Foss earns third-place medal in state long jump

 DES MOINES -- Nick Foss and Caleb Bieker combined for three personal bests and one state medal at the State Track and Field Championships last weekend as the Harlan Community boys scored six points to tie for 26th place in Class 3-A.
 Foss, competing in his first track season since the seventh grade, capped an outstanding junior year by placing third in the 3-A boys long jump with a top mark of 21 feet, 11.5 inches on Friday (May 19). He also finished 12th in Thursday’s 200-meter dash prelims, clocking a ‘PR’ of 22.94 seconds (4th in Heat 1) that missed qualifying for the finals by just 0.12.
 Bieker, a sophomore, did not earn any medals but posted ‘PRs’ in both throwing events for the second straight meet and finished above his qualifying ranks. He placed 16th in Thursday’s discus with a toss of 142-10, then heaved the shot put 47-4.5 on his third and final throw Friday to place 19th.
 The Cyclones also ran in two relays Friday, finishing 21st in both the 4x200 (1:34.78) and the 4x100 (45.08). Jake McLaughlin, Deren Schmitz and Foss ran the final three legs of both relays, with Austin Smith leading off the 4x200 and Jon Owens taking blocks in the 4x100.
 Of the Cyclones’ seven state meet participants, only Smith was a senior.