Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: St. Edmond junior Anna Lursen clears a hurdle at the state track and field meet on Friday in Des Moines. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

DES MOINES — St. Edmond junior Anna Lursen put to rest any doubt concerning her mental and physical toughness here Friday at the state track and field championships.

After racing to a second-place finish Thursday in the Class 1A 400, Lursen came back and picked up another silver in the 400-meter hurdles.

Coming out of lane eight of the second heat, Lursen moved up 14 spots from her district seed with a time of 1:05.06 to place behind only Ada Hansen of Anita CAM, who won in 1:02.97.

St. Edmond remains atop the girls team standings with 31 points, as Mariah Myers added a fourth in the discus after winning the shot put earlier this week. Council Bluffs St. Albert is second with 24 points, while Lake Mills and Pekin are third with 21.

“Another good day for these girls,” SEHS head coach CJ Tracy said. “They continue to go out and compete, which is what makes this group special.

“We have one more day and we’re looking forward to seeing how we finish out.”

Lursen still has two events left on Saturday, as she will run the 800 and on the sprint medley relay. In her state career, the Gael standout has ran eight times, placing in the Top-5 four times and in the Top-10 five times total.

“The 400 and 400 hurdles are arguably the toughest events in track,” Lursen said. “After placing second in the 400, I was eager to go out hard and stay that way (in the hurdles). I tried to focus on the one thing I know best which is sprinting.

“During the race, I felt relaxed, but my hurdle form is still a work in progress. It was a tough race and being in lane eight certainly didn’t help, but I got second and I gave it all I had.”

Myers, a senior, made the final throws of her high school career count, adding to her decorated resume. The future University of Iowa softball player has placed in the Top-10 five times over the last three years in the shot put and discus.

Myers’ best throw came on her third attempt of the opening flight at 134-9, setting a new personal record by over two feet. Pekin’s Anna Hadley claimed gold with a throw of 150-9, setting a state record.

“Mariah went out and placed higher than she did last year at state,” Tracy said. “We’re very proud of how she finished her high school track career.”

Josie Harvey, a senior who is set to run on the sprint medley with Lursen, junior Faith Shirbroun and senior Sasha Hess, was 24th in the 100 hurdle prelims. Lursen, Shirbroun and Hess all ran on the relay last year that placed 10th.

“Josie had some tough luck in her race,” Tracy said. “But we are so proud of her and everything she’s done to improve and be down here again.”

The St. Edmond boys concluded their 2025 state experience in the 4×400 relay, as Levi Odor-Westrum, Grant Galles, Anthony Valles and Aaron Hindt placed 18th in the prelims.

Odor-Westrum, the lone senior on the quartet, led things off as they recorded a season best time of 3:30.10.