The Ballard women's cross country team turned in a dominant performance Monday evening, winning the Class A team championship at their home meet, the Mike Carr Invitational.  Facing a strong field that included seven ranked squads, the Bombers showcased both emerging talent and veteran leadership, finishing with a team score of 35 to edge No. 6 in Class 3A Boone with 51 points and No. 13 in Class 3A ADM with 64 points.

Freshman Avilee Miller continued her standout start to the season with a winning time of 20:40.2.  It marked the third consecutive meet Miller has paced the Bombers.

Ballard's depth showed as two more freshmen, Honor Jorgensen and Brooklyn Shoen, ran stride for stride to place fifth and sixth, both clocking 21:10.  Junior Raya Miller turned in one of the team's biggest improvements, cutting 47 seconds from her 2024 performance on the course to finish 11th in 21:28.  Freshman Kaitlyn Dunn sealed the team victory with a 12th place finish in 21:55.

The Bombers' push did not stop with the top five.  Sophomore Nora Showman and junior Grace Grundmeyer rounded out the varsity group in 17th and 18th, each slicing more than a minute off their times from last year's invitational.

Head coach Scott Barth praised the group's effort and progression:

"The girls ran an excellent race and were able to compete well against a field of ranked teams, taking the team championship in the process. Our pack running is impressive right now, and I know our girls are excited to keep showing up and showing out."

Barth highlighted the leadership of upperclassmen Miller and Grundmeyer while also noting the confidence and contributions of the freshmen.

The Bombers will be back in action on Saturday, September 20, at the Heartland Classic hosted by Central College in Pella. The girls' race is scheduled for 10:10 AM.

Photo Credit: Davidson Photography