Noe challenges meet, state all-time marks in 3,000 meters on her way to lifetime-best 9:28.89 performance, with Noring producing personal-best 18-10 to repeat in long jump; Kessel, Kieler, Lauman and Morton also victorious
By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor
Photos by Ava Kitzi
DES MOINES, Iowa – Following the longest, and most successful, cross country and indoor track seasons of her career that both culminated with All-America honors, Paityn Noe knew she needed to remain patient early in the spring, being efficient in her racing opportunities in advance of the 113th Drake Relays.
But when the Ballard Community High senior and Arkansas commit returned Thursday to Jim Duncan Track at Drake Stadium, she looked to be in postseason form once again, repeating as champion in the girls 3,000 meters by running a lifetime-best 9 minutes, 28.89 seconds.
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Noe, who became the third female athlete in Iowa prep history to eclipse the 9:30 barrier, became the first back-to-back winner since Stephanie Jenks of Linn-Mar secured three consecutive victories from 2013-15.
Addison Dorenkamp of West Des Moines Valley remained at No. 5 all-time in the state by clocking a personal-best 9:36.98.
Noe prevailed last year against Dorenkamp by a 9:53.31 to 9:56.91 margin.
Isabelle Noring of Carlisle High joined Noe as a repeat champion, overcoming two fouls in the long jump, before producing a lifetime-best 18-10 (5.74m) in the third round to become the first back-to-back winner in the event since Darby Thomas of Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln achieved a three-peat from 2017-19.
Noring became the first Carlisle female competitor to capture multiple Drake Relays titles in any field event. Ainsley Erzen won back-to-back 800 championships for Carlisle in 2021-22.
Reese Brownlee from Clear Lake moved into second in the final round with a wind-legal 18-3.25 (5.57m) effort.
Following a heartbreaking setback in a jumpoff last year against Jack Noble of North Polk, Jacob Kieler of Cedar Falls triumphed with a first-attempt clearance at a personal-best 6-10 (2.08m) to outlast T.J. Jackson of Linn-Mar and Cain Brown from Mid-Prairie Wellman, both clearing 6-9 (2.05m).
Kieler, the first Cedar Falls male athlete to win the high jump at Drake Relays since 1947, needed three tries to clear 6-3 (1.91m) and multiple attempts to successfully make 6-5 (1.96m), 6-7 (2.00m) and 6-9.
But after Noble prevailed last year in the jumpoff after both…
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