The Ballard women's track and field team delivered a dominant and balanced performance on Monday at the Carroll Invitational, earning the overall team championship with 143 points.  The Bombers outpaced runner-up IKM-Manning (117) and host Carroll (91) in a meet that featured strong depth across sprints, distance, relays, and field events.

Head coach Scott Barth credited the delayed start to the season for building anticipation, and the group responded with one of its most complete efforts to date.  Ballard scored points in nearly every event group, with eight event victories accounting for a significant portion of the team total.

Event Champions Lead the Way

Ballard's title was anchored by eight first-place finishes:

• The sprint medley relay of E. Van Loo, M. Culbertson, B. Shoen, and K. Dunn opened the night with a win in 1:56.23.

• Avilee Miller produced a standout distance double, winning both the 3000 meters (12:05.76) and 1500 meters (5:33.31).

• Kaitlyn Dunn claimed the 400 meters in 1:03.19.

• Makiya Culbertson secured the 100 hurdles title with a PR of 16.76.

• Raya Miller added a victory in the 800 meters in 2:37.51.

• Brooklyn Shoen won the 400 hurdles in 1:12.21 in her debut in the event.

• The 4x400 relay team of Dunn, H. Jorgensen, A. Kinzenbaw, and Shoen closed the meet with a win in 4:15.27.

Those victories alone accounted for 80 points in the team total.

Strong Depth Across the Board

Beyond the wins, Ballard stacked key finishes that proved critical in securing the team title.

• Alea Kinzenbaw finished 2nd in the high jump, clearing 5-0.

• Nora Showman ran to 2nd place in the 1500 meters in a personal best 5:35.77, just behind teammate Avilee Miller.

• Sydney Sage placed 3rd in the 3000 meters in 13:13.92.

• The distance medley relay team of Larsen, Conover, Kinzenbaw, and R. Miller finished 2nd in 4:38.40.

• Kya Hermann added a 3rd-place finish in the 800 meters in 2:44.83.

Ballard also picked up additional scoring efforts in relays and field events, including strong contributions in the shuttle hurdle relay and multiple sprint relays.

Coach's Perspective

Coach Barth emphasized the importance of finally getting the team into full competition after weather delays early in the season. He noted the meet showcased the team's balance and emerging talent, with contributions coming from a wide range of athletes across events.

He also highlighted that the Bombers recorded 13 podium finishes and demonstrated promising early-season form despite being a relatively young roster.

Looking Ahead

The Bombers are back on the road Thursday - April 16 when they travel to the Ogden Relays.  The relays will start at 4:30 PM.