Dowling Catholic High junior Jackson Heidesch, an Iowa high school 4A state champion in cross country and the 3,200 meters, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss competing in four events at the 112th Drake Relays Presented by Xtream and Powered by Mediacom at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa. Heidesch is scheduled to race April 28 in the 3,200 meters, April 29 in the 800 meters, followed by April 30 in the 4x800-meter relay and 1,600 meters. He is the top entry in the 3,200, achieving a program record April 16 and elevating to No. 8 in Iowa prep history by clocking 9:05.80 on the Jim Duncan Track. Heidesch and teammates Sam Leto, Will Ryan and Matthew Bootman also have Dowling Catholic as the top seed in the 4x800 relay at 7:55.16. He analyzes the potential for Dowling Catholic to run under 7:50 and potentially challenge the program record of 7:47, as well as the all-time meet mark of 7:45.63 established by Marshalltown in 1985. Heidesch also examines his opportunity to become the fifth Iowa prep competitor to eclipse the 9-minute barrier in the 3,200, along with pursuing the 2014 meet record of 8:58.46 by Albert Meier of Boone High. He also explains his desire to run the 800 and 1,600 after only being able to compete in one individual event last year as a result of illness, along with a consolidated high school schedule that all took place in one day, and his gratitude to be able race in front of family following limited spectators last season. Heidesch reflects on winning the state 3,200 final last year, along with revisiting capturing the 4A cross country championship in October and leading Dowling Catholic to its ninth team title in 15 years. He revisits how much Dowling Catholic benefited from racing several times during the regular season against Sioux City North and how much the Maroons gained from a runner-up finish in September at the Roy Griak Invitational in Minnesota. Heidesch speaks about the opportunities to race at both the Nike Heartland Regional in South Dakota and the Garmin RunningLane Championships in Alabama, as well as his ambition to compete this summer following the May 19-21 state meet at the Festival of Miles in St. Louis and the New Balance Nationals Outdoor event in Philadelphia.

WATCH 112TH DRAKE RELAYS PRESENTED BY XTREAM POWERED BY MEDIACOM APRIL 28-30