Photos: Cedar Rapids Invitational Thursday, September 11, 2025

Scenes from the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet, where Maquoketa High School’s Izzy Hardin took first place in the girls’ varsity 5k.

Elizabeth Wood

Sep. 12, 2025 2:47 pm, Updated: Sep. 12, 2025 10:56 pm

Kellyn Moeller throws Konnor Stewart a football while they wait for the varsity girls 5k to pass by during the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet at Seminole Valley Park in northeast Cedar Rapids on Thursday, September 11, 2025. Stewart said he was there to support his sister.(Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Izzy Hardin, of Maquoketa High School, competes in the varsity 5k race at the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet at Seminole Valley Park in northeast Cedar Rapids on Thursday, September 11, 2025. Hardin finished first with a time of 18:08.4 minutes. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Izzy Hardin, of Maquoketa High School, crosses the finish line for the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet at Seminole Valley Park in northeast Cedar Rapids on Thursday, September 11, 2025. Hardin finished first with a time of 18:08.4 minutes. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Cedar Rapids Kennedy Cougars’ Adam Gray and Slater Buckheister compete during the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet at Seminole Valley Park in northeast Cedar Rapidson Thursday, September 11, 2025. Buckheister finished in second with a time of 15:25.8. Gray finished in fourth with a time of 15:38.4.(Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Cedar Rapids Kennedy Cougars’ Slater Buckheister crosses the finish line during the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet at Seminole Valley Park in northeast Cedar Rapids on Thursday, September 11, 2025. Buckheister finished in second with a time of 15:25.8. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Cedar Rapids Kennedy Cougars’ Adam Gray crosses the finish line during the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet at Seminole Valley Park in northeast Cedar Rapids on Thursday, September 11, 2025. Gray finished in fourth with a time of 15:38.4.(Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Center Point-Urbana High School cross country coach Jeffrey Engen gives a pep talk to the girls before they compete in the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet at Seminole Valley Park in northeast Cedar Rapids. on Thursday, September 11, 2025. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Cedar Rapids Prairie High School cross country coach William Schwarz gives a pep talk to the girls before they compete in the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet at Seminole Valley Park in northeast Cedar Rapids on Thursday, September 11, 2025. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Xavier Saints’ Raleigh Barton crosses the finish line during the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet at Seminole Valley Park in northeast Cedar Rapids on Thursday, September 11, 2025. Barton finished 19th with a time of 20:09.4.(Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

“Jesus Loves You” was written on Ankeny Centennial Jaguars’ Kylee Patterson’s shoulder for the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet at Seminole Valley Park in northeast Cedar Rapids on Thursday, September 11, 2025.(Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Iowa City West Trojans’ Mia Ann hugs Carly Moreau after Moreau crossed the finish line for the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet at Seminole Valley Park in northeast Cedar Rapids on Thursday, September 11, 2025. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Kari Bruns (left) and Kevins Bruns, of Cedar Rapids, cheers on Cedar Rapids Kennedy cross country runners as they pass by during the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet at Seminole Valley Park in northeast Cedar Rapids on Thursday, September 11, 2025. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Cedar Rapids Kennedy Cougars’ Lincoln McMahan crosses the finish line during the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet at Seminole Valley Park in northeast Cedar Rapidson Thursday, September 11, 2025. McMahan came in twelfth with a time of 16:20.1.(Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Center-Point Urbana Stormin Pointers’ Grace Estling competes with Xavier Saints’ Raleigh Barton during the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet at Seminole Valley Park in northeast Cedar Rapids on Thursday, September 11, 2025. Estling finished 21st with a time of 20:11.7. Barton finished 19th with a time of 20:09.4.(Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Karen O’flahrity (left) and Kathy Burks, both of North Scott, cheers on North Scott Lancers’ Natalie O’flahrity during the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet at Seminole Valley Park in northeast Cedar Rapids on Thursday, September 11, 2025. Natalie finished with a time of 21:38.9.(Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Bettendorf Bulldogs’ Aj Willey crosses the finish line during the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet at Seminole Valley Park in northeast Cedar Rapids on Thursday, September 11, 2025. Willey finished first with a time of 15:08.7.(Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Prairie Hawks’ Mason Nove crosses the finish line during the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet at Seminole Valley Park in northeast Cedar Rapidson Thursday, September 11, 2025. Nove finished with a time of 17:26.1.(Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Cedar Rapids Washington Warriors’ cross country team members cheer on their team members at the finish line during the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet at Seminole Valley Park in northeast Cedar Rapids on Thursday, September 11, 2025. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Xavier Saints’ Mia Deegan crosses the finish line during the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet at Seminole Valley Park in northeast Cedar Rapids on Thursday, September 11, 2025. Deegan finished sixth with a time of 19:17.7.(Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Center-Point Urbana Stormin Pointers’ Aaliyah Causey competes during the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet at Seminole Valley Park in northeast Cedar Rapids on Thursday, September 11, 2025. Causey finished in ninth with a time of 19:37.2.(Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

The Clinton High School varsity girls cross country team runs hand-in-hand to the starting line of the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet at Seminole Valley Park in northeast Cedar Rapids on Thursday, September 11, 2025. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Izzy Hardin, of Maquoketa High School, and her fellow athletes cross through the starting line for the varsity 5k race at the Cedar Rapids Invitational cross country meet at Seminole Valley Park in northeast Cedar Rapids on Thursday, September 11, 2025. Hardin finished first with a time of 18:08.4 minutes. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

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