Century High School Swept WDA Cross-Country Titles
Runners in Bismarck secured team victories and individual course records during the recent championship.
Updated on Oct. 11, 2026 in Running
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Century High School claimed both the boys and girls team championships at the WDA meet. Individual winners Hudsen Bullinger and Ruby Ihmels led their respective squads to victory.
Why it matters
These team and individual results determine which Bismarck athletes will advance to the state cross-country meet. The performances demonstrate high-level conditioning and competitive depth within the local school program.
Ruby Ihmels set a new course record at the McDowell Dam Recreation Area with a time of 16 minutes and 45 seconds. This eclipsed the 2016 benchmark of 17 minutes and 20 seconds by 35 seconds.
The players
Century High School
A Bismarck-based secondary school that fields competitive cross-country teams.
Hudsen Bullinger
The individual WDA boys cross-country champion who finished his race in under 16 minutes.
Ruby Ihmels
A high school runner who won her third consecutive individual WDA cross-country title.
The details
Century High School secured their team titles by maintaining consistent performance across their rosters, placing five runners in the boys top 10 and four in the girls top 10. Hudsen Bullinger paced the boys with a sub-16-minute finish, while Ihmels led the girls field to maintain her individual streak. The team success highlights a coordinated approach to endurance training and pacing in local competitive running.
Timeline
The WDA cross-country championships occurred on October 10, 2026.
The previous course record was set in 2016.
The state cross-country meet is scheduled for October 24, 2026.
Health Landscape
This regional competition functions as the qualifying gate for the North Dakota state cross-country meet. It follows the established pattern of high school athletic programs developing long-distance running capacity through structured competitive cycles.
The success of these athletes reflects consistent physical conditioning and proper recovery practices. Readers interested in building similar endurance should consult a physician before beginning a rigorous training regimen to discuss safe intensity levels.
The takeaway
Century High School athletes dominated the regional meet through depth and record-setting individual efforts. Those interested in distance running should prioritize gradual progression and monitor for overuse injuries as training intensity increases.
What happens next
Qualifying runners from the WDA championships will compete in the state cross-country meet on October 24, 2026.
Further reading
For more information on local training standards and regional athletic developments, explore Running.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Kfyrtv.
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