Bombers Host Mike Carr Invitational, Finish Fourth

Ballard Scores 76 Team Points

September 17, 2024

The Ballard Bombers women's cross country team put in a strong performance at the Mike Carr Invitational, finishing fourth in a highly competitive field. With temperatures soaring, the team fought hard through the heat, delivering solid individual efforts. Winterset took home the team title with a score of 52, followed by ADM with 66 points. North Polk edged out Ballard for third with 74 points, while the Bombers scored 76 to claim fourth place.

Leading the way for Ballard was senior Annika Larson, who crossed the finish line in 20:50.6 to place fourth overall. Close behind was fellow senior Brynn Wilson, who secured a ninth-place finish with a time of 21:27.2. Sophomore Raya Miller added a 14th-place finish for the Bombers, clocking in at 22:15.8. Senior Ava Richardson came in 23rd, completing the course in 23:14.8, and sophomore Kya Hermann rounded out the top five for Ballard, finishing 26th with a time of 23:44.0.

Other notable performances came from sophomore Grace Grundmeyer, who finished 28th in 23:58.9, further showcasing the depth of the Ballard team. Despite the challenging heat, the Bombers maintained their competitive edge against a tough field. With the leadership of seasoned runners like Larson and Wilson, Ballard continues to show promise as the season progresses.

Comments From Head Coach Scott Barth:

"The girls finished 4th in a very solid team competition. Each of the teams that finished in front of us ran well and are currently ranked in class 3A. Annika Larson ran a steady race finishing 4th in a time of 20:50. Brynn Wilson followed suit with a 9th place finish in a time of 21:27. Raya Miller was a bright spot and continued her upward trajectory in a time of 22:15. These three formed a very competitive top 3 heading into the final 2 scorers. Ava Richardson powered through to finish in front of our final three racers with a 23rd place finish followed closely by Kya Hermann and Grace Grundmeyer in 26th and 28th places.

It was a battle between 4 pretty even teams on the top with a big drop after that. We finished 4th in that pack, which is not ideal and not what we had wanted, however we competed hard. We do, however, know that we have more to give and some pieces that we can work on. We will be just fine and are a good team. We are just having a tough time matching the performances that we had in our first meet at Webster City. So, we will refocus on what needs to be done to get us back on top of our 'game' and get back on the team track. We can and I know we will."

The Bombers will return to action on Thursday, September 26, at the Roland-Story Invitational Meet. The event will include middle school, junior varsity, and varsity races, beginning at 4:30 PM.

MIKE CARR INVITATIONAL WOMEN'S TEAM SCORES

1. Winterset, 52

2. ADM, 66

3. North Polk, 74

4. Ballard, 76

5. Indianola, 159

6. Atlantic, 169

7. Bondurant-Farrar, 170

8. Boone, 174

9. Webster City, 225

MIKE CARR INVITATIONAL WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL TIMES

4 Annika Larson, 20:50.6