By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman cross country standout Ryin Miller turned in an oustanding freshman season last fall, capped by a fifth-place finish in the Class 5A state meet.
Miller has served notice over the first two meets that her 2023 season could be even better.
Seaman sophomore Ryin Miller demolished her own school record by nearly 40 seconds as she won Saturday's Joe Schrag Invitational by more than two minutes. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
After finishing second in the season-opening Manhattan Invitational, MIler posted a dominating performance in Saturday's Topeka West Joe Schrag Invitational at Kanza Park, repeating as the individual champion by more than two minutes while also helping the Vikings repeat as team champions.
Miller dominated Saturday's race from the opening gun en route to breaking her own Seaman five-kilometer record by almost 40 seconds in a time of 17 minutes, 41.04 seconds while winning the race by just over two minutes and eight seconds.
"Last year I ran a 5:20 (first mile) when I got my school record and I wanted to get under that so I was trying to go out hard so I could be under that and then hopefully that would boost my confidence for the rest of the race and it definitely did,'' Miller said.
The Kanza Park course, north of Hummer Sports Park, is regarded as a runner-friendly course that lends itself to fast times and Miller wanted to take advantage of that.
"Last year we ran this three times and this year we only get it twice so I wanted to take advantage of it while I run it because this course is definitely a fast one,'' she said.
Miller was one of four Vikings in the top 10 and all five Seaman runners finished in the top 14 as Rick Brading's team won by a 29-35 margin over Lee's Summit West, Mo.
Lee's Summit sophomore Eva Garlich was the individual runnerup in 19:49.80 while Seaman freshman Brynn Spencer finished third in 19:58.89.
Seaman also got a fifth-place finish from junior Stella Appelhanz (20:20.31) while senior Savannah Sampson finished 10th (20:51.96) and senior Elinore Stallbaumer 14th (21:25.73).
Topeka West sophomore Payton Rice finished sixth individually in 20:36.00.
Topeka High finished fourth as a team with 98 points, led by freshman Juiahnna Savago, who placed 15th in 21:40.61.
Junior Elizabeth Hogan led Shawnee Heights with a 22nd-place finish in 23:36.40.
JOE SCHRAG INVITATIONAL
At Kanza Park
GIRLS
Team scores
Seaman 29, Lee's Summit West, Mo. 35, Lansing 59, Topeka High 98.
Individual results
1. Ryin Miller, Seaman, 17:41.04; 2. Eva Garlich, Lee's Summit West, 19:49.80; 3. Brynn Spencer, Seaman, 19:58.89; 4. Grace Steger, Lansing, 20:16.08; 5. Stella Appelhanz, Seaman, 20:20.31; 6. Payton Rice, Topeka West, 20:20.94; 7. Madison Cross, Lee's Summit West, 20:39.01; 8. Kelsie Kudzia, Leavenworth, 20:42.38; 9. Violet Grine, Lee's Summit West, 20:50.96; 10. Savannah Sampson, Seaman, 20:51.96.
Other Seaman -- 14. Elinore Stallbaumer, 21:25.73.
Topeka High -- 15. Juliahnna Savago, 21:40.61; 25. Victoria Reynaga, 24:09.97; 29. Makynzie Murray, 30:41.44; 30. Cecelia Richards, 32:31.59; 31. Karla Hysten, 39:21.27.
Shawnee Heights -- 22. Elizabeth Hogan, 23:36.40; 28. Addison Cooper, 24:28.89.
