Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Senior Noah Daniel of Fort Dodge is a multi-time state qualifier in the sprint events.

The Fort Dodge and St. Edmond track and field teams understand the mission set out before them.

Both the Dodgers and Gaels will be in action on Thursday at state qualifying meets.

Fort Dodge heads to Waukee Northwest in Class 4A while St. Edmond is at Colfax for a 1A qualifier. The state meet is set for May 21-23 from Drake Stadium in Des Moines.

Events begin at 4 p.m. with field events, as running events begin at 4:45 p.m.

In 4A, the qualifying spots will go to the first and second place finishers from each event out of each site and the next 12 best. For 3A and 2A, first and second place finishers advance along with the next eight-best from all the sites.

For 1A, only the event winners each each site automatically qualify, as the other 14 spots are determined from the best performances at districts.

The Dodger boys have seven events seeded in the Top-5 in terms of their site, as Noah Daniel is first in the 200 and third in the 100. The 4×200 relay of Taevon Feeley, Will Jones, Sam Moser and Daniel is fourth while the 4×100, 4×400, 4×800 and sprint medley relays are all fifth.

Four relays for the Fort Dodge girls will be seeded fifth in the 4×400, sprint medley, distance medley and shuttle hurdle.

Anthony Valles is seeded second in the 3,200, fourth in the 1,600 and fifth in the 800 for the Gael boys, as Aaron Hindt is second in the 200 and fourth in the 100. The distance medley relay of Grant Galles, Jack McElroy, Hindt and Valles is third.

Anna Lursen, a University of South Dakota commit who has battled an injury for much of the season, ranks first in the 400 and third in the 400 hurdles while Rihanna Myers is fourth in the shot put.

The 4×200 relay of Kenzie Nolte, Ava Bradley, Breckyn Ulrich and Brianna Saathoff is third, with both the 4×400 and sprint medley sitting fourth.

Humboldt and Webster City will be at Clear Lake in 3A while Algona heads to MOC-Floyd Valley. East Sac County, Manson Northwest Webster, Pocahontas Area, South Central Calhoun and Southeast Valley are all headed to Sioux Rapids in 2A while Clarion-Goldfield/Dows competes in Story City and Emmetsburg goes to Spirit Lake.

Newell-Fonda and West Bend-Mallard will be in Audubon in 1A, with Bishop Garrigan and North Union competing at Saint Ansgar.