NEVADA, IA – The Ballard men's track and field team put together an impressive performance at the Nevada Invitational on Thursday night, finishing third overall with 112 team points in a highly competitive eight-team field. Clear Lake claimed the team title with 142 points, followed closely by host Nevada with 137.

Ballard athletes turned in several standout performances across both track and field events, showing depth and determination throughout the meet.

Sprinters and Relays Shine
In the 200-meter dash, junior Michael Wiechmann placed fourth with a time of 23.94, scoring valuable points against a strong field. The 4x100-meter relay team also captured fourth place, clocking in at 46.09.

Ballard's 800 Medley Relay team impressed with a second-place finish in 1:41.57, just behind Clear Lake. The Bombers also took second in the 4x110 Shuttle Hurdle Relay, finishing in 1:03.40, narrowly missing first by less than a second.

Mid-Distance and Distance Events Lead the Way
Sophomore Jace Ortner claimed the individual title in the 400-meter dash, winning in 52.60 in a thrilling finish. In the 800 meters, Graden Hermann (2:13.02) and Austin Vance (2:13.15) finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in a tight race.

In the 1600-meter run, Max Davidson delivered a huge win for the Bombers, taking first with a time of 4:47.05, pulling away from the field down the final stretch. The Ballard 4x800-meter relay team also secured a runner-up finish with a time of 8:42.72, coming in just behind Grinnell.

Field Events Bring Power to Podium
Junior Chase Ihle soared to first place in the long jump, hitting a mark of 21-04.50. Sophomore Bryce Miller backed him up with a third-place leap of 19-11.25.

Freshman Kanen DeYoung matched the winning mark in the high jump at 5-10.00, earning a share of first place in an impressive showing. In the shot put, senior Jackson Wacha placed fourth with a strong toss of 41-04.00.

Up Next: The Ballard boys will be back on the track Monday, April 14, as they head to Carroll for a 4:00 PM start.

Photo Credit: Davidson Photography