Senior Lea Friedl (21:07) earned her spot with a seventh-place performance on the girls’ side. Drake Weland will join her after a 14th-place effort (18:06) in the boys’ race.

“It meant a lot to me to qualify for state on my home course,” Friedl said. I appreciated all of the support from everyone who came out to the meet and that came to watch and cheer all of us on.

“My teammates and I had to work harder and harder every day to push each other and get better.”

Friedl, who is a senior for the Eagles, is now a four-time state qualifier.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Drake Weland of Eagle Grove compete during class 2A boys state qualifier on Thursday in Eagle Grove

“I ran every day like it could have been my last, because in today’s world, you never know when it actually might be,” Friedl said. “After qualifying for state, it was a great to know that all of the long runs, hard days, early morning runs, and painful workouts were all worth it in the end.

“All the glory goes to the man upstairs.”

Also qualifying in the Class 2A boys meet was Clarion-Goldfield/Dows’ Isaiah Nebbe (18:02) who was ninth.

Pocahontas Area’s Ben Berte (18:13), finished 16th, missing a state berth by five seconds.

Southeast Valley’s top finishes came from Cooper Nuss (27th) and Oscar Hanson (31st).

Emmetsburg’s Isabella Householder (22:10) was 14th, while teammate Isabel Doyle was 24th.

Raven Kinnetz turned in the top performance for the Clarion-Goldfield girls, Kinnetz finished 20th.

The Pocahontas Area girls team was fourth. Carly Janssen (22:40) and Alaysa Duitscher (22:47) were 21st and 23rd, respectively.

Team qualifiers on the boys side from Eagle Grove were Des Moines Christian, Denver, and GCGR. Girls qualifiers were Denver, Dike-New Hartford and Des Moines Christian.

The top three teams and top 15 individuals qualify for state next Saturday at Lakeside.