By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural cross country coach Matt Swedlund knew going into Saturday's state cross country meet at Rim Rock that the battle for the Class 6A boys team championship would be close.
Washburn Rural's cross country team celebrates with coach Matt Swedlund Saturday at Rim Rock Farm after learning the Junior Blues had won the Class 6A state championship. [Photo by Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports]
Washburn Rural's cross country team stands on the victory stand Saturday at Rim Rock Farm after winning the Class 6A state cross country title. [Photo by Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports]
It couldn't have been any closer.
Washburn Rural, top-ranked in the 6A coaches rankings, didn't have an individual medalist (top 20) on Saturday, but the Junior Blues put four runners in the top 28 places to lead the way as Rural captured the team championship by a single point (100-101) over Blue Valley.
Swedlund said at mid-week that he expected a tight race for the title.
"Basically the top five in the rankings are all just points from each other,'' Swedlund told TopSports.news. "There are several teams that have an opportunity (to win the team crown), so you've got to take it.
"We're not taking anything for granted and if you want to end up on the podium (top three teams) you're going to have to run well. We've been fortunate to have some good teams that were in the conversation and when you put yourself in the conversation there is no reason not to make your goal the absolute top. You want to be the best, you want to win, so that's what you shoot for.''
The Junior Blues, who had tied Manhattan at regionals and finished second on a tiebreaker, rode a pack finish on Saturday to its second title under Swedlund, a Washburn Rural alum.
Sophomore Henry Laubach (1598) leads a strong pack finish from Class 6A state champion Washburn Rural Saturday at Rim Rock Farm. [Photo by Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports]
Rural, which finished sixth as a team in the 2024 state meet, got a team-high 22nd-place finish from sophomore Henry Laubach in a five-kilometer time of 16:40.66 while senior Brooks Kehoe was just three spots back in 25th (16:42.83), sophomore Clayton Fink was right behind Kehoe in 26th (16:46.46) and sophomore Duke Graf was 28th (16:47.78).
Sophomore Jaxson Adams rounded out Rural's top five with a 42nd-place finish (17:01.90) while senior Wyatt Shorb was 52nd (17:11.27) and sophomore Brady Meek 84th (17:48.44).
Olathe West was just 10 points behind Blue Valley in third (110) while Maize (147) and Free State (150) rounded out the top five in the team standings.
Blue Valley Northwest's Jacob D'souza won the individual title in 15:42.50.
Washburn Rural's girls finished seventh as a team with 173 points, led by freshman Alyson Hinck in a time of 19:54.78.
Senior Emily Graf finished 30th (19:58.44), followed by senior Kenzie Maddox in 49th (20:27.71), sophomore Reese Beardslee in 50th (20:29.81), freshman Morgan Munson in 51st (20:33.80), freshman Clara Dixon in 62nd (21:00.06) and freshman Lilly Palmer in 90th (23:18.64).
Manhattan won the girls team championship with 61 points.
Topeka High sophomore Easton Davis competed in the 6A boys race as an individual, placing 80th (17:42.79)'
Vikings' Spencer posts 16th-place 5A finish
Seaman junior Brynn Spencer earned her second straight Class 5A state medal Saturday at Rim Rock Farm, placing 16th in 19:26.82.
Seaman junior Brynn Spencer earned her second straight Class 5A state medal with a 16th-place finish Saturday at Rim Rock Farm. [File photo/TSN]
Spencer, competing as an individual, placed 18th at state as a sophomore.
Seaman senior Brody Anderson placed 33rd in the boys race (16:51.27) while Shawnee Heights senior Max Esquibel finished 50th (17:24.63).
CLASS 4A
Hayden had three runners in the Class 4A field at Wamego Country Club Saturday, with senior Connor Baldwin finishing 25th (17:30.65) and sophomore Nick Newkirk 34th (17:54.35) in the boys race while junior Sofia Harper finished 41st (21:47.82).
CLASS 3A
Silver Lake's boys placed 12 as a team in Saturday's Class 3A state meet at Rim Rock Farm, led by junior Hunter Rooks with a 60th-place finish (18:21.17).
Sophomore Miles Burgess finished 85th (19:18.48), senior Brayden Just 87th (19:20.92), sophomore Cason Kraus 90th (19:34.89), junior Lane Ray 96th (20:05.69), senior Zachariah Rodenbaugh 99th (20:29.96) and senior Joel Heier 105th (21:17.43).
Junior Alessandra Gerber qualified as an individual for the girls race, posting a 35th-place finish (21:21.43).
CLASS 2A
Rossville junior Madelyn Wonnell earned a return trip to the Class 2A meet at Wamego Country Club as an individual, posting a 67th-place finish (22:58.50).
