Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: St. Edmond's Anna Lursen advanced to state in three individual events, as well as being a part of the qualifying sprint medley relay.

DES MOINES — The colors of St. Edmond might be green and white, but this week, the Gaels will be chasing gold.

Last week, the St. Edmond girls track and field team captured a title at the state qualifier while securing seven bids to the Class 1A meet, which begins here Thursday afternoon inside Drake Stadium.

When all was said and done for the Gael boys, they added two more at-large bids to the pair captured by Aaron Hindt, giving the program 11 entries over the three-day event.

Junior Anna Lursen, who scored a pair of medals last year, qualified in three individual events and will run on the sprint medley relay for St. Edmond. Seniors Mariah Myers and Josie Harvey also return having earned Top-8 finishes last year.

Myers, who will play softball for the University of Iowa in the fall, was the shot put runner-up and took 10th in the discus in 2024. She is back in both events. Harvey competes in the 100 hurdles after taking third in that event a year ago.

Lursen, who was fourth in the 800 as a sophomore, clocked the fastest district time in the event at 2:18.95. She is seeded third in the 400 and 16th in the 400 hurdles.

Myers had the best district toss in the discus at 132-4 and the second-best shot put throw at 40-1.75. She has set the school record in both events already this season.

Harvey, who was seventh in the 100 hurdle prelims at state before moving up four spots, is seeded 18th this year out of districts.

“We are feeling good,” SEHS head coach CJ Tracy said. “The girls are ready to go. We had a great couple of practices and the key now is keeping them healthy and ready.

“Everybody is on the same page and has the right mentality. They all want to hear their names called to a large crowd of people.”

The sprint medley of junior Faith Shirbroun, senior Sasha Hess, Harvey and Lursen went 1:53.55 at districts to win. That time has them positioned seventh overall.

Lursen is the only returning member of the 4×800 that was third a year ago while Shirbroun, Hess and Lursen were 10th in the sprint medley at state.

Brianna Saathoff, Alex Leiting, Myrah Lemon and Ava Bradley — all underclassmen — are alternates for the relay.

Hindt gained state experience a year ago by running in three relays, including the sprint medley with fellow qualifiers Anthony Valles and Grant Galles. The sophomore clocked the 12th-best 200 time out of districts and the 23rd-fastest 100, but has fastest times this season on record.

Valles, a junior, will run in the 3,200 again after placing 14th last year in 10:22.51. He went 10:44.25 to earn a spot with a season-best 10:17.23 to his credit.

The 4×400 relay of Levi Odor-Westrum, Galles, Valles and Hindt went 3:30.13 and is seeded 17th. Abram Ribbens, Evan Christiansen, Thomas Ehn and Logan Reed are alternates.

Odor-Westrum and Reed are seniors, Galles and Ribbens juniors, Christiansen a sophomore and Ehn a freshman.