Kansas 2003 cross country - DyeStat high school track and field and cross country

Kansas #1 Shawnee Mission NW boys win all divisions of Sunflower League. Girls team wins too, with both varsity teams scoring 30 points. Shawnee Mission South sr Connie Abbott 15:09 4k on soft grounds at Rimrock Farm.

Sunflower League Championships, October 18 @ Rimrock Farm. Probably the strongest league in Kansas, and one of the best in the country in terms of tradition, depth and team strength.

SUNFLOWER LEAGUE SUMMARY
Over 700 runners gathered on a glorious sunny morning on the prairies of Kansas to celebrate high school cross country Saturday. With the fall foliage turning brilliant shades of red and orange, and Bob Timmon's carefull course work, Rimrock Farm was an ideal site for a great meet. The course was slowed a bit by rain over the previous days, but held up remarkably well considering it had also hosted the Delaware Valley/ Frontier League meet on Thursday.
Shawnee Mission Northwest lived up it's #1 rankings in the state polls, as Van Rose's squad won team victories in all divisions (varsities, JV's and C teams).

In the varsity girls race, defending 6A state champ Connie Abbott was joined through the first mile by Alysha Galbraith (2000 state champ, Olathe South), Alysha Valencia (Lawrence Free State) and Kristin Wolkey (SM North). As the runners approached the two mile mark after a significant uphill at the 1.5 mark, Wolkey had fallen back, and SMNW loomed ominously with four runners lurking in the top twelve. As the runners crested the Billy Mills Climb, and reached the Jim Ryun Skyline, Abbott opened a gap on the pack, and continued in with a fast for the conditions 15:09 4k win.
SMNW's Haley Harbert moved the field and closed very quickly for second in 15:18, with Galbraithe also at 15:18 for third. Valencia placed fourth (15:26) with SMNW's Becca Ingraham fifth at 15:55.

The girls team race featured five of the state's top ten 6A powers. SMNW packed four runners in the top ten to win with 44 points, while (#5 6A state ranking) Olathe East packed four into the top eighteen to place second with 83. Lawrence (tied with O. East at #5 in the polls) was third with 116, followed by (#9) SM South 130. SM East placed fifth with 144, SM West was seventh with 165 and Lawrence Free State (#7) placed seventh with 166.

In the boy's varsity race, SMNW's Tucker Weems broke on top early, establishing about a ten second lead by the mile mark. Weems, a sophomore, stretched that to sixteen seconds by the end in a very smooth and controlled performance. Weems ran 16:28, with Justin Simonich of SM East second at 16:44. Robby Kampen and Bret Imgrund contributed to the SMNW win with 16:50 and 16:57 second and third place finishes, with John McCormick of SM East fifth at 17:00.
The boy's varsity race also featured five of the state's top ten ranked teams. SMNW won with 30 points, with #3 SM East second with 52. Lawrence Free State (#5) was third with 88 points, while Olathe East (#8) was fourth with 127 points. SM South was fifth with 182 points.

VARSITY GIRLS TEAM SCORES
1. Shawnee Mission Northwest 30
2. Olathe East 83
3. Lawrence 116
4. Shawnee Mission South 130
5. Shawnee Mission East 144
6. Shawnee Mission West 165
7. Lawrence Free State 166
8. Leavenworth 182
9. Olathe South 212
10. Shawnee Mission North 233
11. Olathe North 233
12. Olathe Northwest INC

VARSITY GIRLS TOP TWENTY
1. Connie Abbott SMS 15:09
2. Hayley Harbert SMNW 15:18
3. Alysha Galbraith Ol South 15:18
4. Alysha Valencia Free State 15:26
5. Becca Ingraham SMNW 15:55
6. Kristin Wolkey SMN 16:01
7. Cailin Klinzman SMS 16:03
8. Katie Davis SMNW 16:05
9. Tracey Bamberger SMNW 16:07
10. Heather Klotz Leav. 16:15
11. Megan Johnson Lawr. 16:15
12. Ashli Kelso Olathe East 16:20
13. Meg Gentry Lawr. 16:29
14. Mandy Puhak Olathe East 16:33
15. Cailan O' Grady SME 16:34
16. Amanda Miller Olathe East 16:35
17. Lacey Henry Leav. 16:36
18. Kortney Schippers Olathe East 16:37
19. Meghan Cassady SMW 16:37
20. Andrea Showalter SMNW 16:41

VARSITY BOYS TEAM SCORES
1. Shawnee Mission Northwest 30
2. Shawnee Mission East 52
3. Lawrence Free State 88
4. Olathe East 127
5. Shawnee Mission South 182
6. Leavenworth 191
7. Lawrence 191
8. Shawnee Mission West 195
9. Olathe South 207
10. Shawnee Mission North 237
11. Olathe North 244
12. Olathe Northwest INC

Shawnee Height's Trisa Nickoley won her fourth straight league title, and set her sites on four straight 5A state titles. Her 11:46 2 mile took first, with Layne Moore of Emporia second at 11:53. Topeka Washburn packed five runners into the top 11 to win the team title with 32 points, with Emporia second at 45.

Emporia's boys smashed the field with eight runners in the top nine! Nick Garcia won the race with a time of 16;41, with Topeka Seaman's Grant Cain second in 16:46.

BOYS TEAM SCORES: Emporia 19, Topeka Seaman 50, Topeka Shawnee Heights 95, Topeka Hayden 97, Topeka Washburn Rural 124,

GIRLS TEAM SCORES: Topeka Washburn Rural 32, Emporia 45, Topeka Hayden 94, Topeka Seaman 97, Topeka Shawnee Heights 102

Wichita Kapaun Mt. Carmel, top ranked in girl's 5A polls, romped over the Cessna Activity Center course by placing five runners in the top nine to win the Wichita City League title. Led by freshman Courtney Johnson's 15;01 4k win, the Crusaders scored 23 points to runner-up Wichita East's 41. Elizabeth Marsh of East was second in 15:06 with Kapaun's Ryan Ayres (15:17) and Erin Rogers (15:54) in third and fourth.

Danny Rice used a strong move over the final mile to win in 16;43 for 5k, and led his Bishop Carroll team to a 38-55 win over Wichita East. Carroll packed five runners into the top 15. Brock Phillips led Wichita East with a second place finish in 17;00.

BOYS TEAM SCORES: Wichita Carroll 38, Wichita East 55, Wichita Kaupaun Mt. Carmel 99, Wichita South 101, Wichita North 102, Wichita West 141, Wichita Heights 199, Wichita Northwest 217, Wichita Southeast 260

GIRLS TEAM SCORES: Wichita Kapaun Mt. Carmel 23, Wichita East 41, Wichita West 89, Wichita Carroll 94, Wichita South 149, Wichita Northwest 183, Wichita Southeast 187, Wichita North 209

Scott Rome of Hays edged Elias Diaz (Garden City) with both timed at 16:27 for 5k. Great Bend's Tanner Marshall placed third in 16:35, and led Great Bend 36-59 win over rival Liberal.

Great Bend scored a team sweep with a 35-46 win over Hays in the girls race. Kendra Chambers led Great Bend, winning in 12:11, with Kaitlyn Coen of Hays second in 12:26, and Brittany Strieff (Liberal) third at 12:31

GIRLS TEAM SCORES: Great Bend 35, Hays 46, Liberal 63, Dodge City 83, Garden City 135

BOYS TEAM SCORES: Great Bend 36, Liberal 59, Hays 81, Garden City 85, Dodge City 111

Baldwin's top-ranked (4A) girls team placed six runners in the top ten to dominate the Frontier League meet. Erica Ogle led the purple-clad Bulldogs with a 12:32 two mile win. Brittney Graff of Eudora was second in 12:55.

David Cox of Anderson County rolled to a 16;26 5k win and established himself as one of the favorites for the 4A state title. Aaron Ballew of Garnder-Edgerton was second at 16;48.

Baldwin's boys, defending 4A state champ, scored a narrow 40-48 win over Gardner-Edgerton.

GIRLS TEAM SCORES: Baldwin 19, Eudora 90, Paola 96, Gardner-Edgerton101 , Wellsville 104 , Louisburg 123

BOYS TEAM SCORES: Baldwin 40, Gardner-Edgerton 48, Anderson County 86, Paola 106 , Osawatomie 154, Eudora 162, Louisburg 189, Wellsville 200, Spring Hill 211