The Ballard women's and men's cross country teams competed at the state qualifying meet hosted by Gilbert on the Iowa State University Cross Country Course, showcasing stellar individual performances and nearly securing a team berth for state.
Women's Team Recap
The Ballard women's team narrowly missed qualifying for state by just two points, finishing 4th in a highly competitive race that featured four ranked teams. Annika Larson led the Bombers with a standout performance, winning the individual title with a career-best time of 18:47.10. Larson's effort not only secured her a spot at the state meet but also moved her to 4th all-time in Ballard's 5K history. Brynn Wilson followed with a strong 9th-place finish, clocking in at 19:32.90, which landed her 8th on Ballard's all-time 5K list.
Other notable performances came from Raya Miller, who set a career personal record (PR) of 20:43.70 to finish 22nd, and Kya Hermann, who ran a career-best 21:06.70 for 29th. Despite these impressive efforts, the Bombers finished with 83 points, just behind MOC-FV for the final state-qualifying spot.
Head Coach Scott Barth praised the team's grit: "Our girls left it all on the course. They were focused, ready to compete, and gave everything they had. We knew it would be a battle, and we came up a bit short, but I couldn't be prouder of their effort."
Men's Team Recap
On the men's side, Ballard's young team made the most of the fast course, with two individual state qualifiers. Max Davidson finished 15th with a career PR of 16:36.10, placing him 5th on Ballard's all-time 5K list. Austin Vance was right behind him in 16th, clocking a 16:37.10, which landed him 6th on Ballard's all-time list.
Though the Bombers didn't qualify as a team, several athletes recorded personal bests, including Graden Hermann, who ran a career-best 17:39.60 for 32nd place, and Parker Domino, who finished 56th in 18:37.50.
Coach Barth emphasized the team's youth and potential: "We knew we were the underdogs, but Max and Austin ran incredible races to punch their tickets to state. With a team mostly made up of sophomores and freshmen, this experience will help us grow. I believe we have the talent to make a run at team qualification next year."
Up Next: State Meet
The Ballard Bombers now turn their attention to the State Cross Country Meet at Fort Dodge's Lakeside Municipal Golf Course. Annika Larson and Brynn Wilson will race in the girls' competition at 10:30 AM, followed by Max Davidson and Austin Vance in the boys' race at 11:15 AM.
Coach Barth is optimistic about their chances: "All four are peaking at the right time. It's an honor to compete at state, and we would love to see Bomber fans come out and support them as they aim for a strong finish."
STATE QUALIFYING MEET WOMEN'S TEAM SCORES
1. Sioux Center, 54
2. Gilbert, 72
3. MOC-FV, 80
4. Ballard, 82
5. Creston, 170
6. Nevada, 204
7. Atlantic, 206
8. Storm Lake, 210
9. Humboldt, 216
10. Boone, 221
11. Kuemper Catholic, 267
12. Algona, 280
STATE QUALIFYING MEET WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL TIMES
1 Annika Larson, 18:47.10
9 Brynn Wilson, 19:32.90
22 Raya Miller, 20:43.70
24 Ava Richardson, 20:53.10
29 Kya Hermann, 21:06.70
41 Grace Grundmeyer, 21:50.10
42 Nora Showman, 21:58.20
STATE QUALIFYING MEET MEN'S TEAM SCORES
1. Gilbert, 15
2. Sioux Center, 82
3. MOC-FV, 101
4. Nevada, 123
5. Storm Lake, 135
6. Algona, 165
7. Kuemper Catholic, 174
8. Ballard, 185
9. Atlantic, 238
10. Perry, 295
11. Humboldt, 303
12. Boone, 318
13. Creston, 392
STATE QUALIFYING MEET MEN'S INDIVIDUAL TIMES
15 Max Davidson, 16:36.10
16 Austin Vance, 16:37.10
32 Graden Hermann, 17:39.60
56 Parker Domino, 18:37.50
66 Owen Davidson, 18:58.40
76 Kolbe Odden, 19:42.90
83 Isaac Swisher, 20:17.10