Submitted photo Front row: Ava Bradley, Naomi Valles, Brianna Saathoff Back row: McKenna Kvale, Lily Eslick, Alex Leiting, Anna Lursen

COLFAX — Anna Lursen made a triumphant return to the track here Thursday night, as the St. Edmond senior earned a spot in the Class 1A 400-meter run at state.

Lursen, who has signed to run at the University of South Dakota, has battled an injury since the indoor season. She was the lone Gael to earn an automatic bid to state, as several others will await their fate.

For 1A, event winners at each district site qualify for Des Moines and Drake Stadium next week, with the remaining spots being filled by the next 14-best marks from all of the meets.

Lursen clocked a 59.68 to claim the 400 by almost a full second. She also ran the anchor on the third-place sprint medley alongside Kenzie Nolte, Ava Bradley and Breckyn Ulrich, as they went 1:56.37.

“It was good to see Anna running again,” SEHS girls head coach CJ Tracy said. “For her to be able to qualify is the icing on the cake. We’re so happy for her to get back down to the blue oval.”

Gael freshman Rihanna Myers was fourth in both the discus (111-1) and shot put (33-9). Bradley placed fifth in the 200 (29.15), and Naomi Valles sixth in the 3,000 (12:16.36).

“We are very proud of each and every girl,” Tracy said. “We were dealt some adversity this week and season, but everyone came out and gave it their all.

“Now, we wait and see.”

St. Edmond standout Anthony Valles finished second in the 3,200 on the boys’ side, as the senior went 10:14.96. He was also fourth in the 1,600 (4:49.73) and seventh in the 800 (2:09.22).

Aaron Hindt was the 200 runner-up in 22.76. The St. Edmond distance medley relay of Grant Galles, Jack McElroy, Hindt and Valles went 3:47.03 to finish fourth.

“I was very happy with our effort,” SEHS boys head coach Mike Szalat said. “We didn’t quite drop our times like I was hoping. Being a first-year coach, my initial thought is I made some training mistakes and I feel like I let the guys down. I’ll continue to educate myself and get better for them.

“Anthony ran a tremendous 3,200, and I thought the sprint medley and distance medley guys really ran their hearts out for each other. Aaron also competed really well in the 200.”

McElroy, Jonah Carlson, Galles and Hindt were fifth in the sprint medley in 1:39.65.