Falcons earn team berth
St. Albert’s boys cross-country team is heading to Friday’s Class 1A State Cross Country Championships after placing second at last week’s qualifying meet near Corning. The Falcons finished with 52 points, a result that sent the full team to the state competition in Fort Dodge.
The qualification was built on a broad team performance rather than a single standout result. Junior Aiden Gaul led St. Albert with a fifth-place finish, while senior Jackson Walter was seventh. Sophomore Ben Thompson crossed in 11th and senior Konstantine Poulos Schweer placed 12th, giving the Falcons four runners inside the top 12 at the qualifier.
Freshman Evan Finken completed the team’s scoring with a 21st-place finish. Junior Max Johnson finished 29th and junior Leo Buyke was 38th. Together, those results were enough to secure the runner-up position and advance the entire boys squad.
| St. Albert runner | Grade | Qualifying finish |
|---|---|---|
| Aiden Gaul | Junior | 5th |
| Jackson Walter | Senior | 7th |
| Ben Thompson | Sophomore | 11th |
| Konstantine Poulos Schweer | Senior | 12th |
| Evan Finken | Freshman | 21st |
Two girls qualify individually
The Saintes will also be represented in Fort Dodge by freshmen Alli Hannan and Mila Gaul, who secured individual berths at the qualifying meet. Their advancement gives St. Albert two girls entries at the state championships, alongside the boys team’s group qualification.
Head coach Bob Weidman said the qualifying competition was demanding, but that his runners responded to the conditions and the significance of the meet.
“Great competition at our state qualifier and a very challenging course,” Weidman said.
He also credited the team with meeting a goal it had worked toward throughout the year, saying the runners “ran really good” and handled the challenge of the qualifying race. The results suggest St. Albert’s strength came from keeping multiple runners near the front of the field, a particularly important factor in team scoring.
Adjusting through difficult weather
The route to the state meet included disruptions that affected preparation. The team faced roughly two weeks of extreme heat early in the season, followed by another two-week stretch of persistent rain. Some meets were cancelled, and the altered schedule required the coaching staff to change how workouts were organized.
Rather than allow the interruptions to halt training, Weidman said the program used creative sessions to preserve race preparation. On one occasion, the athletes simulated a meet as part of their workout. That approach helped the Falcons and Saintes continue progressing even when normal competition and practice plans were not available.
“We lost out on some meets, but we just tried to be creative with our workouts,” Weidman said.
That adaptability now carries St. Albert into the state championships. The Falcons will arrive with a complete boys lineup shaped by four top-12 qualifying finishes and a fifth scoring runner in the top 21, while Hannan and Gaul will compete as individual qualifiers for the Saintes. Friday’s races in Fort Dodge will provide the final test after a season that required both consistency and flexibility from the program.
- Boys: St. Albert qualified as a team after placing second with 52 points.
- Girls: Freshmen Alli Hannan and Mila Gaul earned individual state berths.
- Meet: The Class 1A State Cross Country Championships take place Friday in Fort Dodge.
