The Norwalk girls cross country team finished their 2025 season at the State Cross Country Championships in Fort Dodge on Saturday for the first time since 2019 and the first time in Class 4A. The Warrior girls finished 15th in the 4A state championship race. The team narrowly qualified for state as a team, taking third place by two points in their Class 4A State Qualifying Meet in Council Bluffs. The Norwalk girls also finished in the top five as a team in four other meets this season, which included a win at the Indianola Cross Country Invitational on September 25th, and they took third in the Little Hawkeye Conference this season.

Norwalk’s top runner of the season was freshman Hannah Schmitz, who finished the season breaking the all-time Norwalk girls 5k record at the state meet with a 41st place time of 19:17. The record she broke was her own, a 19:21 5k she ran earlier this year. Following the state championship race, Schmitz told KNIA Sports she’s excited for her bright future, but there’s so much the team can be proud of this season.

“I’m really excited for next season, but there’s so much that everyone can be proud of this season. It’s just been super fun and a great team to be with, and it was just awesome. Awesome year.”

Schmitz finishes her freshman season with All-Conference honors, an individual state qualification, and multiple school course records.

The Warrior girls had two other All-Conference performers in sophomores Gabby Drymon and Olive DeRocher, who both also earned individual state qualifications. DeRocher placed 68th at the state meet, and Drymon came in 72nd. Norwalk’s top three female runners are returning next season.

As for this year’s seniors, they were led by Pearl Brown. Brown placed 111th in this year’s state championships, and her career personal best came during Ames’ Kirk Schmaltz Invitational on September 4th of this year, where she recorded a time of 19:28.  

Aside from Brown, the Norwalk girls cross country team will graduate six other seniors: Grace DeRocher, Avery Drymon, Anita Scholten, Megyn Courcier, Ella Seeley, and Camryn Stewart.