Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, April 16, 2015, Page 8

The 2015 Raider track team includes:

(front fow, L-R) Brad Phelps, Heath Andresen, Trevor Anderson, Marcus Daughton and Devin Russo;
(second row) Cal Daughton, Nick Wurster, Baylee Love, Lew Knapp, Dylan McAlexander, Zach Murphy, Cauy Bickel and Caleb Schnoor;
(third row) head coach Brad Elliott, Ethan McGill, Grant Staats, Mitchell Jennett, Braydon Swank, John Young, Will Young, Gavin Dine, Bradley Wurster, and assistant coach Kurt Wallace;
(fourth row) Wyatt Jackson, Mitchell Lutrick, Joe Ricker, Kyle Dolecheck, Jacob McCreary, Jed McCreary, Justin Wehling, Trevor Gooding, Rhett Murphy, Will Hunt and Sam Pitt.

The 2015 Raiderette track team includes:

(front row, L-R) Hannah Glendenning, Katie Holmes and Ashton Johnson;
(second row) Kenisha Ross, Caylie Hickman, Alex Booth, Alyssa Johnson, Laura Davison, Maddie Mobley, Ica Hauge, MaiLynn Taylor and Mercadez Birkenholz;
(third row) coach Deb Larson, Kirsten Young, Blair Glendenning, Dani Krauth, Bailey Anderson, Chania Vos, Sara Winemiller, Sadie Frost, Megan Warin, Haylea England, Kirsten Dolecheck, Josie Houseman, Addy Flammang, Macy Larsen, coach John Larsen and Brianna Dory.

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, April 23, 2015, Page 10

The 2015 Mount Ayr middle school girl's track team includes:

(front row, L-R) Mickayla Edwards, Brieanna Byrd, Gaby Hunke, Sammy McGill, Alexis Main, Hanna Ackley and Madison Birkenholz;
(second row) Caroline McAlexander, Elizabeth Sobotka, Ryann Martin, Kierston Klommhaus, Kaitlyn Dolecheck, Jaycee Knight and Samantha Stewart;
(third row) Emma Mobley, Hadlie Sickels, Abigail Barnes, Jaylynn Ellis, Kayle Adams, Brittany Mastin,Lanie Sheil, Rachael Gregg and Hayley Whittington;
(fourth row) Paige Lynch, Kylee Smith, MacKenzie Shields, Amber Davison, Jessica McCreary, Hannah Jackson, Gracie Mobley and Samantha Schaefer.

The 2015 Mount Ayr middle school boys' track team includes:

(front fow, L-R) Cole Clymer, Connor Eaton, Christopher Kemery, Blake Rychnovsky, Joan Trujillo, Nathan Hauge, Erik Masoner and Chase Smith;
(second row) Dawson Frost, Dalton Elwood, Myles Greene, Isaac Grose, Issac Timberman, Tyler Jones, Josh Restauro, Zane Powell, Andrew Belzer, Jake Hoveland and Nick Vanbuskirk;
(fourth row) Drew Willis, Keelan Klommhaus, Cade Clymer, Josh Cowley, Noah Shelman, John Shields, Chase Henry, Trenton Stull, Hunter Haveman and Grant Anderson.

  Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, May 14, 2015, Page 8

The Raider team gives a group "high-five" following their fifth straight Pride of Iowa conference crown. Mount Ayr dominated the 12-team field, finishing a full 55 ahead of second-place Pleasantville.

  Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, May 28, 2015, Page 8

The Raiders competed in the state track meet May 21-23 in Des Moines. The Raiders finished in a tie for third place with Lawton-Bronson.

The highlight of the meet came when Mount Ayr junior Kyle Dolecheck became a two-time state champion in the 800 meter run as he finished first with a new school record time of 1:59.23. The junior also placed fourth in the 400 meters and anchored the second-place distance medley and 4x400 relay teams.

Teammates Nick Wurster (left) and Trevor Anderson (right) congratulation Kyle Dolecheck (center) at the completion of the Raider's second place finish in the distance medley.

The 2015 Mount Ayr Raider track team poses with their latest hardward -- the third place trophy from the State Track Meet held May 21-23 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines. Sitting in seventh place heading into the final event of the meet - the 4x400 meter relay - the Raiders placed second in the event to climb all the way to the third-place finish.

"It came down to an exciting team race for all of us," said coach Brad Elliott. "I'm not going to leave this place with a bigger smile than I have on my face right now. I just wanted our kids to come up here and do well and they exceeded those expectations and came home with a trophy."

Photographs courtesy of Mount Ayr Record-News

Transcriptions by Sharon R. Becker, September of 2015