Collins, Cunnings and Graeser earn automatic berths to State Track and Field Championships

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

INDEPENDENCE — The “three strikes and you’re out” rule often takes effect in athletic competitions other than baseball.

Take the high jump for example.

Each time a jumper successfully clears a jump, he gets three more chances at the next height.

At the Class 3A Boys and Girls Track and Field State Qualifier hosted by Independence, Charles City junior Josiah Cunnings was on his last “strike” when it came to the height of 6 feet, 3 inches.

On Cunnings’s third attempt, he grazed the bar while going over it. It wobbled and even bounced a little from its perch, but somehow it stayed in place.

A hitter is out on strikes if the catcher can glove a tipped third strike. But any high-jump bar that stays in place after contact results in a successful attempt.

For Cunnings, it matches his personal-record in the high jump.

When the bar was raised to 6-4, Cunnings and Independence sophomore Brady Kurt — the only two jumpers left — both went 0 for 3. Due to fewer misses beforehand, Kurt was determined the boys high jump champ.

By way of his second-place showing, Cunnings qualified to state in his second event of the day. Earlier, Cunnings jumped a season-best 22 feet, 6 inches to win the boys long jump.

Last season, Cunnings qualified for state in both the high jump and long jump — Cunnings no-heighted in the HJ and placed 12th in the LJ at state.

“I’m glad I’m going back down but I’m far from satisfied,” Cunnings said after qualifying in the long jump — Cunnings recently placed 10th in the LJ at the Drake Relays. “I have some unfinished business to take care of.

“I think this time (at state), I’ll be less nervous. I know what to expect this time.”

Charles City junior and three-time Drake Relays qualifier Keely Collins became a three-time state qualifier at Independence on Thursday.

Collins won both the girls long jump (16 feet, 9 1/2 inches — a personal-record) and the girls high jump (5 feet, 1 inch).

Collins has placed second in the high jump during her last two state appearances.

Charles City sophomore Xander Graeser has earned the distinction of being a state qualifier in three different sports.

Graeser has qualified for state in cross country in both of his years as a high school athlete, and recently qualified as an individual in bowling his first year out for the sport.

In the boys 800, Graeser and Vinton-Shellsburg junior Eli Page both shifted it into overdrive during the homestretch with Waverly-Shell Rock senior Caleb Hoines in the lead.

Page passed Hoines with about 40 meters remaining; Graeser passed Hoines with about 25 meters remaining.

Page won the race with a time of 2 minutes, 00.98 seconds. Graeser qualified to state with a second-place time of 2:01.65 — a personal-record for Graeser.

The top two placers in each event at the state qualifiers get automatic berths.

But athletes placing outside of the top-two in their qualifiers still have a chance to qualify if their SQ times/distances/heights place them among the top 24 or 16 in the state.

Coming off a thrilling conference championship in the boys 4-by-400 last week, Charles City’s foursome of Cunnings, Graeser, Keenan Wiley and Reed Peters placed fourth on Thursday despite recording their second-fastest time of the season (3:32.60).

Charles City sophomore Leah Stewart had a personal-record throw of 38 feet, 1 1/2 inches in the shot put but placed fifth.

Comet junior Lauren Staudt, who has qualified for state in various events her freshman and sophomore seasons, placed third in the girls 400 low hurdles with a time of 1 minute, 10.54 seconds.