked away with three individual conference champions in four events. For the second year in a row, Cooper Nuss claimed gold in both the 1600m run (4:56.46) and the 3200m run (10:43.08). While it was his second conference title in the 1600m run, it was his third consecutive 3200m crown.  

Justin Loseke won a conference title when he won the discus in a throw of 147’ 5”. Hoping to duplicate the feat in the shot put, he was out tossed by teammate Ethan Ackerson who took gold in the shot put with a throw of 49-1.5”. Justin’s throw of 49-1” took second. Nate Scott completed the sweep of the throwing events with runner-up honors in the discus with a toss of 117-06”

The field continued to be kind to the Jaguars as Eli Johnson had a season best jump 19’ 10.5” to claim silver in the event while teammate Jace Hanson finished 5th (19’ 3”). Hanson took runner-up honors in the 110m high hurdles with a time of 16.52, while also taking 4th in the 400m low hurdles (1:00.42). Eli also had a 4th place in the 200m dash (24.19).

A pair of relay quartets took runner-up honors in the 4 x 100m and 4 x 200m relay. Dreyvon Steadman, Carl Berglund, Andrew Miller and Ei ran 1:36.60 to claim silver while Dreyvon and Carl teamed up with Brady Hanson and Kayden Showers to take 2nd in the 4 x 100m with a time of 46.30.

With late kicks in both the 1600m and 3200m run, Oscar Hanson came up short of silver medals to win bronze in both with a time of 5:01.58 and 10:46.56 (season PR) in the 3200m run. Isaiah Ihrig, Eli Johnson, Andrew Miller and Jace Hanson took 5th in the 4 x 400m relay with a time of 3:42.72.  

“As coaches we were excited for the total team effort as every athlete scored points for the Jaguars. We knew Sioux Central would be the team to beat, and it was exciting to go back and forth with them all night for the team lead. All of our events finished ahead or right at where we thought they would place, so you can’t ask for anything more. Sioux Central was the better team on Tuesday,” commented Coach Nuss. “This group of juniors and seniors have really stepped up their leadership this season and it has shown in our meet results.”

The Jaguars will finish up their season with a trip back to Sac City on Monday, May 8th before they head to Ida Grove on Thursday, May 11th for their chance to punch their ticket to the state meet at their state qualifying meet.