Bontrager excels when it matters

Iowa Mennonite School has usually been represented well at the state cross-country meet with boys titles in 1995 and 2009.

In 2018, freshman Leah Bontrager was the lone girls Class 1A state qualifier for IMS, running at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge Saturday.

'Leah has had a tremendous first high school cross-country season,” IMS coach Martin Gingerich said.

Bontrager placed 72nd as she covered the five-kilometer course in 22 minutes, 16.4 seconds.

'She trained hard this summer running over 150 miles,” Gingerich said. 'She has worked hard in practice. She has been very coachable, implementing instructions without further prompting.”

Being a freshman can be intimidating, but Bontrager improved steadily over the season and qualified for state with a 14th-place finish at districts. The top 15 advance to state.

'She has handled the pressures of racing and competing well when it matters the most,” Gingerich said. 'It was great to have her represent Iowa Mennonite School in such a great way (Saturday).”