The head coach for the Newton girls track and field team says the athletes who competed at Thursday’s IATC Indoor Championships in Ames left the event with more confidence and higher goals. The Cardinals had three top six podium finishes. Lauren Clark had two of them, placing 5th in the 200-meter and 400-meter runs. The Shuttle Hurdle Relay team of Mack Sims, Ashlyn Karsten, Camryn Klein, and Tori White also finished 5th. Coach Rachelle Tipton says the podium finishes were a nice bonus, but the times the athletes produced were the success. She notes the 4×100 relay team of Clark, Klein, Brooklynn Britton, and Alivia Conley ran the fastest time since Newton started attending the IATC meet in 2023. They earned 8th place with a time of 52.45. Tipton adds that Audrey Muckler’s first 1500-meter time of the season, which was 5:05.52, was a personal record. She finished 11th. 

Based on Thursday’s results, Tipton says she can’t wait for meets that include the rest of the team, so everyone’s hard work can be showcased. The next event for the Newton Girls Track and Field team is the Wartburg Indoor Meet on March 24th in Waverly.