Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, May 29, 2014

The Mount Ayr Raider track team secured their first state title in history Saturday afternoon at Drake Stadium in a performance that can be called both dominating and historic.

When senior distance specialist Noah Larsen cruised to a victory in the 1600 meter run midway through Saturday's events, it gave the Raiders an insurmountable lead in the team scoring and secured the team title. The win validated what Larsen and his teammates had done earlier in the meet, and provided a preview of what was yet to come.

Mount Ayr finished with 77 team points, well ahead of Madrid which finished with 58. Lynnville-Sully was third in the team standings and West Lyon of Inwood fourth.

The 77 point total was a record for most points scored by a 1A team in state history, and was done in front of a large contingent of Mount Ayr fans.

"It takes an individual to win a state championship, but it takes a town to win a title, and Mount Ayr has been so supportive of this track team," said Mount Ayr head coach Brad Elliott. "We're just truly blessed for what happened for the whole town and community."

While Larsen's 1600 victory in 4:31:61 clinched the title, his first race of the meet on Thursday, the 3200, got the Raiders off to a fast start. Larsen won the 3200 meter run in 9:43:50.

That was followed later that morning by a Raider win in the 4x800 relay as Erik Freed, Trevor Anderson, Kyle Dolecheck and Larsen won in 8:14.23, almost three seconds ahead of second place Belle Plaine.

Next up was Dolecheck in the 400 meter run where he finished fourth in 50.57 seconds, picking up a valuable five team points and finishing the day with Mount Ayr leading the meet with 55 team points, 17 points ahead of second place Madrid.

On Friday, the Raiders picked up where they left off by winning the distance medley in a time of 3:36:15, again winning by over 3 seconds. Members of that squad were Grant Staats, Lincoln Martin, Jacob Sobotka and Freed. Also, Staats took seventh place in the 400 meter hurdles in a time of 56.64.

One of the highlights of the meet occurred on Saturday as Dolecheck and Larsen took first and second place in the 800 meter run, adding another 18 points to the Mount Ayr total. Dolecheck's winning time was 1:59:58 with Larsen right behind him at 1:59:85.

Dolecheck and Larsen stayed together the entire race and both gained ground on the back stretch. As they crossed the finish line the teammates embraced each other with a hug.

"I knew if I kept pace with Noah I would run a good race," Dolecheck said. "None of us is without a self-sacrificing act and I am honored for my teammate.

"Every practice we go out and push each other towards our one final goal," Larsen said.

In the 4x100 relay, the team of Staats, Sobotka, Martin and Stackhouse took sixth place in 44:78, setting up the final triumph for Mount Ayr in the day's final event, the 4x400 relay.

The historic meet was capped with a win in the race as Dolecheck, Martin, Freed and Sobotka finished in 3:26.03, over a second faster then second place Wapsie Valley.

"We had experience bringing kids up to state events before, and this year we were able to put together all the research and keep the boys on a tight schedule to keep them busy and focused," said Elliott.

"We watched what the kids ate and keep a good nutritional diet and loaded up on pasta at night. The team followed my instructions to a "t". They are a great group of kids and I knew they had talent, even when they were younger."

Three Raiders took home three gold medals in the meet, Larsen, Dolecheck and Freed. Sobotka and Martin each two, two golds home and Staats and Anderson each had one.

The 15 gold medals for Mount Ayr are two more than the Raiders have had total in the long history of Mount Ayr track. Before this year, the Raider's best finish at the state meet was second in 1964 when they scored 29 points, missing the state title by just one-half point.

"The fact that we won our first state title didn't hit me until last night (Monday)," said Elliott. "It is very fulfilling and went by so fast. It's an experience I'll never forget."

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Top Row: Left - The Raiders accept the Class 1A state championship trophy at the conclusion of state event as (right) proud coaches Kurt Wallace and Brad Elliott enjoy the trophy presentation.

Secont Row: Left - Kyle Dolecheck and Noah Larsen finish first and second in the 800 meter run and then (top right) their share their mutual respect. Bottom Right _ Grant Staats finishes seventh in the 400 meter hurdles. Staats wond gold as a member of the distance medley relay.

Near Right - Grant Staats, Lincoln Martin, Jacob Sobotka and Erik Freed shortly after their state championship run in the distance medley relay

Far Right - The 4x800 meter relay team of Trevor Anderson, Erik Freed, Noah Larsen and Kyle Dolecheck display their state championship banner.

Above the state championship banner and trophy go on immediate display as the Raiders return to an appreciative home crowd Saturday night.

Above right, crossing the finish line to win the 4x400 meter relay, the last event of the state track meet, Jacob Sobotka raised the #1 sign as if to announce the Raider's dominant three-day state meet performance. Right, three Raiders - Kyle Dolecheck, Noah Larsen and Erik Freed - won gold medals in three events at the state meet. In addition, Larson finished with one silver medal.

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, June 05, 2014

Larsen 'outstanding performer' at Class 1A state track meet

Mount Ayr's Noah Larsen has been named the Class 1A Outstanding Performer for his performance at the State Track Meet held recently at Drake Stadium.

The award, sponsored by the Pizza Ranch chain of restaurants, is given to one male and one female in each class.

Larsen won three individual events and placed second in a fourth to earn the award. He won gold medals in the 3200 meter run, 4 x 800 relay and the 1600 meter run and brought home the silver medal in the 800 meter run.

"I was surprised," said Larsen. "To be able to go out there and help my team win and also to win that award is a real honor. It feels great."

After the state meet, Larsen took a week off and is now back training again. He plans to run for Iowa Central in Fort Dodge on both their cross country and track teams.

Larsen had words of encouragement for the students that will be running next year for the Raiders. "Stay focused, love what you do and just go for it," he said. "If you work hard, enjoy what you do and keep on it, you can succeed."

Photographs courtesy of Mount Ayr Record-News

Transcriptions by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2014