Districts at DeWitt Class 3A Maquoketa Girls Track

Behind record-breaking performances and gritty “chase-down” finishes, the Maquoketa Cardinals secured their spot among Iowa’s elite at Thursday’s Class 3A State Qualifying Meet. Competing in a star-studded field, the Cardinals showcased both their veteran poise and late-season resilience to earn multiple berths to next week’s State Meet at Drake Stadium.

Izzy Hardin continued her historic season by dominating the distance events. Hardin set the tone early in the 3000m run, not only capturing the gold medal but shattering her own school record with a blistering time of 9:54.97. She returned to the track later in the evening to complete the distance sweep, clocking a 4:45.05 in the 1500m to secure her second gold medal of the night.

The most dramatic moment of the night came during the Distance Medley. Trailing heading into the final exchange, anchor Natalie Hackman surged to chase down her opponent from Dubuque Wahlert, securing a second-place finish for the Cardinals. The team of Mack McLaughlin, Isabel Hopson, Justice Armbruster, and Hackman crossed the line in 4:15.84, earning an automatic qualifying spot for the state championships.

In the 4×400 relay, the Cardinals faced one of the fastest fields in the state. The squad clocked a stellar 4:05.91 to finish 4th, comfortably securing a “wildcard” entry based on their statewide ranking.

The Cardinals’ success extended deep into individual competition, where veteran poise met high-stakes pressure. Isabel Hopson looked every bit the championship contender in the high jump, clearing 5’6″ to tie her own personal best and school record. Her second-place finish in a competitive flight ensures she enters the state meet as one of the top seeds in Class 3A.

On the track, Natalie Hackman displayed incredible endurance. Just a short time after her intense anchor leg in the Distance Medley, she returned for the 800m run and clocked a 2:18.50. Her silver-medal performance was a testament to her recovery and speed. Meanwhile, Cora Widel provided one of the night’s most inspiring performances. After battling back from a late-season injury that threatened her postseason, Widel surged in the 400m dash to finish in 1:00.39, officially punching her ticket to the Blue Oval.

While the focus often stays on the qualifiers, the Cardinals saw a wave of personal bests and podium finishes that capped off a successful team effort. Justice Armbruster took 5th in the 400m hurdles with a time of 1:09.03, while the throwing events saw significant improvement as Harper Gjerstad took 6th in the shot put with a PR of 30-10 and Madilyn Koch earned 6th in the discus with a PR of 93-10.

The relay depth was also on display; the 4×800 team of Riley Buttz, Charlotte Ihns, Emrie Petersen, and Ella Gibson finished 7th while shaving an incredible 15 seconds off their previous best to hit 11:01. Rounding out the night, the 4×100 team of Atty Moore, Mack McLaughlin, Ava Ferguson, and Riley Buttz crossed the line in 54.32 to place 7th.

The State Bound Cardinals now set their sights on Des Moines for the Iowa High School State Track & Field Championships, held May 21–23 at historic Drake Stadium.