Norwalk senior Kaiden Kunze competes in the long jump at last week's Little Hawkeye Conference Meet in Indianola.
The Norwalk track and field teams will be in Indianola for today’s Class 4A, Region 3 Coed State Qualifying Meet. Competing schools include Norwalk, Indianola, Ames, Des Moines Lincoln, Des Moines Roosevelt, Dowling Catholic, Southeast Polk and Urbandale. Field events will begin at 4:00 p.m. and running events start at 4:45.
First and second-place finishers in all events will automatically qualify for next week’s State Track and Field Championships at Drake Stadium in Des Moines. In addition, the next 12 best at-large performances per event statewide will qualify for the state meet. Athletes must finish in the top eight of their district meet to be eligible for at-large consideration.
Based on season-best performances, the Norwalk boys currently rank first in six events and second in five events among the eight teams in their district. Senior Kaiden Kunze ranks first in the 100-meter dash, 200 dash, 400 dash and long jump. Kunze ranks first in all of Class 4A with his 100 time of 10.52 and long jump mark of 24 feet, five inches. Logan Atherton boasts the district’s top high jump clearance and Norwalk also ranks first in the sprint medley relay and second in the 4×100, 4×200, 4×400, 4×800 and distance medley relays.
For the Warrior girls, sophomore Elle Hatlevig is tied for second in the district with a season-best of five feet, four inches in the high jump. Freshman Hannah Schmitz ranks third in the 3,000 and fifth in the 1,500. Norwalk has the fourth-best times in the distance medley and shuttle hurdle relays.
Boys Soccer
The No. 5 in Class 3A Norwalk boys soccer team is also in action tonight, facing No. 8 in Class 4A Des Moines Roosevelt at Mediacom Stadium. The Warriors enter their regular-season finale with an overall record of 10-3-3 while the Roughriders are 10-2-3. Norwalk has played two matches this week, defeating North Polk 5-0 on Monday and finishing in a scoreless tie at Indianola on Tuesday. First kick tonight is set for 7:30.
