DES MOINES — Deonté Dean made his return to the blue oval, kicking off his Drake experience on Friday afternoon by anchoring Northern Iowa’s 4×100-meter relay. Dean, a 2021 Marshalltown High School graduate, has competed the past three seasons as a Panther in mainly relays and the 200.

With relatively smooth handoffs, Dean brought UNI to a second-place finish in the first heat with a time of 40.98 seconds. After the second heat and a few disqualifications, the Panthers were left in fourth place headed into Saturday’s finals.

The team of Hunter Manock, Drew Bartels, Luke Meyers and Dean lined up for the final and, with some struggle, finished in fourth place before being disqualified for an exchange zone violation.

Another Marshalltown grad joined Dean at the Relays. Gatleel Joar, a 2024 Bobcat alum, had a busy weekend of track competing at both the Kip Janvrin Open, hosted by Simpson College in Indianola, on Friday before the Drake Relays on Saturday.

The Iowa Central Community College freshman ran both the 110- and 400 hurdles on Saturday, finishing 20th and 26th, respectively. On Saturday, Joar found himself on Iowa Central’s shuttle hurdle relay squad. Being the second leg of the relay, Joar helped the Tritions to a 12th-place finish in 1:02.29, capping off his busy week of hurdling.

Clapp making an impact

A 2020 Grundy Center graduate and fifth-year senior at Wartburg, Jensen Clapp made his return to the Drake Relays on Friday.

“I never quite made Drake Relays while I was in high school,” he said. “I’m glad to make up for some lost time and give it my all these past few years in college.”

Running the lead leg of Wartburg’s 4×400 relay, Clapp charged out of the blocks. His countless years of experience paid off, getting out well in the field of eight teams. Coming into the home stretch, the fifth-year senior held strong handing the baton off to Jeffrey Oestreicher in first.

Ian Neyens and Hutton Edney brought the Knights home in third place in their heat and 10th overall, unable to advance to Saturday’s finals. Wartburg’s 3:14.63 missed by less than a second.

Wartburg’s head coach Marcus Newsom talked highly of Clapp’s journey.

“When Jensen came here from high school, he was so excited about getting better,” Newsom said. “A lot of the time freshmen struggle with doing things the right way, he had no problems at all. He’s done things the right way, that’s why Jensen has been so good for so long. He wants to be great.”

Clapp reminisced on his time at the Drake relays alongside his teammates.

“It’s bittersweet, I was glad to get out there one last time in the Wartburg jersey,” he said. “So happy to do it on a relay with my teammates.”

Distance duo in different directions

South Tama has never seen distance runners quite like Tommy Tyynismaa and James Brant. For the 2024 STC grads, things have looked different this year. Tyynismaa signed to run at Iowa State beginning training in the summer after sorting out a stress reaction after state track. Brant made his way to Pella, competing with the Dutch during cross country as one of their top seven. Though both journeys have looked different, the South Tama alums made an appearance at the Drake Relays.

Tyynismaa has been redshirting this year, saving his eligibility to help the team at a later point. Recently his duties have been pacing races for the Cyclones, helping establish rhythm for his fellow teammates. Though mainly pacing, Tommy has run a few races indoors and Drake marked his second outdoor race.

Joined by his teammate Jacoby Harmon on the line, Tyynismaa set out on Thursday night for an 800 race on the track that has given him so much success. Mixing it up in the race, the redshirt freshman crossed the line in 1:53.18. Off from his personal best, yet looking strong in his return to Drake. Taking 23rd in the Unseeded 800.

For Brant, this was his debut at the Drake Relays, always being slightly out of the bubble during his time as a Trojan. A part of the Dutch sprint medley relay, consisting of two 200s, a 400, and an 800, Brant was slated to be on the 800 leg.

Central stayed in the mix as both 200 legs completed their half laps of the blue oval. With a handoff to Jake Van Hemert, something wasn’t quite right. Somewhere on the backstretch Van Hemert slowed to a stop and entered the infield, as an unassuming James Brant awaited the stick in the exchange zone. As the other competitors gave their anchor legs the baton, Brant realized something had happened to his teammate and exited the blue oval. An unfortunate situation created a very unique first experience competing at the Drake Relays for one James Brant.

With both former Trojan’s experience less than ideal collegiate Drake Relay debuts, ideas of bigger and better things stay stronger than ever in Tyynismaa and Brant.