Area athletes set to take on Drake Relays

OSKALOOSA — It’s that time of the year where the best of the best convene at the famed Blue Oval at Drake Stadium. The 114th Drake Relays gets underway for the high school kids on Thursday and Oskaloosa, Pella and Pella Christian will all be represented this week.

Oskaloosa will send one up to Drake this week in Ryleigh Wilken. The Indian high jumper has been working hard to improve on her craft and is coming off a season-best leap of clearing the bar at 5-5. She will get a great experience going up against the best in the state and will try to crack into the medaling on Thursday evening.

Pella and Pella Christian will once again send a handful of participants on both the girls and boys sides. All eyes will be on the throws and the distance races.

Out in the field, Pella’s Hanson King and Pella Christian’s Trevor Veenstra have been going one-two in most of the meets they’ve been in together. They will both have a chance for some high finishes and potentially a Drake Relays title this week. Last year, King took 15th in the Shot Put and seventh in the Discus. He enters this week ranked third in the Discus and second in the Shot Put. Veenstra is coming off a runner-up finish in the Discus and a third place finish in the Shot Put. He comes in right behind King in both events this week.

Meanwhile in the field, cross country state champions Canaan Dunham and Marissa Ferebee will look to continue their impressive sophomore seasons at the Blue Oval this week. Dunham comes in ranked third in the 3200 while he will look to medal with his teammate Nathan Vander Waal in the 1600 on Saturday. Ferebee has already had a record-shattering season that has seen her break the school records in the 800, 1500 and 3200. She is set to run in the 3200 and 1500 this week, with a good chance to finish in the top five in both and potentially battle for a win.

The Eagles are highlighted by their girls sprinters. Rachel Kacmarynski and Meredith Van Wyk are both set to run in the 100, Sprint Medley, 4x200 and 4x400 this week. Bailey Vos also runs in the 400 and will be another one to watch in the relays.

The 114th Drake Relays is already underway with the high school kids competing at Drake Stadium in Des Moines starting on Thursday, April 25 and running through Saturday.