By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman's girls cross country team entered Saturday's Class 5A regional at Kanza Park as a heavy favorite and lived up to that billing, with the Vikings placing all of their top five runners in the top 10 on the way to a decisive 22-46 victory over Lansing in the team standings.
Seaman's girls won the team title in Saturday's Class 5A regional cross country meet at Kanza Park by a 22-46 margin over Lansing. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Seaman freshman Ryin Miller finished second individually in Saturdays Class 5A cross country regional, helping lead the Vikings to the team championship. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"I felt really good about it,'' Seaman coach Rick Brading said. "We had a couple of kids who were kind of running all by themselves and that's a hard way to run. And then this is a place where you go out too fast, so a couple of them suffered a little from going out really hard, but in the end we had good performances.
"Kids ran well and we kind of ran where I thought we would be.''
:Freshman Ryin Miller (18:36.38) senior Bethany Druse (19:41.27) and sophomore Stella Appelhanz (19:51.90) finished second, third and fourth behind individual champion Grace Hanson of Piper while the Vikings also got an eighth-place finish from senior Leah Spurlock (20:06.08) and a 10th from junior Savannah Sampson (20:40.25).
Sophomore Anna Becker added a 14th-place finish (21:11.44) and junior Elinor Stallbaumer a 25th-place finish (22:13.40).
"We wanted to take a positive experience into the state meet and it has been,'' Brading said. "I think the kids feel good about it because you run fast here.''
Seaman was the only city team to earn a 5A girls team berth, but Shawnee Heights and Topeka West both qualified individuals for next Saturday's state meet at Rim Rock Farm, north of Lawrence.
Shawnee Heights junior Verena Trollman earned her state berth with a 12th-place finish (20:52.57) and Topeka West freshman Payton Rice placed 13th (20:58.11).
Next Saturday's 5A state race will begin at 11:10 a.m. Seaman was fourth as a team at state last season.
CLASS 5A REGIONAL GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
At Kanza Park
Team scores
Seaman 22, Lansing 46, Basehor-Linwood 81, Leavenworth 112, Shawnee Heights 113, Highland Park 189.
Individual results
1. Grace Hanson, Piper, 17:42.73; 2. Ryin Miller, Seaman, 18:36.38; 3. Bethany Druse, Seaman, 19:41.27; 4. Stella Appelhanz, Seaman, 19:51.90; 5. Sophie Kurz, Lansing, 20:00.48; 6. Rebekah Tanner, Lansing, 20:02.77; 7. Addison Manley, Leavenworth, 20:05.47; 8. Leah Spurlock Seaman, 20:06.08; 9. Tessa Turner, Basehor-Linwood, 20:16.03; 10. Savannah Sampson, Seaman, 20:40.25.
Other Seaman -- 14. Anna Becker, 21:11.44; 25. Elinor Stallbaumer, 22:13.40.
Shawnee Heights -- 12. Verena Trollman, 20:52.57; 24.Elizabeth Hogan, 22:12.10; 29. Addison Cooper, 22:43.20; 33. Brynne Liedtke, 23:19.15; 34. Molly Busenitz, 23:21.59; 38. Ella Myers, 25:06.36; 42. McKenna Haltom, 26:17.76.
Topeka West -- 13. Payton Rice, 20:58.11; 30. Chloe Phelps, 22:53.63
Highland Park -- 41. Jimena Alvarez, 25:49.25; 43. Karl Retana-Munoz, 27:05.88; 45. Zuly Hernandez, 29:06.18; 46. Mary Jane Nunez, 31:02.57; 47. Garcia-Hernanez, 31:05.29; 48. Kimberl Rodriguez, 32:18.34; 49. Ruby Hernandez, 35:34.53.
Individual state qualifiers -- Grace Hanson, Piper; Addison Manley, Leavenworth; Verena Trollman, Shawnee Heights; Payton Rice, Topeka West; Elizabeth Arenas, Piper.
