Cross Country State Championships: Highlights from Rim Rock Farm and Wamego

Lawrence and Wamego hosted the Kansas high school cross country state championships on Saturday, where student-athletes competed fiercely in their respective classes. All races measured 5 kilometers, showcasing the determination and skills of young runners across the state.

Class 6A Championships

In the Class 6A boys’ race, Garden City took home the team title with a score of 66 points. They were followed by Junction City with 101 points and Shawnee Mission South with 104 points. The individual champion was Theel from Olathe West, finishing the race in 15:20.11. He was closely followed by Plath of Olathe South and Cline from Mill Valley.

The girls’ competition saw a tie in team scores between Olathe West and Washburn Rural, both with 80 points, but Olathe West claimed victory based on their top finishers. Pickler from Junction City was the standout runner, crossing the finish line in 18:37.27.

Class 5A Results

Spring Hill dominated the Class 5A boys’ event, scoring just 35 points, easily winning over Blue Valley Southwest’s 40 points. Beckman from Spring Hill also shone individually with a time of 15:23.94.

On the girls’ side, St. James Academy secured victory with a score of 77 points. Rupe from Salina Central finished first individually, clocking in at 17:09.77.

Class 4A Highlights

Wamego took the boys’ title in Class 4A with a total of 52 points. Muehler from McPherson was notably fast, winning the race in 16:33.40. In the girls’ race, Buhler emerged victorious with 78 points, with Keltner from Eudora claiming the top spot individually.

Class 3A Competition

Holcomb’s boys won the team competition with 58 points, and Deniston from Holcomb finished first overall. The girls’ race was intensely close, but Hesston took first as a team with 104 points.

Lower Class Results

In Class 2A, Central Heights won the boys’ event scoring 34 points, with Hammond taking the individual title. Both Remington and Berean Academy tied in team scores for the girls, but Remington was determined the winner.

Finally, in Class 1A, Quinter excelled in the boys’ race, securing the win with only 29 points. Boydston from Ellis finished first for the girls, leading her team to victory.

This year’s championships showcased incredible talent and fierce competition, highlighting the dedication of young athletes across Kansas.