State Qualifier Meet – Maquoketa Girls Track

Davenport, IA – It was an electrifying night for the Maquoketa Girls Track team at the Class 3A State Qualifying meet, as the Lady Cardinals punched their tickets to the Iowa High School State Track Championships in Des Moines next week at the iconic Blue Oval in Drake Stadium. The team’s outstanding performances resulted in a remarkable ten events qualifying for the prestigious state meet.

Leading the charge was the phenomenal Cora Widel, who qualified in an astounding four events. In the 200-meter dash, Widel ran like a bolt of lightning, breaking the school record previously held by teammate Taylor Wing with a blistering time of 25.36 seconds. Taylor Wing herself also had a stellar night, qualifying for State in four events: the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, the Sprint Medley Relay, and the 4×100 Meter Relay.

Distance phenom Izzy Hardin proved unstoppable in her races, dominating the competition in both the 1500-meter run (4:54.02) and the 3000-meter run (10:33.74). Hardin cruised to two gold medals, leaving her competitors far behind.

The relay teams were equally impressive. The Sprint Medley team of Rylee Wing, Millie Wing, Taylor Wing, and Cora Widel kicked off the hot and breezy evening with a solid 1:51.51 to secure their qualification. The Distance Medley team, featuring Rylee Wing, Millie Wing, Kalyn Hackman, and Natalie Hackman, followed with a gutty performance, coming close to the school record and earning their spot at State with a time of 4:23.42. The 4×100 meter relay team of Rylee Wing, Cora Widel, Millie Wing, and Taylor Wing hit their stride, running their season-best time of 49.72 to advance to next week’s competition. The 4×400 meter relay, comprised of Kalyn Hackman, Natalie Hackman, Justice Armbruster, and Cora Widel, wrapped up the night with a strong showing, clocking in at 4:08.24 to secure their place at State.

Individual performances also shone brightly. Justice Armbruster soared to a personal record in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:05.61, finishing second in a tough field. Jo Ochoa had an outstanding night in the long jump, leaping to a personal record of 16 feet and three-quarters of an inch to place fifth. Ryley Galloway also crushed her personal best in the 100-meter dash with a time of 13.45, finishing eighth.

Despite the numerous State qualifications and personal bests, the Cardinals finished a respectable fifth place in the highly competitive district meet. However, the focus now shifts to the Iowa High School State Track Championships, where Maquoketa will be proudly represented by their ten qualifying events at Drake Stadium in Des Moines from May 22nd to 24th. Go Cards!