DES MOINES — South Tama County’s title hopes were just out of reach on Thursday afternoon.

A blazing-fast anchor leg from Tommy Tyynismaa wasn’t enough to catch Center Point-Urbana in the Class 3A boys 4×800-meter relay, and the Trojans settled for runner-up in the first day of the Iowa Co-Ed State Track and Field Championships at Drake Stadium.

James Brant, Braxten Rohrs, Cade Rosenberger and Tyynismaa ran 7 minutes, 59.78 seconds for the silver medal, breaking their own school record of 8:02.92 set just two weeks back at the WaMaC Meet — it was a WaMaC podium on Thursday as Solon finished third in the event.

Tyynismaa’s anchor leg was completed in 1:51.74, far and away the best split of the 3A race, but not enough to catch CP-U’s Peyton Stowers.

“It’s not like we ran horrible,” Tyynismaa said. “[Stowers] was just out in front for so long before I could really reel him in, maybe another 50 meters or so and I catch him. But it was a really good race like the one we had at conference.”

Brant was part of a feisty first leg that was recalled to the start line when a runner went down before the pack could make the first turn.

“The recall didn’t affect my race, but it was just a lot of elbows being thrown,” Brant said. “Didn’t feel so good, but I think I made the best of it, got an opening and made a move.”

Rohrs was methodical with his leg of the race.

“I hate it when runners go out fast and just die,” Rohrs said. “I just want to run consistently, and I’m seeing all these big bodies around me and thinking ‘Just die out,’ but toward the last 100 meters I started getting some ground back.”

Cade Rosenberger got the baton with South Tama in fifth and picked up a couple spots before the handoff to Tyynismaa.

It was a big leap for this quartet that finished 12th in 3A last year in 8:14.51 and a big statement for all four seniors to make by setting a 4×800 record that might not be challenged for some time to come.

“I was nervous. Like really nervous,” Rosenberger said. “But I’m happy with how our team improved this year.”

The Trojan boys are back in action at 10 a.m. Friday morning with Chase Gustafson, Cody Blocker, Brant and Tyynismaa scheduled to compete in the distance medley.

Grundy Center’s Emerson Vokes was the lone area runner to reel in a state medal on the 2A side, placing fourth in the 3,200-meter run in 9:34.88. The sophomore is now a two-time state medalist in the two-mile run, finishing seventh last year.

“That was my goal, top five,” Vokes said. “I wanted to run with and compete with all those dogs out there and get my name out there.”

Solomon Zaugg of Mediapolis won in 9:19.15. NICL foe Conall Sauser of Oelwein was a second faster than Vokes in third place, which provided Vokes a familiar target to track down.

“I wanted to try and get him in the last 800, but he’s got a heck of a kick, too,” Vokes said.

He also wanted to put on a big show for senior teammate Kaden Lynch, who had to pull out of his events this year at state, including the 3,200, with a foot injury sustained at state-qualifying.

“Kaden should be here, too,” Vokes said. “It’s just really unlucky, one unfortunate time for him to go out like that. … I just wanted to give it all that I had.”

Vokes also ran the second leg on the 4×800 relay that finished 10th in 2A. He will be one of three Spartans eligible to return on that relay, along with Brayden Wallis and Brayden Davie; it was the last 4×800 run for Tyler Venenga, a senior who was on this relay all four years, earning three medals as a result, including a silver medal in 2022.

Another Spartan senior, Tate Jirovsky, had a tall task running the open 400, followed almost immediately by running the opening leg of the shuttle hurdle.

Jirovsky was 10th in 50.61 in the 400, just a hair away from the school record in the event; Jirovsky, Pete Lebo, Jacob Hoy, and Tiernan Vokes were 14th in the shuttle prelims in 1:03.13.

“I definitely took an aggressive approach to the 400, just needed to get out, that’s what I’ve worked on all season and tried to do today,” Jirovsky said. “School record was in reach, but it wasn’t meant to be.”

He was 22nd in the event as a sophomore. The Central College football commit was also voted team MVP by his peers.

“That’s a credit to my coaches and my teammates pushing me to develop in the weight room, the track, wherever it may be,” Jirovsky said of his 400 improvement. “I’m ultimately so thankful — and I’m always wanting to put Jesus Christ, the lord above, first. But my teammates voting for me for that award, it’s a special privilege.”

MORE 2A RESULTS

West Marshall girls shuttle hurdle ninth in 1:10.02, team of Audrey Girard, Ella Wertz, Amelia Ranson, Abby Tollefson … Girard added 13th-place finishes in the 100 (12.96) and 200 (26.30) prelims … Jace Eich was 13th in the boys 400 in 51.38 … East Marshall girls shuttle hurdle placed 17th in 1:11.16, team of Cora Talbert, Vaeda Bryan, Makayla Hala and Morgan Neuroth … Grundy Center senior Kasey Seitz placed 18th in the boys shot put, his best throw of the day was 45 feet, 8 1/2 inches … Grundy Center freshman Raelyn Steinmeyer made her state debut in the girls 400, finishing 20th in 1:02.62 … Grundy Center’s girls 4×800 was 16th in a time of 10:06.98, quartet of Laney Dole, Ellery Luhring, Lydia Hook and Karlee Lynch; Hook was a replacement for Grace Storjohann, who has scratched from the meet due to illness.

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Tama-Toledo News Chronicle correspondent Jonathan Meyer contributed to this story.