Avery Pelong and Isaac Rankin punched their tickets to the class 3A State Track and Field Meet with automatic qualifications on Thursday night’s meet in Pella. Rankin qualified in the 3200 and 1600 meter runs by finishing in 2nd place while Pelong tossed a personal best 37 feet 8.5 inches in the shot put to vault from 5th to runner-up in that event. Pelong told KNIA/KRLS Sports she borrowed a smaller shot put from a fellow competitor and it worked out.
Pelong: “So there were a few technique things that Coach Bacon and I worked on. I then borrowed a shot put from Bondurant, it was a community shot and I PRed with that one, and went from 5th to 2nd.”
Rankin, meanwhile secured his first state bid of the night in the 3200 finishing runner up in a time of 10:04.05 and followed it up with a 1600 time of 4:27.73. In between he placed 3rd in the 800 in a time of just over 2:00 and thinks that time should get him an at-large bid. Rankin adds his 1600 race went as planned and hopes he can break the school record in that event next week at the Blue Oval.
Rankin: “Pretty tactical, started slow and came through and actually took the lead, and I thought, wow I still have a lot left and probably ran my best 300 event, so I’m confident that I can get the school record at State.”
Knoxville hopes that a few more events can get in as at large bids. The boys 4×200 finished just a tick behind 2nd place and Coach Eric Kellar is confident that they will qualify. Listen for a full interview with Rankin and Pelong on Today’s Lely Radio Sports Page and listen for interviews from both Knoxville Coaches, Eric Kellar and Michael Splavec on tomorrow’s Hy-Vee Radio Coaches Corner on KNIA/KRLS.
