PCM-05-29-2025 by Shaw Media

Explorer PCM

Graber’s title headlines historic state meet for PCM boys track team

By Troy Hyde PCM Explorer

DES MOINES — Riley Graber put himself into the conversation of winning a state title in the 400-meter dash when he broke 50 seconds and placed fourth at the Drake Relays back in April.

The PCM senior made the state championship a reality on May 22 when he went under 49 seconds for the first time.

But it was just the beginning of an historic weekend for the PCM boys track and field team.

“I couldn’t be prouder of what the

boys accomplished this weekend and the whole season,” PCM head boys track and field coach Logan Bieghler said. “We entered the weekend qualifying in 13 events, we medaled in nine of them and we set six school records.”

Qualifying in 13 events and placing in nine of them are both the most in school history. The Mustangs also finished sixth in the final Class 2A standings and scored 34 points, which is the second-best finish and the second-most points scored at the state meet in school history.

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IF YOU BUILD IT...

Renderings show the east and south elevation of the proposed PCM

building would be placed next to the bus barn on the school district’s property.

By Jamee A. Pierson PCM Explorer

A PCM alumnus is looking to bring a new amenity to be used by both communities. Local business owner and Monroe resident Kyle Edwards has proposed a PCM Sports and Rec Fieldhouse to be located on property at the PCM High School.

“Knowing that I connected to so many different parts of the community, not just one group here or there, I felt like I was one of the best people in the community to do it,” Edwards said. “My

personal passion for this started with how can we unite our communities and also take care of the youth sports part of it.”

The vision for the fieldhouse is to acquire land from the school district through a 99-year lease or purchase for appraised value with the goal to build a 30,000-square-foot facility. The project would be east facing and located near the current bus barn.

“This is an ideal spot so it does not impede on any future expansion of school facilities,” Edwards said. “As part of this phase, we

would like to unite the school district as well as both cities in order to help fund the project.”

To begin, a 28E agreement between both cities and the school district would be created for a shared use plan. A board would be created potentially consisting of a member from each contributing entity and four additional elected members.

Edwards’ plan includes using PCM Sports & Rec to be a parent company in order to help provide insurance coverage, relieving the

Supervisors sign proclamation for National Emergency Medical Services Week

By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer

Is there no better time to establish a countywide EMS affiliation than during National Emergency Medical Services Week?

Supervisors officially recognized EMS providers in a proclamation the same day local agencies agreed to a countywide EMS affiliation. Jamey Robinson, director of Jasper County Emergency Management Agency, told Newton News how important the affiliation is for agencies and the people they serve.

“Getting the EMS affiliation established is a big step forward for the county,” he said. “It brings consistency, improved coordination and better access to resources for all agencies involved. Most importantly, it strengthens the emergency care we’re able to provide our residents.”

Establishing a county-

wide EMS affiliation has been a goal of Robinson’s ever since he was hired on to lead Jasper County EMA. In February, he received the greenlight from supervisors, who invested the necessary startup funds to pay for a medical director position to handle administrative duties and the like.

Dr. Matthew Ferguson has since been recruited to serve as medical director.

National EMS Week is observed May 18-24. According to the proclamation, Jasper County recognized EMS professionals for providing critical, life-saving care to residents and for responding to emergencies with skill, compassion and unwavering commitment. Robinson noted the proclamation means a lot.

“This isn’t just a document you guys are signing to recognize

Meet the 2025 Jasper County Fair Queen candidates

The nine candidates will take the stage June 14 in opes of being crowned queen

Meredith Chipps

Meredith Chipps is the daughter of Mitchell and Melissa Chipps. She recently graduated from PCM High School. This fall she plans to attend Iowa State University. Some activities she’s involved in are golf, FFA, 4-H and National Honor Society. Chipps would like to represent the Jasper County Fair as queen because she would like to meet more people from our county, make more memories and continue to express her love for our county fair to others.

Lindy Bokhoven

Lindy Bokhoven is the daughter of Cassie Elscott and sister of Dakotah Bokhoven. She attends Lynnville-Sully High School and is a part of the Lynnville-Sully FFA Chapter, Lynnville-Sully Dance Team and the Kilduff Hotshots 4-H club. She would love to represent our county as fair queen because she is passionate about different animals and keeping agriculture an important aspect of my county, state, country and community.

Avery Meyer Avery Meyer is a recent graduate at Newton Senior High School. Her parents are Cory and Kristina Meyer. She has been very involved throughout high school, participating in numerous activities such as the swim team, soccer, trap shooting, 4-H, FFA, county council, Quilts of Valor, student council, silver cord (100+ community service hours), red cord (donating blood 3+ times), the youth

CANDIDATES | 8

Jamee A. Pierson/PCM Explorer

Sports and Rec building. The

Chipps

Meyer

Bokhoven

Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer

PCM senior Riley Graber, center, started the Mustangs’ state track and field weekend with a win in the 400-meter dash on May 22. The Mustangs ended up sixth in the final Class 2A standings after placing in nine events.

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Worth Mentioning

Send your event to news@pcmexplorer.com

PCM Food Pantry

The PCM Food Pantry at the Monroe Presbyterian Church, 113 S. Main St. in Monroe, is open 9 a.m. to noon Thursdays and 9 a.m. to noon and 6 to 7 p.m. Mondays.

Upcoming events at The Gathering Place in Monroe

Thursday, May 29

• 12:30pm TAI CHI for Arthritis and Fall Prevention

• 5pm Acoustic Jamm

Monday, June 2

• 10am Video Exercise Class

Tuesday, June 3

• 8-11am Playgroup

• 8am Coffee and Prayer

• 9am Kids Crafts: Decorate a summer craft tote bag

• 1pm Game Time

Wednesday, June 4

• 4pm Get Fit, Don’t Fall with Amy S.

• 6pm Bingo

Thursday, June 5

• 10am Senior Living Series, Host: Andy Algreen/ Don’t Get Tricked! 101 Scam Prevention sign up. Call/Text/Email: 515-868-3860 or IowaSeniorLiving@gmail.com

• 12:30pm TAI CHI for Arthritis and Fall Prevention

TOPS

TOPS 1025 meets at 5:30 p.m. every Monday at the First Reformed Church in Prairie City for weigh-in, with meeting to follow. Go to the north side parking lot at the church and enter in the north door. Call 515-994-2200 for information.

Lighthouse Recovery meetings

Lighthouse Recovery Ministries host a Men’s and Ladies Recovery meeting at 6:30 p.m. each Monday at Grace Alive Church, 703 W. Second St. in Prairie City. Contact Barb at b.miller@lighthouserecoveryia.com with questions.

Wetland and Prairie Field Day June 12 near Haverhill

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with the Middle Iowa Watershed Management Authority and Marshall County Natural Resource Conservation Service, will host a wetland and prairie field day from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Thursday, June 12 at Tony and Roberta Brink’s farm, 2551 Marsh Ave., near Haverhill. The no cost event is open to farmers and landowners and includes a complimentary meal.

Wetlands and prairie once dominated the Iowa landscape and today they continue to provide important benefits to water quality and wildlife habitat. Strategically placed wetlands can also help reduce with downstream flooding. This field day will explore the wetland system developed on the property and aims to assist farmers and landowners with establishing and maintaining perennial vegetation. These areas offer many benefits including pollinator habitat, reducing soil erosion from sensitive areas, building soil health, and providing beauty to the landscape.

The field day will

begin with landowner Tony Brink highlighting the work he has done since purchasing the property in 1990 to increase wildlife habitat through the creation of wetlands and prairie. Kay Stefanik, Iowa Nutrient Research Center Assistant Director, will discuss the benefits of wetlands on the landscape and Kevin Andersen, Iowa DNR State Private Lands Biologist, will share best management practices for establishing and maintaining prairie. Doug Roupp, Marshall NRCS District Conservationist,

will share updates on cost share programs for implementing wetlands and prairie on the land. Emily Herring, Director of Marshall County Conservation Board, will be available after lunch for prairie plant identification.

The driveway to enter the site is located north of the homestead on the west side of the road and will be marked with field day signs. Insect repellent will be provided and attendees are encouraged to wear long pants and closed toe shoes.

The event is offered at no cost and open to

farmers and landowners, though we require reservations to ensure adequate space and food. For reasonable accommodations and to RSVP, contact Liz Ripley at 515-294-5429 or ilf@iastate.edu by June 5. Attendees will be entered in a drawing for ISU Prairie Strips honey. Iowa Learning Farms field days and workshops are supported by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. For more information about Iowa Learning Farms, visit www.iowalearningfarms.org.

Interesting facts about America’s national parks

National

parks are a source of pride for hundreds of millions of

America’s National Park Service is more than 100 years old. President Woodrow Wilson signed the act that created the NPS on August 25, 1916, and since then the parks have attracted a steady stream of nature lovers who want to take in all the beauty the parks have to offer. National parks are a source of price for hundreds of millions of Americans, and the following are some interesting facts about these special places across North America.

• Acadia National Park in Maine is the oldest national park east of the Mississippi River, tracing its origins to 1916. Landscape architect Charles Eliot and American preservationist George Dorr were influential in the establishment of the park, as was American financier John D. Rockefeller, Jr., who was vital to the construction of a network of carriage roads that ran throughout the park upon its opening.

• Arches National Park is appropriately named. The park, located in eastern Utah, features more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches, including the

Americans

well-known and widely recognized Delicate Arch.

• Biscayne National Park south of Miami, Florida, is 95 percent water. Perhaps that’s why a half dozen shipwrecks spanning nearly a century have been mapped on the park’s Maritime Heri-

Rozendaal

tage Trail.

• Capitol Reef National Park in south-central Utah contains rocks that History.com notes have estimated to be as much as 270 million years old.

• Sea turtles are among the many notable features of Dry Tortugas National

Park, which is located roughly 70 miles west of Key West. Accessibility is another notable quirk of the park, which can only be reached via seaplane.

• Glacier Bay National Park in southeast Alaska is covered by 2,000 square miles of glaciers. No roads lead to Glacier Bay National Park, which is typically reached by air or sea travel.

• Great Basin National Park in Nevada features the Lehman Cave system, which began forming 550 million years ago while the area was still submerged in a shallow ocean.

• American fjord fans may think of Norway when seeking these beautiful bodies of water, but they can see some right within the nation’s borders as well. Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska contains numerous coastal fjords that were carved by glaciers.

• The national park system is so expansive it actually extends south of the equator. The National Park of American Samoa is the only national park south of the equator, and even features a World War II gun emplacement.

Submitted Photo

A wetland and prairie field day is scheduled for Thursday, June 12 at Tony and

Roberta Brink’s farm near Haverhill.

school district of the responsibility. He would also look to work with both cities to see if there would be interest in the newly created board taking over management of the current rec parks.

“A huge advantage would be the ability to share resources ... (and) continue to bond our communities together and have consistency in a facility between both communities,” Edwards said.

The fieldhouse would feature two 50 feet by 84 feet courts with lines to play basketball, volleyball and pickleball. There would be a curtain available to separate the two courts, if needed.

The other side would feature a 100 feet by 120 feet field turf space lined for football. In the middle will be restrooms, locker rooms and a concession stand.

A walking path is currently planned for the perimeter of the building. Edwards said there is a possibility it could be an elevated path but costs will have to be assessed.

Edwards’ initial estimated budget for the project is $4.5 million. That figure

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includes all amenities for the building including sports equipment, utilities and daily business needs.

To fund the project, Edwards is looking for $250,000 per year from the school district until a potential loan is paid off, and $100,000 from both the City of Monroe and City of Prairie City for up to five years, or $500,000. He also has a goal of private donations totaling $1 million to $1.5 million.

“As of May 19, I have received verbal commitments from 39 donors,” Edwards said “The total of all of those donors is currently at $450,000. I have not approached any large corporations or applied for any grants.”

Edwards has a vision of the top-four donors having recognition on the building along with the PCM logo. Plans for the project are preliminary and final decisions will come at a later date.

He hopes to get this project moving quickly, having presented the idea to both city council and the school board in the past two weeks. If funding is secured and construction goes smoothly, it could potentially be ready by next summer.

“I want to provide an opportunity for the kids to be able to have a facility and be proud of it,” Edwards said.

this week, I think the board of supervisors in Jasper County has done a phenomenal job of supporting our local EMS services with the money that you’ve given us to start working on some of this affiliation stuff and building the EMS system,” he said.

Early on when the county launched its ALS program, some believed the county was trying to take over jurisdictions of volunteer agencies. There was a lot of resentment. But Robinson said discussions about the countywide EMS affiliation have all been positive.

“This isn’t about the county wanting to take over an EMS system,” Robinson said to supervisors. “It’s wanting to support and build the system across Jasper County, so I want to thank you

guys for that. I want to make people aware this isn’t just signing a piece of paper … You are supporting this all the way around.”

Steve Ashing, deputy director of Jasper County EMA, said local EMS agencies met the night of May 20 to acknowledge whether they want to join the affiliation. Already, funds have been used to finance a protocol app for all first responders to use. Ashing said the app is being tested at the moment to see if issues pop up.

“Kind of a big step tonight,” Ashing said of the EMS affiliation sign-in meeting. “…The way we understand it right now is we have 100 percent participation. The proof is in the signatures, so we’ll find out for sure tonight. For all indications we have so far, it’s going to be 100 percent. So we’re pretty excited about that.”

Robinson confirmed with Newton News that the affiliation was established pending council approval from Newton.

Christopher Braunschweig/PCM Explorer

EMS providers were recognized by Jasper County in a proclamation for National Emergency Medical Services Week at the same time the countywide EMS affiliation was agreed to by local first responder agencies.

Jamee A. Pierson/PCM Explorer

The PCM Sports and Red building is to projected to be 30,000 square feet with two full size basketball courts and a turf field lined for football. It will also have a walking track around the perimeter of the building.

PCM boys golf advances to state tournament after runner-up finish

MONROE — For the first time since 2018, the PCM boys golf team is headed back to the state tournament.

The Mustangs clinched a spot in next week’s Class 2A tournament after a runner-up finish at Bos Landen Golf Course on May 19.

PCM was 24 strokes behind district champion Pella Christian, but cleared three teams which shot 351 by eight strokes.

The top three teams and the

top two individuals plus ties not on a qualifying team advance to state.

The Mustangs’ top finisher was Tate Tangeman, who tied for 10th with an 84. Charlie Ford was 11th with an 85 and Jeffery McDanel tied for 12th with an 86.

The final counting score came from Parker DeHaai (88) and Easton Van Veen (89) and Pete Kiernan (92) turned in non-counting scores.

PCM soccer opens postseason with rout of Panthers

By Gabe Graber PCM

The Mustangs endured the wind and rain on May 20 to secure a home first round playoff win against the Panorama Panthers.

The final score in the Class 1A Substate 7 opener was 9-2. It was the first home playoff win in program history.

PCM’s Jaxson Strait led the way with a career-high six goals. The score was 6-0 at halftime.

“Early on, we took control of the game and competed as a team,” PCM head coach Darrin Telfer said. “We communicated well, and we took charge early and didn’t let up.”

In the final 40 minutes, PCM tacked on three more goals, making the score 9-0.

With the game fully in control, Panorama began playing with more physicality, and scored two goals of its own to end the game.

“I’m really happy for the kids for this win,” Telfer said. “They’ve worked hard and had a tough schedule. We’ve had some games where we didn’t really perform the way I thought we could, but this was different. There’s just a lot of laughter and smiles, and just satisfaction that their work has paid off throughout the season.”

PCM advanced to play 1A No. 8 West Central Valley on May 27.

The Wildcats are 14-0-1 and the highest seed in Class 1A Substate 7.

“To win, we’ll have to attack the ball well and get the first touch,” Telfer said. “We’ll have to play disciplined and patient, then aggressive at the right time. If we try to do too much, we’ll be in trouble.”

DES MOINES — Unpredictable weather, sickness and fierce competition didn’t bother the 10 members of the PCM girls track and field team who made it to the state meet. It was held on May 22-24 at Drake Stadium. Abi Teeter was among them, and she competed in the 1,500-meter run, finishing at 5 minutes, 2.33 seconds, a personal record for her. Teeter competed in the 1,500 and finished 16th out of 24 runners. She’s now third in PCM history in this event.

The PCM boys golf team qualified for the Class 2A

Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer

PCM freshman Ryan DeVore competes in the shuttle hurdle relay at the state track and field meet on May 22. The Mustangs finished 18th in the event.

Explorer

Photo by Melissa Beyer

PCM junior Harrison Brinegar (13) keeps the ball away from a Panorama player during the Mustangs’ home playoff match on May 27.

Strait

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and doing the best we could.”

The Mustangs also placed fifth and set school records in the distance medley and 4x400 relays.

Graber left the blue oval inside Drake Stadium with the lone championship, but the Mustangs finished third in the sprint medley relay, took fourth in the shuttle hurdle relay and placed fifth in the distance medley and 4x400 relays.

“The boys handled themselves with class, attacked each event and represented PCM to the fullest,” Bieghler said. “The grit and determination they showed all weekend long was absolutely incredible.”

Graber kicked off the big weekend with a gold-medal performance in the 400-meter dash. He won the race in a school-record time of 48.99 seconds.

Seven different runners broke 50 seconds and Okoboji’s Evan Osler took second out of the second heat with a time of 49.13.

Graber’s other individual event was the 200. He advanced to the finals after placing fourth in the prelims with a time of 22.16. He ended up seventh in the finals though with a 22.44.

Treynor’s Cauy Konz won the 2A 200 in 21.7 and the final qualifying time was 22.29.

“I’ve put my whole life into this, and to leave my mark like that is all I could have wished for,” Graber said. “This place has given me everything I have, and I couldn’t be more thankful for it. And I’m just really happy to leave my mark in a great way.”

The next best finish came in an event Graber anchored. The sprint medley relay team of Evan Jones, Adrien Robbins, Tad Wilson and Graber finished third in a school-record time of 1 minute, 32.89 seconds.

Grundy Center won the sprint medley relay in 1:31.84.

Jones said the Mustangs came into the day thinking they had a quartet who could win the event, but he felt like it was just an off day despite setting the school record.

“It definitely was kind of an off day for us,” Jones said. “But you can’t be mad at first place at the state meet as much as we want to be. You can’t be at the point. I bet you know, 24 of the best teams are in this, and we come out third. That’s pretty incredible.”

The lone fourth-place finish came in the shuttle hurdle relay. The Mustangs qualified for the finals with a time of 1:00.72 in the prelims.

They moved up from sixth to fourth in the finals after posting a school-record time of 1:00.22.

That foursome featured Jaden Houser, Jake Winters, Robbins and Gavin Van Gorp, and the team ran a faster time in fourth this season than PCM ran when it won the championship two seasons ago.

“It’s a blessing just to be here with these guys,” Houser said. “We did what we came to do. By the end of the day, we wanted to PR and break the school record. We knew there were some cats in 2A. We knew they’d bring it so it was all about working against ourselves

Robbins, Tad Wilson, Coby DeRaad and Kash Fischer posted a school-record time of 3:34.3 in the distance medley relay.

It took a 3:35.65 to grab the final medal and Okoboji won the race in 3:30.03.

“It feels good, but I’m not too happy,” Robbins said. “I want to be on the podium in the top three. We did PR and got the school record. It’s a good day, but you always want to win and do better.”

It was the first state medal for Wilson, Fischer and DeRaad. Fischer is the only one who agreed with Robbins about the final result. He thought he could have ran a faster split to improve the final time, but DeRaad doesn’t know what else could have been done besides that.

“It feels good. All the hard work paid off and I think we peaked at the right time, which is good,” DeRaad said. “We tried our hardest. I don’t know what else we can do. It sucks we didn’t have the results we wanted, but we gave it all we had.”

The 4x400 relay team of DeRaad, Fischer, Robbins and Graber broke a school record that was set in 2012 by Sean O’Connor, Andrew McCarthy, Bo Clymer and Jordan Van Roekel.

The current Mustangs posted a school-record time of 3:22.82 in the finals and placed fifth. They also were fifth in the prelims with a time of 3:23.76. Okoboji won the race in 3:16.41.

Two other Mustangs grabbed their first state medals in the 4x100 relay. The foursome of Lewis Daye, Jones, Finn Wilson and Tad Wilson placed eighth in both the prelims and finals. They went 43.46 in the prelims and then posted a time of 43.73 in the finals.

Other than Graber, Van Gorp and Alex Wendt grabbed individual medals at the state meet.

Van Gorp placed eighth in the 110 high hurdles after a disappointing run in the finals. But he set a new school record in the prelims to advance to the finals.

His school-record time of 14.84 pushed him into the finals, but he went 15.07 in the finals and settled for the final state medal.

Van Gorp did not have much time between the shuttle hurdle relay final and the 110 high hurdles final on May 24. He said that may have played a factor in going slower and placing lower.

“My legs are pretty heavy after the shuttle hurdle,” Van Gorp said. “I gave it my all in that one, and we got the school record. We wanted to place a little higher but it was our best time ever.”

The school record Van Gorp broke in the 110 high hurdles had stood since 1991 when Jeff Stock ran 14.99.

Winters also competed in the 110 high hurdles and placed 11th with a time of 15.55 in the prelims. It took a 15.24 to advance to the finals and Treynor’s Brady Wallace won the race in 13.91.

“I’m pretty proud. I was seeded

fourth coming into districts,” Winters said. “I ran easily my best time there just to get here. It was amazing. Running as an individual is a crazy experience.”

The final medalist was Wendt, who placed eighth in the 2A boys discus on May 22.

He advanced to the finals with a 147 feet, 7 inches on his very first throw at the state meet and it held up all the way through the finals. Wendt also had tosses 143-0 and 144-0 in the prelims before throwing 142-10 in the finals.

Van Gorp just missed a medal in the long jump as he was ninth with a leap of 20-11.

That mark was his first two leaps of the day and he also had jumps of 20-7, 20-1 1/2 and 20-0 3/4. The top nine performers in the prelims of the long jump, shot put and discus advance to the finals, but only the first eight earn medals.

Van Gorp was sitting eighth heading into the finals but dropped down one spot following finals.

The final relay for the Mustangs came in the 4x800. The foursome of DeRaad, Joe Shaver, Carson Hansen and Fischer posted a time of 8:18.84 in 14th place.

The final state medal time was Anamosa at 8:09.16 and Denver won the race in 7:57.10.

It was the first state appearance for both Hansen and Shaver.

“It was great. I’ve been dreaming of this since I was a freshman,” Hansen said. “We haven’t had the pieces really to do it until this year. Last year we fell a little short. We were third this year too, but ran a better time. It was exciting just being here.”

Fischer, who qualified in the 4x800 relay as a freshman at Southeast Polk, placed 18th in the 800 on May 24. His time was clocked in a career-best 1:59.

The final medal-winning time was 1:52.58 and Unity Christian’s James Foreman won the race in 1:52.58.

Chase Wagaman also competed in the high jump but did not clear opening height. He was one of five who didn’t clear the first height and eight jumpers went out at 6-1.

Spirit Lake and Okoboji tied atop the 2A standings with 65 points and Denver and Treynor tied at 48 in third. The rest of the top five included Greene County (40) and PCM (34) was sixth.

“Our goal going into the weekend was to attack the race, get a personal record and give yourself a chance at a medal and potentially the podium,” Bieghler said. “They did not disappoint. Us coaches couldn’t be more proud of what they were able to do and accomplish.

“The 2025 PCM boys track and field team is one for the history books, and they are officially one of the best teams in PCM History.”

Notes: Several members of the PCM boys track and field team dyed their hair blonde for the state meet. They said it was an idea brought up by Robbins, who will play college football inside the stadium he set a bunch of track and field records in this weekend when he joins the Drake program this fall.

Adrien Robbins

Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer

PCM junior Evan Jones, right, hands the stick to senior Adrien Robbins during a relay at the state track and field meet this past weekend.

Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer

PCM sophomore Kash Fischer, left, runs in a relay at the state track and field meet at Drake Stadium in Des Moines this past weekend.

Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer

PCM junior Coby DeRaad, left, grabbed his first state medals this weekend at the state track and field meet in Des Moines. He helped the Mustangs place in the top eight of the 4x400 and distance medley relays.

Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer PCM’s shuttle hurdle relay team of (from left) senior Jake Winters, sophomore Jaden Houser and seniors Adrien Robbins and Gavin Van Gorp placed fourth at the state meet on May 24 and set a new school record in the process.

Girls Track

“One thing I’ve focused on this past, like two weeks, is being patient,” Teeter said. “I feel like sometimes I get out way too fast, and then I don’t know what to do after that. So I’ve been working on being patient, and I think I executed it well. Also, being able to get a personal record at state was great.”

All of the PCM girls were sporting purple glitter on their hair and face, as well as purple ribbons for Teeter, who was born with cystic fibrosis.

In their minds, the idea completely matched: May is National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month.

Plus, Teeter is always encouraging everybody during races, and it was a great reminder of the power of having a great teammate.

“As a team, we decided if we make it to state we’re doing purple hair strands, and just to know they’ve backed me, and knowing that I’m running for a purpose that’s greater than just running, going against all the odds and just being able to portray that with my favorite color, purple, too. It’s been an honor,” Teeter said.

Other runners enjoyed success as well. In the 800, Lila Milani finished 20th with a time of 2:24.

Tipton’s Noelle Steines won

Pella Christian won the district championship with a 319. PCM shot 343 as the runner-up and Central Lee was the third state qualifying team after winning a three-way tie with a 351.

Tipton and Beckman Catholic also shot 351, but Central Lee advanced because of a better fifth score.

Albia (352) was one shot back of the three-way tie and West Branch (354), Cascade (355) and Mediapolis (361) completed the nine-team field.

The difference between Pella Christian and PCM (24) was greater than the difference between second and ninth (18).

Pella Christian’s Eliot Menninga was the meet medalist with a 76 and his teammate, Cooper Spronk, shot 77 as the runner-up. The Eagles grabbed the top three spots in the individual standings.

Beckman’s Jake Wegman, Tipton’s Gavin Roth and West Branch’s McGavin Smith were the individual qualifiers after

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the 800 in 2:11.49, was the 1,500 winner in 4:35.19 and took the 3,000 in 9:53.95. Milani also was part of the distance medley team with Peyton Lathrum, Ryan DeVore, and Jorja Teeter. They finished 19th with a time of 4:22.91. It was a season best time for them, and they now rank fourth in PCM history. Tipton won the race in 4:07.8.

Jorja Teeter competed in the 400 hurdles, finishing in 1:10.33. It took a 1:06.43 to earn the eighth and final state

medal and Van Meter’s Madison Boese won the title in 1:04.73.

Before her race started, the PCM crowd was buzzing with cheers of encouragement.

“Just looking up in the stands, like when they announce your name, when they’re out there getting ready to go and all of them cheer. It means a lot,” Jorja Teeter said. “It means a lot that I know I have my family and friends around me.”

The PCM shuttle hurdle relay team of Lillian Humpal, Ryan DeVore, Jorja Teeter, and

shooting 81s.

The 2A state tournament took place on May 27-28 at Gates Park Golf Course in Waterloo.

PCM (316.1) enters the state tournament with the fourthbest 18-hole average among the

12 qualifying teams. The only teams with a better average are Pella Christian (308.64), Grundy Center (309.14) and Columbus Catholic (315.7).

The rest of the field includes Central Lee (317), Ridge View (318.33), Aplington-Parkers-

Tori Lindsay finished 18th with a season-best time of 1:11.41. The final state medal team was clocked in 1:08.8.

Ali Hilsabeck ran a 11:41.26 in the 3000. It was her personal record, and good for 22nd. She’s now third all time at PCM in this event.

The 4x800 relay team of Abi Teeter, Paiten Rumbaugh, Bailey Wheeler and Milani finished 16th in 10:08.43. They are now second in PCM history and Van Meter won the race in 9:34.89.

“During the race, my legs

were just dead,” Milani said. “I’m tired and I’m sick. So, I mean, I’m just grateful I get to come out here and do this even through everything that’s going on.”

All told, every member of the team who competed at state will not be graduating. Everyone is excited for future growth and opportunities.

“I mean, overall, I’m just very grateful we’re here and I get to do it with this team. State is one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” Milani said.

burg (319.8), East Marshall (320.33), Kuemper Catholic (321.22), Earlham (321.5), MMCRU (324.33) and Panorama (330.67).

Grundy Center qualified for the state tournament last spring and won the 2A title in 2023.

The Mustangs finished second the last time they played in the 2A state tournament in 2018. The state champion that season was Kuemper Catholic, which also is in the field this spring.

Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer

PCM senior Easton Van Veen, left, and junior Charlie Ford play a round of golf at Gateway Recreation Golf Course earlier this season. The Mustangs are headed to the state golf tournament for the first time since 2018.

Troy Hyde/ PCM Explorer

PCM junior Abi Teeter, right, hands the baton to junior Paiten Rumbaugh during the 4x800-meter relay at the state track and field meet on May 22.

Explorer PCM

program, serving on church mission trips and counseling at church camp during the summer. Meyer would love to represent Jasper County Fair as the queen because she enjoys spending time at the fair, meeting and talking with new people and being a good role model for others.

Ella Machin

Ella Machin is a 2025 Newton graduate. She has lived in Newton all of her life with her family. Her parents are Ed and Meggan Machin. While in high school, she was involved in wrestling, cheerleading, trapshooting, FFA and HERO. She would like to represent the Jasper County Fair as the queen because 4-H and FFA has helped her become who she is today and she would like to give back to these organizations.

Gretchen Uitermarkt

Gretchen Uitermarkt is the daughter of Jason and Jami Uitermarkt. She attends PCM and is the president of her FFA chapter and secretary of my 4-H club. She’s involved in golf, Key Club, FFA, 4-H and her local community garden. She wants to represent the Jasper County Fair as queen because she be-

lieves in the values of respect, responsibility and service, and wants to embody those values while representing her county. As queen, she would have the opportunity to give back to the community that has shaped her into who she is. She’d use her voice to support youth involved in 4-H and FFA and encourage participation in local activities. Uitermarkt wants to show others — especially young girls — that being yourself, being kind and following your heart is something you should always be proud of.

Piper Clark

for young girls involved in 4-H. She has been in 4-H for several years and loves to help others in any way she can.

Heather Hanson

Piper Clark is the daughter of James and Stephanie Clark and is currently enrolled at PCM High School. She will be a senior during our next school year. She is involved in many volunteer clubs and activities including choir, jazz choir, Key Club, national honors society, big student/little student, the fall play and musical, the president of my 4-H club, Jasper County council, student government, speech, journalism and the extended learning program at her school. She wants to represent the Jasper County Fair as queen to become a positive role model

Heather Hanson is the daughter of Lance and Tracy Hanson. She attends to New ton Senior High and is on the girls wrestling team, in FFA, 4-H, student council, coun ty council and the head manager for the boys track team. She feels like she can represent as Jasper County Fair Queen because she loves the county fair and loves volunteering around the county whether it is during fair time or not. In this past year, she has volunteered in the open class building, at the feed shed and also at school concession stands. Hanson feels like I can devote hours on end to being fair queen and be able to handle the duties that it requires me to have.

Rylee DeHaai

Rylee DeHaai is the daughter of David and Brenda DeHaai. DeHaai is a recent graduate at PCM High School. She is involved in many activities including Killduff Hotshots 4-H Club, Diamond Trail FFA, Jasper County Council, PCM Dance Team, big student/little student and competitive studio dance at Steppin Out Dance Studio. She enjoys working with her livestock projects, dancing with her friends and spending time with her

cat. DeHaai is a hard worker who is always looking for new ways to learn and grow. Becoming Jasper County Fair Queen is a dream she has had since she was a little girl. She is excited for this opportunity to represent Jasper County and continue to grow her leadership and communication skills while being a mentor for others.

Lexi Kephart

Daughter of Steve and Emina Kephart, Lexi is a 17-yearold member of the Newton FFA chapter. While in school, along with FFA, Kephart has participated in showing rabbits through the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA), working her horses and working her job at Starbucks. Kephart has just graduated high school this past May and plans to pursue her education through DMACC, studying Biology, and transferring to Midway University in Kentucky to major in pre-vet and minor in equine studies, while competing on their western team. Kephart’s goal is to show other girls that there is no certain “look” when it comes to being the Jasper County Fair Queen.

Help protect Iowa’s forests — Leave firewood at home

Thousands of Iowans will be camping and building campfires throughout the summer. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) encourages campers to buy firewood from where they will burn it instead of bringing it from home.

“Moving unseasoned firewood around the state can threaten the health of our forests by spreading insects like emerald ash borer (EAB), oak wilt, and other pests that live in firewood,” Tivon Feeley, DNR Forest Health Forester, said. Plenty of firewood is available locally to your favorite state or county park. Ask a park ranger or campground host where you can get local firewood. Make sure you burn all of your firewood at your campsite; don’t leave it or transport to a new area.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship requires all firewood sold or acquired in Iowa to have the county and state of harvest location on the label of packages and the delivery ticket for bulk firewood.

Learn more about the importance of using local or certified heat-treated firewood at www.dontmovefirewood.org/.