By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman's girls the opened the championship month of the 2022 cross country season with a decisive win in Saturday's Seaman Invitational at Shawnee North Community Park.
Individual runner-up Ryin Miller led the way as the Vikings put all of their top five runners in the top 11 spots en route to a 34-59 team victory over city rival Washburn Rural.
Seaman freshman Ryin Miller finished second in Saturday's Seaman Invitational cross country meet, leading the Vikings to the girls team title. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Madeline Carter finished third in Saturday's Seaman Invitational, pacing the Junior Blues to a runner-up team finish. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Miller, a freshman, clocked a five-kilometer time of 19 minutes, 02.61 seconds to finish second behind Piper senior Grace Hanson, who won the race in 18:27.88.
Seaman also got a sixth-place finish from senior Bethany Druse (20:26.48) while senior Leah Spurlock (20:38.61), sophomore Stella Appelhanz (20:51.54) and junior Savannah Sampson (20:54.95) finished ninth, 10th and 11th.
Seaman sophomore Anna Becker added a 13th-place finish in 21:25.65.
"We ran well and I'm real happy about that,'' Seaman coach Rick Brading said. "Ryin Miller had a great day Leah Spurlock had a really good day today as our third runner.''
Brading was happy with the balance the Vikings displayed in Saturday's win.
"Our girls understand that as each individual runner runs better our team score's going to be better,'' Brading said. "Plus, kids compete against their own teammates, so that helps us.''
Washburn Rural senior Madeline Carter, rounding back into form after missing the early portion of the season with an injury, placed third individually in 19:58.60 while freshman VildeTronstad (20:15.72) finished fourth for the Junior Blues, who were without standouts Payton Fink and Rylee Ismert.
Next up for city runners is next week's city meet at Washburn Rural (9 a.m. start), which starts the city, United Kansas Conference, regional, state grind to end the season.
"I feel real good about our team,'' Brading said. "I think we're still progressing and we need to continue to progress more.
"We're in good shape, I think. We just need to keep getting better.''
SEAMAN INVITATIONAL
GIRLS
Team scores
Seaman 34, Washburn Rural 59, Lawrence 67, Piper 105, Shawnee Heights 120, Cair Paravel Latin 152, Topeka High 171.
Individual results
1. Grace Hanson, Piper, 18:27.88; 2. Ryin Miller, Seaman, 19:02.61; 3. Madeline Carter, Washburn Rural, 19:58.60; 4. Vilde Tronstad, Washburn Rural, 20:15.72; 5. Addison Manley, Leavenworth, 20:25.95; 6. Bethany Druse, Seaman, 20:26.48; 7. Lucy Hardy, Lawrence, 20:32.42; 8. Emma Roman Nose, Lawrence, 20:35.42; 9. Leah Spurlock, Seaman, 20:38.61; 10. Stella Appelhanz, Seaman, 20:51.54.
