Area teams qualify five entries for Drake

 DES MOINES -- The Harlan Community and AHSTW boys track teams have qualified a combined five entries for this week’s 107th annual Drake Relays in Des Moines. High school events will be held Thursday-Saturday, April 28-30, in conjunction with competition at the college and university levels, Rio Olympic Games previews, Special Elite Invitationals and Masters Division events. There were no high school girls qualifiers from the area.
 On Thursday, HCHS seniors Jon Bieker and Curtis Schnack will compete in the discus at 3:00 p.m. and Cyclone senior Marcus Klein will compete in the long jump at 3:30. All three athletes will be in Flight 1 of their event. Bieker is tied for the 16th-best discus throw in the state (all classes) out of 24 qualifiers with a mark of 159 feet. Schnack threw 158 feet, six inches at the same meet to tie for 19th in the state. Klein qualified in the long jump with a personal-best leap of 21 feet, 7.5 inches at Thursday’s Tiger-Knight Relays - tied for 18th.
 On Friday, AHSTW sophomore Gage Clay will run in Heat 4 (Lane 1) of the 100-meter dash prelims at 8:46 a.m. The event final will be held at 12:38 p.m. Clay’s season-best of 11.09 seconds is tied for 24th out of 32 qualifiers.
 On Friday evening, Harlan Community will run in the 4x100 relay prelims at 6:00 p.m. (Heat 10, Lane 7). The event final is Saturday at 3:40 p.m. The Cyclones’ season-best time of 45.01 ranked 79th out of 80 qualifiers for Drake.
 HCHS nearly qualified in the 4x400 relay as well Thursday, but its time of 3:27.12 ranked 25th, and only 24 qualified.