Runners head to state
Staff writers
Marion
Luke Wessel took third at cross-county regionals Saturday, completing the Big M Course at Marion with a time of 16:44.44.
It was Wessel’s fourth time qualifying for state competition.
Eli Klenda finished ninth with a time of 17:11.8. This is his third time qualifying for state competition.
“They represented our program and school in a way that should make everyone proud,” coach Jason Hett said. “We came up a little short on our team goal on the boys’ side this season, but our guys left it all on the course on Saturday.”
Wessel and Klenda will run at 11:45 a.m. Saturday in state competition at Wamego.
Hillsboro
The Lady Trojans took third place in regional competition Saturday and are state-bound.
Riley Richert placed third individually with a time of 20:01.62. She was followed by Quinlyn Funk in fifth with a time of 20:18.38.Jaidyn Frantz placed 15th with a personal record of 21:05.07.
Nora Hein, Anna King, and Gabi Sibayan all set new personal records as well.
The Lady Trojans will run at 10 a.m. Saturday at Wamego.
Centre
Kaitlynn Bina placed 10th at regionals with a time of 21:47.It was her third straight year qualifying for state competition.
She will be the only runner from Centre to advance and will run at 12:20 p.m. Saturday at Wamego.
Goessel
Goessel sophomore Eli Gaeddert placed second at a regional meet Saturday in Wichita.
He finished the 5,000-meter race with a season-best 16:28.24. Senior teammate Levi Olson also ran his best race of the year, finishing ninth with a time of 17:49.47.
Aidan Impson completed the race in 25th place in 18:54.34.
Elaina Graber continued to improve, finishing in 19th place in the girls’ meet with a time of 23:39.92.
Gaeddert and Olson qualified to run at the state meet Saturday in Wamego on.
The 1A boys will race at 10:35 am.