NORTH DAKOTA STATE MEET

Ruby Ihmels Breaks State Meet Record With 17:06.9, Wins By More Than A Minute

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

One of the nation’s best runners, Ruby Ihmels of Bismarck Century High, continued her dominant fall on the trails, winning her second straight state title on Saturday in commanding fashion at Parkhurst Campground/Pipestem Reservoir in Jamestown.

The junior covered the 5,000-meter course in meet record time of 17:06.9 - more than a minute ahead of the runner-up. Her time would have placed in the top eight of the Class B boys. It is her third state championship overall, after winning the Idaho 5A title two years ago before relocating to North Dakota.

Next up for the No. 3-ranked DyeStat individual is the NXR Heartland Regionals, where she finished second last year.

On the team side, Century gave it everything, but Williston High proved a formidable foe with four runners in the top nine to claim the team title (41 points) over Century (58).

In Class A boys on Saturday, the Bismarck boys were business-like. Senior Owen Hintz, runner-up at the past two state meets, finally took the individual crown in 15:27.8, nearly 25 seconds ahead of second. Bismarck placed four runners in the top nine and totaled 39 points for the team title.

On Friday in Class B girls, eighth-grader Claire Grinde followed up a breakout year by continuing to cement herself among the state (and national) elite. She ran 18:29.2 to lead the Hillsboro/Central Valley Burros to a second straight team title. They scored 61 points, edging out Bowman County High School via their sixth-runner tiebreaker, and had three of the top seven finishers (including fellow eighth-grader Caroline Anderson at 18:50.6). Grande, who captured the Roy Griak Invitational gold division race earlier this fall, has lost just once this season. 

Also, on Friday in Class B boys, senior Owen Johnson of Northern Cass earned his first individual state cross country crown in 15:44.4. Bowman County’s Warner Bowman (16:17.9) was second, leading his team to the title with 32 points. Bowman County went 2-3-4 and had all five scoring runners in the top 15.

TEAM CHAMPIONS

Class A: Bismarck boys 39 points; Williston girls 41 points - RESULTS

Class B: Bowman County boys 32 points; Hillsboro/Central Valley girls 61 points (won on tiebreaker) - RESULTS