Davenport Central sophomore steals spotlight

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By Sean Moeller | Saturday, May 12, 2007 12:45 AM CDT | () comments

Mike Kroening of Davenport West and North’s Martin Olawami stretch over the last hurdle Friday at Iowa Class 4A boys and girls district track meet at Pleasant Valley.

One new star arrived and an old one continued making history Friday night at the Iowa Class 4A district track and field meet at Pleasant Valley High School.

Davenport Central’s Alexis Mitchell, a sophomore and the daughter of former Quad-City Thunder player Barry Mitchell, anchored the Blue Devils’ 1,600-meter relay to a victory that resulted in a full-team mobbing at the finish line.

She also continued her late-season time drop in the 400 hurdles, finishing second to Pleasant Valley’s Susan Rodriguez in 1:06.70.

In the past two weeks she has shaved 4 seconds from her previous best in the event. Mitchell also helped Central qualify for next weekend’s co-ed state meet in the distance medley along with likely qualifying in the long jump with a 17-feet, 4¼-inch leap.

“We’ve been working hard all season,” Mitchell said of the 1,600 relay squad in particular and the team in general. “We really needed to win a race for confidence going into state. I think we represented ourselves really well today.”

The Blue Devils, who finished third at last week’s Mississippi Athletic Conference meet made a challenge to the league champions — Davenport North — finishing second by five points.

Christina Airington won the long jump and helped her team to a victory in the 400 relay. Senior Erin Sodawasser pulled a surprising second-place finish and an automatic qualifying spot in the discus, flinging 113-10 ½ feet, three feet behind district champion Danielle Frere of Muscatine.

In the boys meet, Pleasant Valley’s Blake Irwin, the most outstanding high school athlete as named at last’s month’s Drake Relays, set two more school records, claiming the 1,600 and 800 marks.

He ran away with the 1,600 in 4:17.41 and then ground it out with Davenport North’s Stephen Arvanis in the 800, which led to a fevered kick and a 1:55.41, good enough to shave 2 seconds from the previous school record. They were his fifth and sixth school records of the season.

“I thought about it a lot. I looked at the state schedule and the mile’s just a few hours after the 800, and that’s gonna be a fast, fast race. I might not have the chance at the record cause I’ll be tired,” Irwin said. “In my mind, this was possibly the last chance to break them this year. I just hope to be up there competing next week.”

The girls meet sends the top-two finishers from each of the six districts to the state meet and fills out the fields of 24 in each event based on time.

The boys sent the top four finishers automatically and no one based on time. One who didn’t have to worry about qualifying based on time was North’s AG Bradford, who won all four events she competed in — the high jump, 100 hurdles, 400 dash and the 800 sprint medley.

“Winning every race is what made me happiest today. Last time I lost one (the 800 sprint medley at MAC) and I cried,” said Bradford, the Drake Relays 100 hurdles champion. “It’s all up to my team for the relay at state. I think we can win state and I think I’m gonna get high jump.

“I don’t know how I did all this today. I didn’t even feel well.”

Pleasant Valley won the boys team race by 10 points over Davenport North.

Sean Moeller can be contacted at (563) 383-2288 or at smoeller@qctimes.com . Comment on this story at www.qctimes.com.