McKayla Cole places 18th in 3,000-meter run at Drake Relays

Staff Report

DES MOINES — Charles City junior McKayla Cole shaved more than five seconds from her personal-best time while placing 18th in the 3,000-meters high school girls run at the Drake Relays on Thursday.

Cole’s time of 10 minutes, 30.55 seconds was a marked improvement from the last race she ran at that distance, when she qualified for the revered relays with a time of 10:36.13 at the New Hampton Girls Invitational on April 18.

Osage sophomore Ellie Friesen placed 16th with a time of 10:29.30.

Pleasant Valley senior and two-time cross country state champion McKenzie Yanek was the dominant winner with a time of 9:35.98, more than 13 seconds ahead of runner-up Stephanie Jenks of Linn-Mar.