T-R FILE PHOTO - Marshalltown’s Preston Johnson (3) crosses the finish line in third place in the 3,200-meter run at the Class 4A state-qualifying meet May 15, 2025, at Leonard Cole Field.

CEDAR FALLS — Preston Johnson made the most out of his first outdoor meet of the spring in a Bobcat uniform, even if he had to go to great lengths to get there.

The Marshalltown boys track and field team had its third-straight meet canceled when Thursday’s Kenny Dean Relays was washed away by rain, so the MHS junior found an opening at the Cedar Falls Co-Ed meet and made it count.

Johnson won the 3,200-meter run with a time of 9 minutes, 8.2 seconds, beating the nearest runner by nearly 17 seconds and qualifying for the Drake Relays in the process. Drake’s Blue Oval Standard for qualifying is 9:15.

Cedar Falls senior Jaden Merrick, who won the Class 4A state cross country championship ahead of Johnson, has foregone is final prep season and given up his amateur status to run meets in preparation for his collegiate career at Iowa State.

The high school portion of the upcoming Drake Relays is April 23-25 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, where last year Johnson ran a 9:09.37 to place eighth. Oregon commit Quentin Naumann of Western Dubuque won with an 8:52.45.

The Bobcat school record of 9:00.17 was set at last year’s state meet by MHS graduate John Moellers.

The only other Marshalltown runner to compete in Cedar Falls on Thursday was Costin Piscitelli, as the sophomore scored 11th in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 5:02.68.

The Bobcats’ next scheduled meet is Saturday at the Jim Duncan Invitational at Drake Stadium.