VAN METER, Iowa — The Ballard women's track and field team delivered a strong showing at Thursday's meet in Van Meter, finishing sixth out of 12 teams with 60 points in a competitive field, despite managing athlete workloads in preparation for the upcoming conference championship.

The night was highlighted by a dominant first-place performance in the 4x800 relay, where the team of Annika Larson, Brynn Wilson, Raya Miller, and Ava Richardson clocked in at 10:14.74—a massive 15-second drop from their previous best. Coach Barth praised the group's execution, particularly Larson's explosive 2:25 opening leg and Wilson's strong second carry. "This group is climbing the state rankings, and we still have more in the tank," said Barth.

Freshman standout Emefa Van Loo continued her rise with a 3rd-place finish in the 100 meters (13.27) and contributed to season-best times in both the 4x200 (4th, 1:55.10) and 4x100 (6th, 53.78) relays. Her dual background in cross country and sprinting continues to pay dividends.

Ballard showed depth across the board with several athletes embracing new events:

• Nora Showman impressed in her 3000m debut, finishing 5th with a time of 12:46.39, just ahead of teammate Kaitlyn Hermann (6th).

• Brynn Wilson, in addition to her relay leg, took 4th in her first 1500m (5:17.98)—a performance Barth noted as "an exciting debut."

• Makiya Culbertson displayed versatility, finishing 7th in the 400 hurdles (1:20.30) and 8th in the 100 hurdles (17.54).

• Jada Lande stepped up in the long jump, placing 14th with a jump of 11-08.75.

Other point-scorers included:

• Kaylor Johnson, who tied her season best to place 6th in high jump (4-06.00) and returned to form in the 400m (1:08.61).

• The Sprint Medley Relay team of Alayna Bowman, Emefa Van Loo, Halle Gardner, and Taylor Larsen placed 6th, also marking a season-best 2:02.34.

• The Distance Medley Relay secured 5th (4:41.26) behind steady splits from Bowman, Lande, Grundmeyer, and Larson.

Coach Barth emphasized the meet's experimental strategy: "We purposely varied placements and limited workloads to prioritize athlete health and data-gathering before the postseason." The team-first mindset was evident across events, with athletes stepping into unfamiliar roles to help the Bombers compete.

Ballard now turns its attention to the Raccoon River Conference Meet set for Wednesday, May 7 at 4 PM in Gilbert.

PHOTO CREDIT: Davidson Photography