The Ballard women's cross country team showcased their depth and determination with a solid performance at the Perry Invitational, finishing second overall in a highly competitive field.  Ranked #17 in Class 3A, the Bombers scored 57 points, narrowly edging out #17 Roland-Story (58 points) while trailing #9 Winterset, who won the meet with 42 points.

Leading the way for Ballard was senior Annika Larson, who captured her second consecutive individual title with a commanding performance.  Larson crossed the finish line in 19:52.85, pacing herself perfectly throughout the race to claim the top spot.

"Annika's strategy to start strong and progressively dominate the race really paid off," said Head Coach Scott Barth. "She continues to shine and lead the team."

Fellow senior Brynn Wilson also turned in a strong showing, finishing 6th with a time of 21:00.80.  Wilson was involved in a three-way battle for 4th but fell just short, still managing to close the gap between her and two runners she had faced in earlier races.

Sophomores Raya Miller and Kya Hermann contributed crucial points for the Bombers, finishing 13th and 17th with times of 22:36.56 and 22:45.80, respectively.  Another sophomore, Grace Grundmeyer, returned from a minor injury to place 20th in 23:03.99, rounding out Ballard's top five scorers.

In her varsity debut, freshman Nora Showman impressed with a 23rd place finish (23:36.18), while senior Ava Richardson finished 31st (24:34.96), completing the Bombers' varsity lineup.

"We had some key performances from our younger runners, which is exciting," Coach Barth added.  "Raya, Kya, Grace, and Nora all stepped up, and the whole team's effort was fantastic."

Behind the strong varsity results, Ballard's JV runners also showed improvement, with solid performances from Raegan Loewe, Anya Jorgensen, Jael Newman, and Natalie Kruse, placing 32nd, 35th, 36th, and 37th.

The Bombers now turn their attention to the Fort Dodge Invitational, taking place on Thursday, October 10.  The meet will start at 4:30 PM.  

PERRY INVITATIONAL WOMEN'S TEAM SCORES

1. Winterset, 42

2. Ballard, 57

3. Roland-Story, 58

4. Boone, 111

5. Des Moines Hoover, 148

6. Des Moines Christian, 148

7. Perry, 151

8. Greene County, 241

PERRY INVITATIONAL WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL TIMES

1 Annika Larson, 19:52.85

6 Brynn Wilson, 21:00.80

13 Raya Miller, 22:36.56

17 Kya Hermann, 22:45.80

20 Grace Grundmeyer, 23:03.99

23 Nora Showman, 23:36.18

31 Ava Richardson, 24:34.96