Ballard's Paityn Noe sets record in repeating as 3A girls state 3,000 champion at Iowa state track meet.

Paityn Noe earned herself another state record.

The Ballard senior ran the fastest 5-kilometer time in state history last fall in cross country. Now she is a state record holder in track, setting a Class 3A record in the girls 3,000-meter run.

Noe shattered the 3A record at the state track meet Thursday in Des Moines. She finished the race in 9:38.82. The old 3A mark was 9:55.37 set by Davenport Assumption's Joy Ripslinger in 2017.

"I didn't know exactly what it (the record) was and then when I was running I actually heard him say it," Noe said. "I was like, I can get that."

Noe got it with ease. She dominated the 3A girls 3,000 field, winning the race by 51.78 seconds over long-time rival Geneva Timmerman of Adel-Desoto-Minburn.

Two weeks ago, Noe won the 3,000 at the Drake Relays in 9:28.89, finishing just shy of the Relays record of 9:26.87. She got caught in a crowd early at Drake and was determined not to let that happen at state.

Noe broke free of the pack early at state and left no doubt.

"Going into it that was my goal, to not get locked in that first lap," Noe said. "I was really happy when I was out right away. I really just got into the groove of it from there."

Once she was out in front there was no stopping her. Noe built a huge lead entering the final lap. As she began the final 400 meters, Noe received a standing ovation from the crowd that lasted until after she crossed the finish line.

"The entire way people were cheering me on," Noe said. "You're like wow...this is so amazing. I grateful I'm even in this position. It was pretty awesome."

Noe's day was not over. She still had the 4x800 relay less than two hours later.

The Ballard 4x800 girls ended up placing seventh in 3A with a time of 9:49.61. Annika Larson, Brenna Baumgardner and Ava Richardson ran the first three legs before handing the baton off to Noe, who turned in a strong anchor leg of 2:18.16 to enable Ballard to earn points.

Another Ames-area team ended up winning the 3A girls 4x800.

Gilbert claims 3A girls 4x800 state title with school-record time

As she crossed the finish line during the final leg of the 3A girls 4x800 relay, all Gilbert sophomore Sarah Feddersen could do was smile and wait to be embraced by her teammates.

Feddersen had just anchored Gilbert to a school-record time of 9:29.11. More importantly, the Tigers won the 3A state championship, defeating two-time defending champion Solon by a full 10 seconds.

"It was honestly the best feeling ever," Feddersen said. "It's cool knowing these girls have put in so much hard work and they trusted me to finish it."

Veteran Clare Stahr used a strong final kick to get Gilbert in the top five after the first leg. Sophia Bleich then ran a strong second leg to get the Tigers right at the front of the pack.

Then Keira Andersen took over. The freshman ran a speedy third leg to not only secure the lead, but give Feddersen a big cushion when she received the baton for the final 800.

"I had to keep telling myself that every second mattered," Andersen said. "Going over the first 400 I was like, this is slow...I need to get going. We really wanted that record and to show our best."

Stahr ran on last year's 4x800 team that placed 21st at state. She was gushing over the contributions Andersen and Feddersen have added to the team.

"Sarah doesn't let anything stop her and the same thing or Keira Andersen," Stahr said. "They're 1-2 in the open 800 right now. I couldn't ask for better teammates."

Bleich was full of gratitude for being part of a state championship team.

"I'm just so thankful," Bleich said. "God has blessed us all with amazing gifts. I'm so thankful we can work together to glorify him."

Nevada also competed in the 3A girls 4x800. The team of Sophia Martinez, Brooke Axmear, Alexa Betting and Ava Vanderheyden placed 23rd with a time of 10:38.68.

Ballard takes third in 3A boys 4x800

The Ballard boys turned in a surprise performance in the 3A boys 4x800.

The Bombers entered the race with the 15th-best qualifying time in 3A. The team of Trent Payne, Jameson Witt, Jakson Fleischmann and Chance Lande ended up getting third with a season-best time of 8:06.16.

"We hadn't run it in two months," Lande said. "We'd just been saving it for this meet. We just let it all out and really put our best effort out there today."

Ballard won the opening section by 6.61 seconds over Atlantic. North Polk won the 3A boys title in 7:58.17 and Western Dubuque took second in 8:03.64.

Gilbert and Nevada finished 11th and 17th, respectively. Gilbert's team of Peston Stensland, Harrison Kraehling, Zain Mueller and Jonathan Stoker clocked in at 8:13.36 and Nevada's quartet of Nick Frideres, Paul Stephens, Brian Rohde and Carter Holland ran a time of 8:23.69.

William Wadsley places sixth in 3A boys 3,200

Gilbert's William Wadsley took sixth in the 3A boys 3,200.

Wadsley completed the race in 9:32.15, edging out the 9:40.57 by rival Zach Sporaa of North Polk. Wadsley came in just behind the fifth-place time of 9:32.05 by Pella's Canaan Dunham.

Gilbert's Carson Squires placed 17th in the 3,200. Squires crossed the finish line in 10:10.98.

Pella's Chase Lauman won the 3A boys 3,200 in 9:22.48.

Ballard's Ava Vance ended up 19th in the 3,000 with a time of 11:39.45. The Bombers' Noel Boettger was 20th in the 3A girls 200 prelims with a time of 26.91.

Gilbert's Laurel Mizerak placed 15th in the 3A girls 400 with a time of 1:01.10. Lande picked up a point in the 3A boys 400 after taking eighth in 50.55 and Witt took 12th in 51.01.

Nevada freshman Connor Kunze placed 17th in the 3A boys 200 prelims. Kunze finished in 23.05.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Ballard's Paityn Noe repeats as 3A girls 3,000 champion