Iowa Central Headlines All-Region Teams; Ailes, Garcia Grafing Highlighted
For the first time since 2022, Iowa Central returned as the Region 11 Champions after a weekend battle with Iowa Western at the conference championships in Storm Lake. The Tritons edged the Reivers by just seven points to take back the crown -- and were aided by winning 12 of the 20 scored events at the meet.
Chloe Garica Grafing was named the 2023 ICCAC Women's Track Athlete of the Year after an outstanding season to date. At the Championships alone, Garcia Grafing won the 1000 Meters and 5000 Meters individually, while also earning First Team status with the Distance Medley Relay team. She was an Honorable Mention performer after third place finishes in the Mile and 4x400 Meter Relay. She totaled 32.5 team points on the day for the Tritons.
Nationally this season, Garcia Grafing is ranked No. 1 in the 1000 Meters with a 2:58.85 time earlier in January. She has the third-best time in the Mile (5:08.28). In relas Garcia Grafing is on the top Distance Medley team in the NJCAA and the second-best 4x800 Relay.
The 2023 ICCAC Women's Field Athlete of the Year award was given to Iowa Western's Miracle Ailes. Also named the 2022 Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year last spring, Ailes continued to perform at an exceptional level into 2023. She won the High Jump and the Long Jump at the Region 11 Championships, as well as a Second Team designation in the 60 Meters. Her Long Jump of 6.17 meters was a new meet and school record in the event, and a personal best.
Earlier in the season, Ailes broke the NJCAA High Jump record at the Northwest Missouri Open jumping a height of 1.87 meters. She ranks first in the NJCAA this year in both the High Jump and the Long Jump.
Among the other All-Region performers, Iowa Central's Adeyah Brewster, Paige Condon and Taylor McCreedy all stood out.
Brewster was First Team in the 60 Meters and 60 Meter Hurdles, Second Team in the Triple Jump and Honorable Mention in the Long Jump.
McCreedy earned three First Team designations in the Mile, 3000 Meters and Distance Medley Relay while taking Honorable Mention in the 4x400 Meter Relay.
Condon was the Pentathlon champion, as well as the 800 Meter champion.
Rounding out Iowa Central's First Team performances were Britney Brown (600 Meters), Nyadhol Thichiot (Triple Jump) and the Triton's 4x800 Meter Relay team.
Iowa Western took home the second-most First Team designations as Ethel Amissiah won the 400 Meters, Jazmyn James won the Shot Put and Baylee Horner won the Pole Vault. In total the Reivers had six First Team All-Region performances, which also included their 4x400 Meter Relay team.
The final two first team spots went to Hawkeye's Abby Bartz -- the Weight Throw winner -- and Jahzara Hart of Indian Hills who won the 200 Meters.
Some other notable names you'll find on the All-Region lists are Antonia Sealy of Iowa Western, Jade Jackson of Iowa Central and Aisha Ramone of Southeastern. Ramone was a four-time Second Team performer in distance events. Sealy's name was on the list three times as was Iowa Central's Zinash Valen.
Dee Brown of Iowa Central won the ICCAC Women's Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year award after leading the Tritons back to the Region 11 Championship.
Women's 60-Meter Dash
1. Adeyah Brewster, Iowa Central - 7.57
2. Miracle Ailes, Iowa Western - 7.57
HM. Jahzara Hart, Indian Hills - 7.60
Women's 200-Meter Dash
1. Jahzara Hart, Indian Hills - 24.93
2. Zaniya King, Indian Hills - 25.06
HM. Ethel Amissah, Iowa Western - 25.30
Women's 400-Meter Dash
1. Ethel Amissah, Iowa Western - 56.37
2. Daniella Deer, Iowa Western - 56.92
HM. Adalin Robinson, Indian Hills - 58.50
Women's 600-Meter Run
1. Britney Brown, Iowa Central - 1:43.67
2. Jordan Gallentine, Hawkeye - 1:47.59
HM. Lauren Pierson, Iowa Western - 1:48.03
Women's 800-Meter Run
1. Paige Condon, Iowa Central - 2:37.16
2. Sydnie Martin, Hawkeye - 2:39.00
HM. Cassidy Yaley, Southeastern - 2:49.16
Women's 1000-Meter Run
1. Chloe Garcia Grafing, Iowa Central - 3:09.90
2. Aisha Ramone, Southeastern - 3:11.84
HM. Bethany Stacey, Iowa Western - 3:16.80
Women's 1-Mile Run
1. Taylor McCreedy, Iowa Central - 5:22.81
2. Aisha Ramone, Southeastern - 5:23.44
HM. Chloe Garcia Grafing, Iowa Central - 5:23.73
Women's 3000-Meter Run
1. Taylor McCreedy, Iowa Central - 10:53.49
2. Zinash Valen, Iowa Central - 11:36.03
HM. Josey French, Iowa Western - 11:36.14
Women's 5000-Meter Run
1. Chloe Garcia Grafing, Iowa Central - 19:01.99
2. Zinash Valen, Iowa Central - 19:04.65
HM. Bethany Stacey, Iowa Western - 19:50.16
Women's 60-Meter Hurdles
1. Adeyah Brewster, Iowa Central - 8.49
2. Antonia Sealy, Iowa Western - 8.76
HM. Jade Jackson, Iowa Central - 9.26
Women's 4x400 Meter Relay
1. Iowa Western - 3:57.47
(Ethel Amissah, Daniella Deer, Holly Hoepner, Antonia Sealy)
2. Indian Hills - 4:02.87
(Adalin Robinson, Shanice Cox, Jahzara Hart, Ja'Dashia Catlin)
HM. Iowa Central - 4:11.62
(Queanna Taylor, Taylor McCreedy, Chloe Garcia Grafing, Britney Brown)
Women's 4x800 Meter Relay
1. Iowa Central - 10:09.99
(Arianna Paul, Kenzie Kaperka, Raylene Williams, Zinash Valen)
2. Southeastern - 10:10.21
(Aisha Ramone, Allie Simpson, Carissa Mackey, Cassidy Yaley)
HM. Iowa Western - 11:13.99
(Sheila Jepkoech, Jessica Heyen, Reese Johnson, Callie Arnold)
Women's Distance Medley
1. Iowa Central - 13:01.30
(Taylor McCreedy, Alisha Thomas, Kenzie Kaperka, Chloe Garcia Grafing)
2. Southeastern - 13:05.43
(Allie Simpson, Carissa Mackey, Cassidy Yaley, Aisha Ramone)
HM. Iowa Western - 13:48.15
(Lauren Pierson, Holly Hoepner, Jessica Heyen, Callie Arnold)
Women's High Jump
1. Miracle Ailes, Iowa Western - 1.75M
2. Haleigh Hadley, Indian Hills - 1.70M
HM. Ritchina Stallman, Iowa Western - 1.55M
Women's Long Jump
1. Miracle Ailes, Iowa Western - 6.17M
2. Antonia Sealy, Iowa Western - 5.76M
HM. Adeyah Brewster, Iowa Central - 5.55M
Women's Triple Jump
1. Nyadhol Thichiot, Iowa Central - 11.63M
2. Adeyah Brewster, Iowa Central - 11.56M
HJ+M. Saria Oliver, Iowa Central - 10.55M
Women's Shot Put
1. Jazmyn James, Iowa Western - 14.78M
2. Shakera Williams, Iowa Western - 14.13M
HM. Molly Venteicher, Southwestern - 11.99M
Women's Weight Throw
1. Abby Bartz, Hawkeye - 14.59M
2. Charity Finau, Iowa Western - 14.49M
HM. Molly Venteicher, Southwestern - 14.34M
Women's Pole Vault
1. Baylee Horner, Iowa Western - 2.10M
Women's Pentathlon
1. Paige Condon, Iowa Central - 3151
2. Jade Jackson, Iowa Central - 3051
HM. Arianna Paul, Iowa Central - 2806