Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Audi Crooks of Bishop Garrigan launches the shot put at state on Thursday in Des Moines. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

DES MOINES — Audi Crooks and Molly Joyce’s names will be forever linked in the Bishop Garrigan record books.

And not just in basketball.

The Golden Bear sophomore all-state athletes have helped the Golden Bears to two straight Class 1A championship game berths on the hardwood. On Thursday inside Drake Stadium, they sealed the school their eighth and ninth state championships in track.

“It means a lot and hasn’t really sunk in yet,” Crooks said after winning the girls shot put title in Class 1A. “Last year was canceled, so this is like my freshman year.

“The first throw is usually the bad one, but for some reason this time, the first one happened to be the best.”

It was the first state titles for Garrigan since 2014, and first individual crowns since Addison Miller in 2012.

Joyce claimed the long jump crown.

“It’s definitely cool to both be state champions,” Crooks said. “We are such good friends. Molly works so hard and has put in a lot of time.

“I’m proud of her, and for us to be able to achieve this big milestone.”

The two victories put the Golden Bears out in front with 20 points. Fellow Messenger-area school West Bend-Mallard is second with 12 points, and St. Edmond (10) is third.

“It’s really exciting to win a state title in my first year (at the varsity level),” Joyce said. “I didn’t get a chance last year, so this was great.”

Crooks dominated the field, being the only competitor to throw over 40 feet. The Garrigan sophomore landed the winning throw on her first toss, going 41-9.75.

“You could see in warm-ups…she was going three or four feet farther than anyone else,” said BGHS head coach Jared Montag. “She is getting better and didn’t have a season (in 2020), so this is her first time competing.

“We have high hopes for her, and she has big goals for herself.”

In the shot put, four of her six recorded throws were over 40 feet, three topped 41. The next closest throw was 39-11.25.

Joyce struggled early in the prelims, scratching on her first two throws.

“It was kind of nerve-wracking for her first few jumps,” Montag said. “The runway at our conference meets are a little different here (Drake), so she had to get adjusted to that.

“There were a lot of fouls, and I think it got into a lot of kids’ heads. Molly is such a competitor. She had two bad jumps, then adjusted to get a counting one in.”

She stepped back a couple of steps to record a jump, and made the finals with a 15-8.75.

Joyce recorded her best two jumps on her final attempts, going 17-5 for the win and 17-3.5 in her final attempt.

“I was super nervous after I missed my first two jumps,” Joyce said. “I moved back a little and just wanted to get a jump in to reach the finals.

“When I made it to the finals, it took the nerves off and I was able to calm down.”