LAKE MILLS — A gold medal was the only way to secure a spot in Des Moines for performers Wednesday at the Class 1A District 7 track meet.

Event winners qualified automatically for state, and the next 12 finishers from across the 12 districts of Class 1A also qualified, according to the Iowa High School Athletic Association.

However, additional qualifiers have yet to be determined. Each district in Class 1A ranges from 12 to 14 teams, and the second through eighth place finishers are in limbo.

“I’ve never made it to state before, so I’m hoping that I finished in the top 12,” said Lake Mills sophomore distance runner, Krister Beal, after he took second place in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 10 minutes, 40.95 seconds.

Noah Irons of Lake Mills has an outside chance to go to state in four events. He finished third in the 400 hurdles, fourth in the discus and 1,600 and ran a leg of the 4×800-meter relay team that took second.

The temperature dipped to 39 degrees Wednesday in Lake Mills, but Irons said it didn’t affect his performance.

“I’d like it a little warmer, but I can’t complain because everyone’s dealing with it,” he said.

The Lake Mills boys’ team won the 12-team meet with 127 points, beating second-place North Iowa by 34 points. Northwood-Kensett finished fourth with 81 points.

The Bulldogs punched tickets to state in five events. Lincoln Boehmer won the 100 hurdles in 16.06 seconds, Sean Smalley won the long jump with a leap of 20 feet, and the Bulldogs won the 4×100, the 4×400 and the 4×110 shuttle-hurdle relay.

Northwood-Kensett had an automatic qualifier in one event: discus. Tom Yezek crushed the competition with a toss of 151-06 that was more than 16 feet farther than the second-place finisher.

The Bulldogs and Vikings also fared well in girls’ events. Lake Mills was the runner-up with 105 points, four points behind West Hancock. Northwood-Kensett took third place with 97 points.

Lake Mills earned automatic state bids in two events. Makenzie Thorson won the 100 with a time of 13.08 seconds. She also took second in the 200 and 400. Lexi Groe won the 400-meter hurdles in 1:12.17.

The Vikings were led by Hattie Davidson, the winner of two sprints and the runner-up in the high jump. She took first place in the 200 in 26.72 seconds and the 400 in 1:01.73. Northwood-Kensett also won the 800-meter sprint medley relay.

The Class 1A state track meet will be start with running events at 9 a.m. Thursday and end with relay finals at 4:05 p.m. May 24.

Statistics are in the Scoreboard: May 15 post.