NOTE – Looking for boys results and interviews? Keep scrolling.
Thursday night, the Top of Iowa Conference held its annual co-ed championships. Osage hosted the east schools, while Forest City hosted the west.
Forest City was the heavy favorite in the boys’ team race, while the Indians held an edge over Bishop Garrigan in the girls’ race coming in – and the Indians performed in front of their home crowd.
JASON SOPKO, Forest City head coach, full interview:
Sopko (left) was named TIC coach of the year.
Lili Nelson (right) from Forest City was named TIC athlete of the year.
GIRLS TEAM SCORES
Forest City 164
Bishop Garrigan 116
North Union 76
Lake Mills 52
West Hancock 45
GHV 43
North Iowa 43
Eagle Grove 33
Belmond-Klemme 17
Forest City freshman Bethany Warren has been an instant star in her first year. Warren broke the conference meet record in one of the most grueling events – 400m Hurdles in a time of 108.55.
BETHANY WARREN, Forest City full interview:
Senior Shae Dillavou came in third-best in the high jump with a season-best of 5’1″. She cleared that on her
first attempt to win the conference title.
SHAE DILLAVOU, Forest City full interview:
Dillavou also won conference titles in the 200m run, 4×200, and 4×100.
The Forest City boys came into the night with the expectation of winning the conference title – by a lot – and they did just that. Forest City won by 69 points and really didn’t have to worry all night long.
BRIAN HOVENGA, Forest City head coach, full interview:
Hovenga was also named the TIC boys coach of the year, while Belmond-Klemme’s Tate Sander was named the male athlete of the year by the conference coaches.
BOYS TEAM SCORES
Forest City 169
West Hancock 100
Lake Mills 80
Belmond-Klemme 66
Bishop Garrigan 51
Eagle Grove 47
North Union 39
North Iowa 25
GHV 12
The Indians nearly had a new school record for the second time this year, but sophomore Dakota Carlson came up just short of it. Carlson eased to the conference title in the high jump event with his new career-high of 6’5″ – the same height that’s stumped him throughout the year.
DAKOTA CARLSON, Forest City full interview:
A bright spot for Lake Mills was senior Wyatt Helming. The big man – who will play basketball at Northwestern College next year – came in hoping to win the discus; he did that. But he also muscled his way to the shot put title as well. His throw of 43-9.50 was his personal best and enough to beat the competition.
WYATT HELMING, Lake Mills full interview:
The West Hancock shuttle hurdle team finished fifth at last year’s state meet. They just nearly missed going to the Drake Relays, which Mitchell Smith said was disappointing, but they are focused on state. They won the conference championship in 102.83.
MITCHELL SMITH, West Hancock full interview:
The full meets results can be found here.
