Assumption’s O’Rourke shines at district
By Andrew Petersen
Quad-City Times
TIPTON, Iowa — As Jake O’Rourke so astutely pointed out at Saturday’s Class 2A Tipton District track meet, he and Davenport Assumption teammate Willie Argo have little in common physically.
“He has about 60 pounds on me, and he’s one of the best athletes in the state,” O’Rourke said.
But O’Rourke is just as speedy and matched Argo’s efforts by qualifying for next week’s state meet in four events. As result, the Knights took the team title with 96.5 points, 18.5 ahead of Center Point-Urbana.
O’Rourke and Argo finished 1-2 in the 100-meter dash and also formed half of the winning 400 and 800 relays. Argo also qualified in the 200, and O’Rourke advanced in the 110 hurdles.
“In the open 2, I was very dead, but I gutted it out,” Argo said. “It’s great what we’re doing. You go from running against all 4A teams, it’s nice to be in it as a team.
“The MAC is a great track conference, and you know there are a lot of people better than you. That pushes you.”
The Assumption girls also won the girls regional, finishing 31 points ahead of Tipton with 111. The Knights won the 800 and distance relays, with Mary Menster also placing first in the 3,000.
Heart-stopping finish
Wilton track coach Kim Whiton wore a smile for about five minutes after his Beavers won the 3,200 relay to open the boys portion of Saturday’s meet.
Soon after, though, he wore a look of concern.
Although Taylor Bohnsack was listed on the relay track, his name wasn’t in the official list of relay participants. As a result, the Beavers risked forfeiting the win and a spot at state.
“Technology — it’s wonderful,” Whiton said of the omission. “I was worried sick for the kids. They were about to treat me for an irregular heartbeat.”
A call to the Iowa High School Athletic Association straightened the matter out, as Wilton wasn’t reasonably expected to run a relay with just the three listed athletes.
With the help of Bohnsack, the Beavers also won the distance medley, an event in which he was listed as a participant.
Getting back to form
After tearing the ACL in her left knee early in her sophomore year, Missy Miller was hesitant to put much pressure on the muscle.
She bid farewell to the high jump, after clearing 5 feet, 7 inches as a freshman, and she opted out of hurdles for the most part as well.
Save for a light-hearted effort at the Eastern Iowa Hawkeye meet, she’s still done jumping. But Miller’s hurdle form is subtly returning.
On Saturday, the junior won the 100 and 400 hurdle events and anchored the Tigers’ shuttle hurdle relay. She also ran a leg in the winning 1,600 relay.
“I want to do what’s best for the team,” Miller said. “It’s mentally draining. But I look at it as I’m back.”
Just enough
West Liberty’s Justin Meyers had a long wait Saturday.
With the bulk of the long jump competitors bouncing around to other events, Meyers probably had too much free time.
He cooled down to a point that might have hampered him in the open 200, but the junior persevered. Although Argo outran him, Meyers held on to finish third at 23.38 seconds and clinch a spot at state.
“It’s all about getting there,” he said. “I just didn’t get in last year.”
He also will make his first appearance in the distance medley after the Comets took second.
After a 20-1½ leap, though, he won the long jump, his second state appearance in the event.
Andrew Petersen can be contacted at (563) 383-2288 or apetersen@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qcvarsity.com.