The Ballard men's track and field team delivered a strong, balanced performance at the Raccoon River Conference Meet, finishing 5th overall in one of the most competitive 3A conferences in Iowa. The Bombers totaled 70 points, staying right in the mix with North Polk (71) and just behind Carlisle (61) in a tightly packed team race behind Gilbert and ADM.

A highlight performance came from Jace Ortner, who captured the conference title in the 400 meter dash, running a winning time of 50.18. Ortner's victory provided one of Ballard's biggest scoring moments of the meet and showcased his ability to close out races under championship pressure.

The Bombers also saw a major relay win in the boys distance medley, where the quartet of Liam Hurst, Aidan Wilson, Tate Leland, and Graden Hermann ran a strong 3:39.99 to take 1st place, holding off Gilbert in a tightly contested race. That performance was a critical swing in the team standings and demonstrated Ballard's strength in race execution and lineup versatility.

Ballard added another top-tier relay finish in the 4x800 meter relay, where Axton Campbell, Graden Hermann, Austin Vance, and Max Davidson combined for a solid 4th place finish in 9:00.73, helping stabilize team scoring in the distance events.

In the shuttle hurdle relay, the group of Blakely Carlson, Aidan Wilson, Curtis Hinzman, and Stetson Kane placed 2nd in 1:00.65, earning valuable points and showcasing technical consistency over the barriers.

On the sprint side, Ballard continued to score across multiple events. Ortner returned with a strong showing in the 200 meter dash, placing 5th in 22.95, while Jude Jones added depth in the same race. In the 4x400 relay, Jones, Declan O'Brien, Tate Leland, and Dylan Kruger ran 3:37.36 for another solid finish to close the meet.

Field events also contributed to the team total, with Bowen Benedict scoring in the high jump and Grant Fulkerson adding points in the 400 hurdles.

Comments from Coach Darren Herrold
"This meet was a great test for us leading into SQM. Conference track is hard, and we were only one point away from 4th place. All your coaches are very pleased with our results last night. Two conference champions and two PRs are always great to see. Conditions were not ideal, but that is track in Iowa in the spring."

Next up: State Qualifying Meet at North Polk – Thursday, April 14, 4:00 PM

Photo Credit: Davidson Photography