By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's cross country team came up short in its bid for regional team championships Saturday at Manhattan, but both Junior Blue teams earned runner-up team finishes at Warner Park to earn berths for next Saturday's Class 6A state meet at Rim Rock Farm, north of Lawrence.
Rural's girls finished just two points behind Free State (45-47) while the Firebirds also claimed the boys title, by a 35-61 margin over the Junior Blues.
Washburn Rural's girls cross country team finished second in Saturday's Class 6A regional at Manhattan, just two points behind Free State. [Twitter photo/Washurn Rural cross country]
Washburn Rural's boys cross country team finished second in Saturday's Class 6A regional at Manhattan to earn a berth in the 6A state meet. [Twitter photo/Washurn Rural cross country]
Sophomore Payton Fink made it a sweep of individual city, Centennial League and regional titles with a win in a five-kilometer time of 18:49.90 while her Rural teammate, senior Madeline Carter, was second in 19:08.40.
Rural also got a 12th-place finish from sophomore Rylee Ismert (20:46.20) while freshman Vilde Tronstad (21:08.30) was 14th and sophomore Brooklyn Nolte (21:34.10) 21st to round out the Junior Blues' top five.
Senior Christine Gutierrez (21:54.50) and junior Sydney Laster (22:07.70) added 26th and 27th-place finishes.
Senior Easton Dial paced Rural's boys, finishing second in 16:49.20.
Seniors Davin Johnson (17:18.60) and Grayson Fink (17:21.10) also posted top-10 finishes, with Johnson seventh and Fink ninth, while junior Hayden Keller (17:51.70), sophomore Conner Olsen (17:54.30) and senior Trevor Cain (18:04.30) finished 21st, 22nd and 23rd.
Junior Max Gutierrez finished 26th for the Junior Blues (18:19.00).
Topeka High senior Michael Christopher finished 13th individually in 17:26.00 to earn an individual berth in the state meet.
The 6A boys meet is scheduled to start at 10:35 a.m. on Saturday and the girls race at 12:20 p.m.
Hayden qualifies two for 4A state
Hayden sophomore Elliott Wrench and Wildcat junior Aiden Amis earned individual berths for next Saturday's Class 4A state meet at Wamego Country Club.
Wrench finished 10th in Saturday's 4A regional at Kanza Park, clocking a five-kilometer time of 21:31.83.
Amis qualified for state with a 14th-place finish in the boys race in 17:30.02.
The 4A boys will run at 10:35 a.m. on Saturday followed by the 4A girls at 12:20 p.m.
Eagles, Dawgs combine for four state qualifiers
Silver Lake and Rossville will have four representatives in next Saturday's Class 3A state meet at Rim Rock Farm, including a combined three runners in the girls race.
Rossville senior Amelia Foster finished fourth in Saturday's 3A girls regional at Riley County while Silver Lake sophomore Tessa Gerber finished seventh and Eagle senior Mariah Farmer 10th as all three qualified as individuals.
Foster clocked a five-kilometer time of 21:33.82 while Gerber ran a 21:52.18 and Farmer a 22:21.75.
On the boys side Silver Lake sophomore Jared Johnson qualified for state as an individual with a 13th-place finish in 18:46.61.
The 3A state girls race is scheduled for a 10 a.m. start Saturday at Rim Rock, followed by the boys race at 11:45.
