The Kennedy Men’s 4×100 Relay Team shattered a state record on May 18, 2024.
“All of us were just locked in getting mentally prepared,” Dawson Dougherty said. “We all knew we had the record in us, it was just a matter of when we could execute it and we did it at the right time,”.
The old state record for the 400-meter relay was 41.33 set in 1996 and Kennedy broke the record, running a 41.24 and earning a Class 4A title.
During prelims, they placed 2nd with a time of 41.78, behind Waukee with a time of 41.68.
“It was nerve-racking because we came into the race being in second place, but we knew we could get the job done,” Woods said.
“When the race was over I felt amazing and joyful because we won and broke an all-time state record,” Chauncey Bodden said.
The team consists of sophomore Dawson Dougherty, juniors Jacob Doyle and Chauncy Bodden and senior Nick Woods.
“Just stretched as we were told. Got together as a team and just told each other we got it and we all believed in each other and trusted in each other and did it,” Woods said.
The track and field team competed at the Iowa High School State Championship in Des Moines, Iowa on May 16-18, 2024, finishing fifth overall at state with 39 points.
“I actually pulled my hamstring after I got the baton handed off to Doyle so I went straight to the message table to get it looked at. It took me a few seconds to realize we actually won,” Dougherty said. “I watched the replay from the scoreboard and I looked back over my shoulder and the rest of my teammates were there to hand me the flag,”
Scores:
Dawson Dougherty: 7th in 100m Dash, 11.05 seconds.
Ryan Bartels: 3rd in 110m Hurdles, 14.64 seconds and 23rd in 400m Hurdles, 59.12 seconds.
Jackson Goslin: 17th in 400m Hurdles, 56.91 seconds (PR).
Griffin Gerdes: 16th in Boys 800m Run, 1:58.76 (PR).
Henry McMahan: 23rd in 800m Run, 2:05.15 seconds.
Slader Burckheister: 13th in 1600m Run, 4:24.29 seconds (PR) and 14th in 3200m Run, 9:32.65 seconds.
Adam Gray: 16th in 3200m Run, 9:36.30 seconds.
Jackson Rhinehart threw a PR of 162-02 (49.43m) placing 6th and Henry Wilkes threw a 132-04 (40.34m) placing 23rd in Boys Discus Throw.
Calvin White threw a 47-09.00 (14.55m) placing 18th in Shot Put and Logan Johnson threw a 46-09.50 (14.26m).
Jacob Smetzer jumped 6-03.00 (1.91m) placing 4th in High Jump.
Jacob Smetzer jumped 22-09.50 (6.95m) placing 3rd and Dawson Dougerty jumped 22-01.25 (6.74m) placing 7th in Long Jump.
C. Bodden, J. Doyle, C. Greater and A. Volden ran a 1:34.98 in the 800 Meter Sprint, placing 17th.
A. Franklin, C. Greater, A. Volden and J. Bruns ran a 3:37.36 in the 1600 Meter Sprint Medley, placing 15th.
R. Bartels, C. Courtney, P. McCrary and M. Richards ran a 58.71 in the Shuttle Hurdle, placing 3rd.
J. Bruns, H. McMahan, G. Gerdes and R. Murray ran an 8:00.87 in the 4×800 Meter Relay, placing 14th.
