Ballard High School junior Alex Bowns, picking up where he left off for the cross country team last season when he made state, placed third in the boys varsity race during the KingCo Preview meet Sept. 9.

Bowns was Ballard's highest finisher of the day. His time of 16:08 was a 23-second improvement on his personal record for Lincoln Park course.

Ballard's next-highest finisher in the boys varsity race was senior Blair Scott, whose time of 17:26 was good enough for 23rd place.

Freshman Michael Vitz-Wong finished second in the junior varsity boys race with a time of 18:03.

On the girls side, junior Alyson Fromm placed 32nd in the girls varsity race with a time of 21:25. Below her was sophomore Julia Boone in 42nd with a time of 21:42.

Sophomores Anna Gallagher and Tess Schooler placed 39th and 40th in the girls junior varsity race with times of 24:44 and 24:49 respectively.

Click here for complete results from the race.

The Ballard cross country team heads to Beaver Lake Park at 3:45 p.m. Sept. 15 to take on Eastlake High School and Woodinville High School.