Bowie 4th, Rump 5th to start state meet

FORT MADISON – Thursday’s kickoff to the 2025 IHSAA/IGHSAU State Track and Field meet saw quite a few Bloodhounds representing Fort Madison.
Although none of the 11 Fort Madison High School athletes would say they accomplished everything they wanted to, they certainly can say they represented the district well.
Senior Kenden Bowie got things going early with a 6’3" jump in what was respective of  lower results this year. Benton Community’s Eli Patterson cleared 6’7” but was the only participant to get over 6’5” in the uncommonly chilly air on the Blue Oval of Drake Stadium in Des Moines.
Fairfield’s Eli Zillman and Ryan Giberson each cleared 6’3”, but each cleared the starting height of 5’11”, 6’1”, and 6’3” in their first try. Bowie needed three tries to get over his final height.
The Bloodhound showed his frustration by slapping the pad with both hands on his final miss. He said he was disappointed in his effort.
"Honestly, I think that once I got there, I got it in my head,” he said.
Bowie said the cooler and breezy environment was different and factored in.
“It does a little bit, but I tried to keep myself ready. I think I took my pants off a little too early and my legs were out for too long. I’m disappointed. I know I could have done better both years and it’s always something mentally or technique wise that I always mess up.”
Bowie finished 5th last year with a leap of 6’7”.
Avery Rump, who’s becoming a perennial siting at the state meet, again finished 5th in the 3000. She did the same as a sophomore and qualified as a freshman, as well. She said she prefers running with someone else from the Hounds squad with her and got that this year in freshman Jordyn Marshall.
“Having Jordan there really helped me keep a good attitude and helped regulate,” Rump said. Her 10:22.59 was a season best for the junior. Marshall had a fine showing for her first ever run on the Drake surface. Her 10:57.40 was a personal best for her and put her in the top 18.
“It was rewarding. I haven’t done anything like this before. I mean, like middle school cross country, but never on the track,” she said. “It was good to have Avery to help me. She kind of knew what was going on, telling me not to worry about it. Not to worry about my time and just go out there and have fun.”
Marshall said the track was different and felt fast.
“It hurt a little bit, but it all hurts at this level. It’s just an honor to be up here.”

Rump said the previous two years taught her to do one thing and that’s to run her own race, but wanted to try and get to the front early this year.
She did that for about 200 meters and led the pack around the third turn of the first lap, but the 3000 champion Ferebee caught her??? at about the start line on the second lap and pulled away.
“I thought I would get as close to the person in front of me as possible and, to do that, i needed to take a??? pretty hard start because she was going fast,” she said.
“I felt like I was flying, but then Marissa Ferebee passed me and I was like, ‘well, it’s over now. My moment's over’, but it was pretty awesome,” she said with the smile she carried with her most of the race.
“I was excited. I saw my whole team and that made me excited. I don't know, I've never been that excited.”
The boys' 4x800 team finished sixth with an 8:01.16. The team of Peyton Lambert, Mason McLey, Riley Tripp, and Nolan Guzman just missed their season’s best mark of 8:00.46 by half a second. That mark was the best in the state until Pella set a new season best in 3A with a 7:53.08 to win the event.
Lambert opened the event with a 1:58.2 split on the first leg and led the first two laps. Mason McLey repeated the feat leading the next two laps and ran a 2:00.37. Tripp had the fastest lap of the Hounds with a 56.03. Guzman ran a 56.9 on his first lap and a 1:03.04 to wrap things up.
The Lady Hounds 4x800 finished 12th with a 9:53.46. Addison Rump led off for the Hounds with a 1:10.35 on the first lap of her leg. Mara Smith had the fastest lap for the Hounds with a 1:07.66 and ran a 2:27.80 leg. McKayla Schinstock, running in her only event this year, had a 1:09.7 on her first lap and had a 2:27.9 third leg. Avery Rump ran the final leg in 2:27.38.
In the other two events, Brylie Lorence took 13th overall in the discus with a top throw of 114’3”. She will participate in her strongest event Friday morning when she takes to the shotput where she’s seeded second.
Brayton Schneider took 17th overall in the boys' 3A discus with a top throw of 143’0”. The senior set a school record twice this year culminating with a 173’ throw in district qualifiers last week.
The Hounds kick things off Friday with Dayton Lamar, the top seed in the 3A long jump. He will go at 9 a.m. and qualified with a 23’6” leap at districts. Urijah Brooks and Caden Barnes will compete in the boys' 3A shotput at 11:30 a.m. Brooks is seeded 5th and will throw in the second flight. Barnes will throw in the first flight and is seeded 24th.
Brandon Klein will participate in the wheelchair 800 at around 1:50 p.m. He will race in the 100 and 200, and 400 on Saturday.
Nolan Guzman will run in the first heat of the open 800 on Saturday.
Central Lee's Kegan Damico will run in the first heat of the 400-meter hurdles at about 12:20 Friday.
On the girls' side, Mara Smith will run in the open 800 in the second heat with the event starting at about 10:50 Saturday. Avery Rump and Marshall will both run in the 1500 meter run on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.