By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The 114th Drake Relays presented by Xtream and Powered by Mediacom are scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, April 24-27 at Jim Duncan Track and Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.

WATCH THE 114TH DRAKE RELAYS PRESENTED BY XTREAM LIVE APRIL 25-27 ON USATF.TV

Here are 10 storylines involving high school athletes to keep an eye on at one of the most prestigious meets in the country:

Ankeny seeks relay replay on Blue Oval

One of the most anticipated races of the meet is the boys 4x200-meter relay Friday, which features Ankeny High scheduled to compete in the final section of the timed final, looking to lower its own state record.

The last time the Hawks raced at Drake Stadium, Logan Fairchild, Devon Akers, Jackson Belding and Tyler Sickerson produced an Iowa all-time best performance of 1 minute, 26.12 seconds April 13 at the Jim Duncan Invitational, eclipsing the 2019 standard of 1:26.17 achieved by West Des Moines Valley.

The 4x200 meet record of 1:27.14 was established by Cedar Rapids Jefferson in 2018.

Johnston prevailed in last year’s race in 1:27.29, but only Jashua Anglo returns from the victorious lineup for the Dragoons.

Iowa City West is the only other entry to have run sub-1:28 this season, looking to improve on its April 6 mark of 1:27.42.

Southeast Polk High won back-to-back years in 2021-22, and if Johnston is to repeat, it would have to come from an earlier section based on its season-best 1:30.19.

Brownlee set to tackle triple, Sellers seeks another impressive double

The paths of Panorama senior Jaidyn Sellers and Clear Lake junior Reese Brownlee are expected to cross just once during the weekend, but the outcome of the girls 400-meter final Friday could have a profound impact on the pursuit of history for both athletes.

Sellers, who has committed to play softball at Iowa, became the only female athlete in meet history last year to sweep the 100-meter dash and 400 meters in the same year. She ran 12.23 into a headwind in the 100 final after clocking a wind-legal 12.08 in the prelims, then achieved a 56.24 effort to secure the 400 crown.

No female athlete has repeated in the 400 since its addition to the Drake Relays schedule in 2019.

Holly Duax of Sioux City West was a back-to-back girls 100 winner in 2021-22.

But Brownlee has her sights set on a memorable double on the track, in addition to her quest to triumph in the long jump as well.

Brownlee is attempting to become the first female competitor in meet history to secure victories in the 400 meters and 400-meter hurdles in the same year, as well as trying to capture her first Drake Relays long jump title as well.

Brownlee was sixth last season in the 400 in 57.87, but did not race in the 400 hurdles, instead placing 29th in the 100-meter dash and runner-up in the long jump at 18-3.25 (5.57m).

Brownlee is the top qualifier in the 400 in 56.60, with Sellers entered at 57.55.

Sellers boasts the fastest 100-meter performance at 11.92, in addition to being entered in the high jump at 5-4.25 (1.63m).

Brownlee also leads all entries in the 400 hurdles at 1:01.95, as well as the long jump at 19-0.25 (5.79m).

Kerris Roberts of Waterloo East set the meet record in the 100 of 11.82 in both the 2017 prelims and 2019 final.

Gabby Cortez of Cedar Rapids Prairie clocked the fastest 400 time in meet history at 56.15 in 2022.

Payton Wensel from Linn-Mar ran 1:00.25 for the 400 hurdles all-time mark in 2018.

LaNeisha Waller has held the long jump meet record of 19-3.75 (5.88m) since 2004.

Setting an impressive tone

The first boys high school relay final of the meet Friday could be one of multiple titles secured during the weekend by Ankeny High, or it could showcase an impressive repeat by Iowa City West.

The Trojans prevailed last year in the 1,600-meter medley race in 3:26.67, and Iowa City West is scheduled to have Todd Rent, Izaiah Loveless, Aidan Jacobsen and Moustafa Tiea all available from that championship lineup, in addition to the potential for sophomore Julian Manson to possibly compete.

Iowa City West ran 3:32.62 on March 21 at the Steve Roth Relays to qualify, but enters the meet with the second-fastest performance behind Ankeny.

The Hawks had Samuel Sandvig, Devon Akers, Jackson Belding and Ethan Zuber clock 3:25.60 on March 30 at the Dallas Center-Grimes Invitational.

Cedar Rapids Prairie has held the meet record of 3:25.94 since 2016, but both Ankeny and Iowa City West appear ready to take aim at that mark, in addition to possibly challenging the Iowa all-time best of 3:22.69 by Iowa City High in 2001.

Central DeWitt and Urbandale, who have both run sub-3:33 this season, are looking to steal the spotlight from Ankeny and Iowa City West, which is looking to become the first back-to-back winner at Drake Relays since Urbandale in 2018-19.

Morton eyes masterful return to the ring

Charlee Morton, a junior at Hampton-Dumont-CAL, swept the girls discus throw and shot put titles last year at Drake Relays, and is looking to become the first female athlete since Tipton’s Jamie Kofron in 2018-19 to win both events in back-to-back years.

Morton triumphed last season with a 146-3 (44.57m) effort in the discus and a mark of 43-3.50 (13.19m) in the shot put.

She enters Thursday’s shot put final with the top seed at 43-6 (13.26m) and boasts the second-best qualifying mark in the discus at 144-2 (43.94m).

Reese Goodlet, a senior at Pleasant Valley, is the top qualifier in the discus at 145-9 (44.42m).

She finished second behind Morton last year at the Drake Relays with a 142-9 (43.51m) performance.

Anna Hadley from Pekin, Libby Dix of Mount Vernon and Knoxville’s Ciara Heffron have also surpassed 140 feet in the discus this year.

Sophomores Delilah Subsin of Ottumwa, Lauren Travis from Spirit Lake and Greta Brus of Davenport North have all achieved shot put marks this season of at least 42 feet.

One lap to create a lasting impression

Ryce Reynolds of Mount Ayr captured the boys 400-meter title last season in 48.46 seconds and the Stanford commit is looking to become the first athlete in the event to secure back-to-back championships since it was added to the meet schedule five years ago.

But Carlisle High senior Braedin Zondervan served notice April 13 at the Jim Duncan Invitational with his 47.75 effort, not only the top time in the state this season, but also a mark that is faster than the meet record of 47.91 by Ankeny’s Tyrese Miller in 2022.

Zondervan was 14th last year at Drake Relays in 50.57.

Reynolds clocked 48.76 on March 7 to qualify for the Drake Relays, but will be challenged in his quest for a repeat, especially with Ankeny teammates Jackson Belding and Logan Fairchild in Friday’s timed final, along with Cedar Falls junior Jordan Townsend and Zondervan.

The Iowa all-time best of 46.99 produced in 2019 by Darien Porter of Bettendorf could also be challenged as well.

Reynolds is also scheduled to compete in the 400 hurdles and 800 for Mount Ayr.

Rising stars for Waukee Northwest ready for big stage

Waukee Northwest was already recognized as having one of the most impressive sprint corps in Iowa, with the return of Aunya Van Zetten, Katie Stahl, Avery Vogt and Lilah Kress.

But the arrival of freshmen Ayrissa Robinson and Keziah Caldwell have the Wolves primed to pursue a dynamic relay double Friday and Saturday.

Waukee Northwest will attempt to defend its 4x200 championship Friday after clocking 1:41.33 last year.

Stahl and Van Zetten are back from last year’s lineup, with Robinson seeking her first Drake Relays title and Vogt also expected to contribute.

The Wolves already ran 1:40.49 on April 13 at the Jim Duncan Invitational, which is faster than the 2016 meet record of 1:40.87 produced by Cedar Rapids Jefferson, the same program which also achieved the Iowa all-time best of 1:39.24 in 2015.

No other Iowa school has yet to run under 1:43 this season.

Dubuque Wahlert Catholic was the last girls team to secure back-to-back 4x200 titles in 2017-18.

The potential showdown involving Waukee Northwest and Des Moines Hoover in the girls 4x100 final Saturday, assuming they both survive the prelims earlier in the day, could be one of the most memorable matchups of the weekend.

Hoover returns Takira Smith, Monah Kyne, Kim Karnga and Jessica Kyne from last year’s winning lineup that clocked 48.87, and might add Jalina Jordan to its quartet.

Waukee Northwest ran a state-leading 48.05 at the Jim Duncan Invitational, with Katie Willits joining Caldwell, Robinson and Stahl.

Both the Drake Relays record and Iowa all-time best of 47.55 were achieved in 2012 by Des Moines Roosevelt and equaled in 2015 by Cedar Rapids Jefferson, which is also the last girls program to sweep the 4x100 and 4x200 titles at Drake Relays in the same year, achieving the feat in both 2015 and 2016.

Significant hurdles ahead

Aidan Jacobsen, a senior at Iowa City West, was involved in a thrilling boys 400-meter hurdles final last year at Drake Relays, with Nicholas Gorsich of Linn-Mar clocking 52.28 to edge Ryce Reynolds from Mount Ayr (52.57). Jacobsen took third in 52.83.

Gorsich edged Jacobsen again last year in the Iowa 4A state final by a 51.80 to 52.63 margin.

Jacobsen enters Saturday’s timed final as the state leader at 52.52 from an April 13 meet on his home track. No other male athlete in the state has run under 53 seconds this year, although Central Dewitt’s Tristan Rheingans, Gabe Funk from Lenox, Ashton Hogrefe of Western Dubuque and Reynolds have all achieved sub-54 efforts.

Dustin Avey from Ames has held the meet record of 51.94 since 1995. He produced the Iowa all-time best the following year by clocking 50.96.

Austin West, now an All-American at the University of Iowa, was the last 400 hurdles winner for Iowa City West at the Drake Relays, clocking 51.96 in 2018.

Dorenkamp determined to go the distance

Addison Dorenkamp has been a fixture for West Des Moines Valley at the Drake Relays for her entire prep career, but despite several top-three finishes, the Alabama commit is still seeking her first commemorative white flag at Jim Duncan Track.

Dorenkamp enters the meet as the state leader in the girls 1,500 and 3,000 meters, looking to become the first female athlete to sweep both events in the same year since Crestwood’s Ellie (Friesen) Hodge in 2018.

Dorenkamp clocked 4:34.08 in the 1,500 on April 13 at the Jim Duncan Invitational. A week earlier at the Valley Relays, she ran 9:37.41 in the 3,000.

Last year, Dorenkamp finished second behind Ballard Community’s Paityn Noe in the 3,000 by a 9:28.89 to 9:36.98 margin.

Adrienne Buettner-Cable of Des Moines Roosevelt triumphed in the girls mile in 4:49.58, followed by Noe in 4:49.91 and Dorenkamp taking third in 4:51.45.

Dorenkamp beat Buettner-Cable in both the 1,500 and 3,000 last year at the Iowa 4A state championship, and is looking to complete her prep resume with a Drake Relays individual title. She also has the potential to add a 4x800 relay victory, with West Des Moines Valley expected to challenge Pleasant Valley and returning champion Johnston for the top spot.

Noelle Steines of Tipton, who won the 1,500 last year in 4:35.22 for Calamus-Wheatland, is scheduled to compete in pursuit of back-to-back titles.

Stephanie Jenks of Linn-Mar was the last female athlete to achieve consecutive 1,500 victories at Drake Relays, winning four in a row from 2013-16.

Anania looks to hold court in debut

Tony Anania of Norwalk High got a taste of Drake Stadium on April 13 at the Jim Duncan Invitational, but the junior has the potential to make an inspiring debut at the Drake Relays, beginning Thursday with the 3,200 meters.

Already an accomplished basketball player, Anania added track to his schedule in an effort to improve his fitness and agility.

Anania accelerated his learning curve significantly this season and arrives at Jim Duncan Track entered in five events, including the distinction of being the state’s fastest competitor this season in the 1,600 at 4:14.10 and the 3,200 with a 9:09.62 effort on the Blue Oval.

Anania is also entered in the 800, the 4x800 and 1,600 medley relays for Norwalk.

Jaden Merrick of Cedar Falls, Max DeRocher from Dowling Catholic, Natnael Kifle of Sioux City North, Ethan Zuber from Ankeny and Quentin Nauman of Western Dubuque have all run under 4:17 in the 1,600 this season.

Zuber and Pella’s Canaan Dunham are the only other entries to produce sub-9:15 performances this season in the 3,200.

Will a single Swartzendruber be enough for Cougars?

Twin sisters Addison Swartzendruber and Sidney Swartzendruber helped Cedar Rapids Kennedy capture Drake Relays titles last year in both the 4x400 and 800-sprint medley relays, the first for the Cougars at the meet since 1992.

Sidney and Addison also placed second and third in the 400-meter final behind Panorama’s Jaidyn Sellers.

But with Sidney sidelined during her senior season as a result of injury, the Cougars’ quest to repeat in either event will depend on Addison and returning teammates Jovie Veach and Quren Hullon.

Addison is again scheduled to race the 400, as well as competing in the 800 sprint medley relay final Friday with Emerson Blocker, Annie Garsayne and Hullon. She is also entered in the 4x400 prelims Friday with Charley Lovell, Blocker and Veach, looking to qualify for Saturday’s championship race.

Southeast Polk was the last girls 4x400 to repeat in 2017-18.

Linn-Mar repeated as 800 sprint medley winners, also in 2017-18.

Pleasant Valley (3:58.49) and Dubuque Hempstead (3:59.33) are the only two programs this season to run sub-4 in the 4x400.

Johnston (1:46.68) and Waukee (1:48.80) are the leading entries in the 800 sprint medley relay.