Saturday meets
St. Thomas Aquinas Saints Challenge @ JCCC, Overland
Park
A decade of dominance appears to be continuing for the Shawnee
Mission Northwest boys, who rolled to a big win at the Aquinas
Challenge. Northwest, ranked #1 in 6A and ten time defending state
champion, scored 29 points to dominate the twelve team field. The
Cougars placed four runners in the top ten. SM East (#3 6A) was second
with 70 points, while Lawrence Free State (#5 6A), bolstered by new
runners scored 86 for third. Aquinas, ranked #2 in pre-season polls,
was fourth with 109 points, while 2002 6A state runner-up Lawrence was
fifth with 114 points.
Sophomore Tucker Weems led Northwest, winning the individual title
in 16;40. Team mate Loren Kampen was second in 16:51, edging SM East's
Jeff Simonich (16;52).
Northwest (#2 6A and 2002 state runner-up) also won the girls
competition with a 43-61 triumph over Aquinas in a match-up of the
state's #2 and #3 ranked teams. Lawrence (#4) was third at 93, with
Lawrence Free State (#5) fourth at 121, SM East (#10) fifth at 151, and
Bishop Miege (#5 5A) sixth at 183.
Free State's Alysha Valencia came off a fine summer of training to
win the two-mile race in 11:43, ahead of SM North's all-stater Kristen
Wolkey at 11:52. Lisa Morrisey (Ottawa 12:04), Hayler Harbert (SMNW
12:08) and Laura Daugherty (Aquinas 12:11) rounded out the top five.
Manhattan Invitational @ Carey Park, Manhattan
Emporia (#4 6A) was the last team to beat SMNW for a boy's team
title, and the Spartans appear loaded this year. Emporia placed 2-6 at
the Manhattan Invitational, dominating ten team field with 20 points.
Newton placed second with 99, and Topeka High was third with 125.
Gardner-Edgerton's Aaron Ballew ran 16:40 over the hilly 5k, shading the
Emporia pack of Michael Knickerbocker (16:43), Nick Garcia (16:43),
Brock Ternes (17:02), Shea Camien (17:09) and Jorge Escobar (17:12).
Topeka Washburn Rural (=12 6A) won a close team race from Emporia
36-44 for the girls title, with Manhattan third at 83.
Three time defending 5A champ Trisa Nickoley (Topeka Shawnee
Heights) ran to a 12:03 triumph over Layne Moore (Emporia 12:12) with
Washburn Rural's Madeline Harms (12:40) edging cross-town rival Jill
Moenius (Topeka High, 12:53) for third.
Hayden Invitional @ Stateland, Topeka
Topeka Hayden rolled over the challenging Stateland course to a
48-52 edging of Paola for the boys title, with Salina Sacred Heart
third, also with 52. Casey Johnson (DeSoto) ran 17:23 to edge Adam
Reilly of Hayden by one second for the individual title.
DeSoto ran to the girls title with 46 points to defeat Salina
Sacred Heart, ranked #7 in 2A (56). Michelle Stueve, defending 2A-1A
state champ, ran 12:21 to easily win, with Andrea Young (DeSoto) second
at 12:45.
Thursday meets
Blue Valley North Open @ Blue Valley Nature Trail, Stanley
KS 2.1 miles, 80 and clear, some mud
A top girls field featuring 5 of the top 11 ranked 6A teams in KS turned
in a blistering season opener. Defending state champ and #1 ranked Blue
Valley North edged #7 Olathe East 51-54 for the girls title, with #6 Blue
Valley West third at 79, shading #11 Blue Valley Northwest on the pusher.
Equal #11 SM South was right behind with 81 points and Blue Valley sixth
at 150.
Defending state champion and sub 11:00 track performer Connie Abbott (SM
South) pulled away with a mid-race surge from Jana Gwynn (BV North) and
Taryn May (BVNW) after a fast front mile. Abbott's time of 11:55 was evidence
of the tough nature of the course, with Gwynn, another sub 11:00 3200
runner second at 12:03, and 5:10 miler May third at 12:23. Olathe East
was led by Amanda Miller in fourth (12:52) and Ashli Kelso (sixth 13:07)
while Caitlin Klinzman was fifth for SM South (13:01).
Paul Hefferon (Blue Valley West), last years 6A state runner-up, broke
early from the gun, and raced to a commanding 10:03 win in the boys varsity
race. Aaron Geary, a 10:00 3200 runner as a freshman last track season,
was second at 10:46, with Jimm Balough (BV Northwest 11:06), Ryan Henrich
(BV West 11:11), Darren Kennedy (BV North 11:15), and Josh Laaser (Olathe
East 11:19) also under 11:20. Blue Valley West used tight team running
to win with 39 points over Olathe East's 63. BV North was third with 76,
and Blue Valley (84), Blue Valley Northwest (96) and SM South (124) completing
the top six.
Labette County Invitational @ Altamont
Pittsburg rolled to an easy win in the girls varsity division, scoring
27 points, with Labette County second (57) and Chanute third (61)>
Ana Yost (12:02) and Julie Jones (12:17) gave Girard a 1-2 finish. In
the boys varsity race, Neosho MO crossed the state line to claim a 56-61
win over Pittsburg, with Girard third at 75. Twins Duncan and Joel Cunningham
ran 17:05 and 17:19 to go 1-2 for Pittsburg.
Smoky Valley Invitational @ Lindsborg
3A rivals Hillsboro (#2 State Ranked) and Hesston (#4) matched up at the
Smoky Valley Invitational, with Hillsboro winning 16 to 37 in class or
four deep scoring. Hutchinson Trinity (#1 2A) was third with 50 points.
Aaron Yoder (17;22) and Daniel Yoder (17:38) led Hillsboro with a 1-2
finish.
Smoky Valley edged Chapman 21-28 in the girls race with Hutch Trinity
(#1 2A) third at 30. Trinity's Ashley Brin ran to a 13:54 victory over
Liz Holman (Sterling 14:08).
DyeStat Kansas
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