Editor’s note: This file photo of Friday, March 22, 2019, was taken by Track Reporter Michael Newman and shows the MHS 2019 IHSA State Relay Team. Left-to-right are Coach Tim Duncan; Nick Allen; Koby Brackemeyer, Nathan Mickley, Hunter Newman, and Keegan Anderson; Coach Sammy Biggs. Coach Biggs had written, “Morrison had fun on Friday evening sweeping all three relay events contested in this meet. Juniors Nick Allen, Nathan Mickley, Keegan Anderson, and Koby Brackemeyer ran on the winning 3200 Meter Relay and 800 Meter Relay. Freshman Hunter Newman replaced Allen in their winning 1600 Meter Relay.” Jerry Lindsey submitted the following article and signing photograph.
On Friday, May 8, 2020, Koby Brackemeyer signed a Letter of Intent to compete at Hawkeye Community College. His parents are Cindy and Chad Brackemeyer.
He has run for the Morrison Mustangs for three years. His love of running was the stimulus for Morrison to initiate a Cross Country team in 2017, with Koby as sole competitor, under the coaching of his father. As the spring track and field season arrived, Koby was teamed with fellow Freshmen Nathan Mickley and Keegan Anderson and Senior Eric Kull, to run the 4X400 to a 21st place finish at the IHSA State Finals. In 2017, Brackemeyer finished 9th in the 800 meter run and 16th in the 1600 meter run. This established the Mustangs as a team to watch, as these Freshmen advanced.
In 2018, the 4X800 relay team, which included Brackemeyer, came away from Charleston, IL, with the 1st place hardware and a 10th place finish in the 4X400. Koby gathered a 7th place in the 800 meter run.
The 4X800 relay team added Freshman Hunter Newman in 2019 and dominated the scheduled meets. They traveling to Charleston to earn a repeat in the 4X800 meter relay competition. They also finished 2nd in the 4X400, and Koby captured a 5th place finish in the 800 meter run. Koby entered his Senior year as part a 4X800 relay team ranked #1 in the State of Illinois! All of his training and time commitment was focused on the repeat of a State Championship in 2020. Then, along came the COVID-19 pandemic.
School cancellation drew an unfortunate end to a High School dream, but Brackemeyer retained the desire to compete. He has chosen Coach Tyler Mulder of Hawkeye Community College to teach him the skills to finish his college years. Brackemeyer will compete at a Division 1 level after his two years in Waterloo, IA.
The 2020 disappointment may have put out the fire for Koby to compete in his final high school year, but the fire remains hot to take the next step. He did that on Friday, May 8, by signing a Letter of Intent to compete at Hawkeye Community College. Apropos of past track events and successes, Koby signed into his future beside the track where he trained and competed for the past years.
Celebrating the signing are, seated, Cindy, Koby, and Chad Brackemeyer. Sharing their athlete’s accomplishment, standing left-to-right, are Morrison High School Coaches Sammy Biggs and Tim Duncan and Junior High Coach Julia Deter.
