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Region 5 - Heartland
 
 
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Kansas Cross Country State Meet
Oct 30, 2004 at Rimrock Farm, Lawrence KS - clear, 50s, windy (20-30 mph).

HL#3 Shawnee Mission Northwest boys win 11 straight state championship led by Tucker Weems 15:51. Blue Valley NW freshman Laura Roxberg 15:07 and Jana Gwenn wage another pulsating battle, with Roxberg getting her 5-second margin in the homestretch.

  • Class 6A - Shawnee Mission Northwest boys 41. SMNW jr Tucker Weems 15:51. St. Thomas Aquinas girls 97 (Emporia 98). Blue Valley NW freshman Laura Roxberg 15:07 (Jana Gwenn 15:12).
  • Class 5A - Bishop Carroll Wichita boys 52. Bishop Miege Shawnee Mission girls 72. Grant Cain 16:36. Ellen Thompson 12:18.

by Tony Bozarth, Heartland regional editor

6A

Tucker Weems ran a controlled race to win his first state title and lead Shawnee Mission Northwest to a record 11th straight 6A state cross country title. Weems ran from the front the entire race, controlling the pace of the lead pack, then pulled away in the middle miles and up the Billy Mills Hill, a vicious climb a half mile from the finish to win in 15:54. Brock Phillips (Wichita East) chased Weems throughout the race, finishing in 16;00 for second, with Alex Umbarger (Maize) third in 16;08. Josh Weidner (Wichita East) ran 16;25 to edge Levi Cobb (Hutchinson 16:27) for fourth.

In the boys team race, Shawnee Mission Northwest and Emporia hooked up early, with Emporia holding a slight edge through the mile, but Northwest was postitioned well, ready to pounce. Through the middle miles, Northwest moved up, and sealed the victory with strong homestretch finished, winning with 41 to Emporia's 63. Maize moved well in the final mile to finish third with 92, followed by Free State-Lawrence with 114 and Blue Valley North (128) in the top five.

The girls race was highly anticipated both on the individual and team level. Blue Valley Northwest freshman Laura Roxberg and defending champ Jana Gwinn (Blue Valley North) had both traded big wins throughout the season, and a tight team race was foreseen as top-ranked Aquinas, Shawnee Mission South, Shawnee Mission Northwest, Emporia and Olathe East had all traded wins and losses with each other all season long.

Neither race disappointed the fans. Roxberg and Gwinn simply hammered the venerable courses hills and valley's with Roxberg perpetually pushing the pace and Gwinn answering. Down the final stretch, Roxberg pulled away to a 15;07-15:12 4k win, in a race that was closer than the final time suggests. Kristen Wolkey (Shawnee Mission North) hung close to finish in 15:23 for third, with Olathe Northwest freshman Rebeka Stowe fourth at 15:28 and Free State-Lawrence's Alysha Valencia fifth at 15:34.
The team race was as tight as advertised. Aquinas (97) edged Emporia (98) by a single digit, with Shawnee Mission Northwest (105) and Shawnee Mission South (106) within ten points of the title. Olathe East was fifth with 133, but within eight seconds time-wise of Aquinas in the closest state meet in history.

6A BOYS TEAM SCORES
1. Shawnee Mission Northwest 41
2. Emporia 63
3. Maize 92
4. Free State-Lawrence 114
5. Blue Valley North 128
6. St. Thomas Aquinas 158
7. Shawnee Mission South 208
8. Junction City 211
9. Goddard 224
10. Olathe South 245
11. Wichita South 258
12. Dodge City 292

6A GIRLS TEAM SCORES
1. St. Thomas Aquinas 97
2. Emporia 98
3. Shawnee Mission Northwest 105
4. Shawnee Mission South 106
5. Olathe East 133
6. Wichita East 141
7. Free State-Lawrence 172
8. Maize 176
9. Lawrence 191
10. Goddared 237
12. Manhattan 309

6A BOYS TOP TWENTY FIVE
1. Tucker Weems SMNW 15:51
2. Brock Phillips Wichita East 16:00
3. Alex Umberger Maize 16;08
4. Josh Weidner Wichita East 16;25
5. Levi Cobb Hutchinson 16;27
6. Nick Abbott Maize 16:28
7. Brett Imgrund SMNW 16:32
8. Nick Garcia Emporia 16:34
9. Shea Camien Emporia 16:44
10. David Zak SM West 16;46
11. Tad Eisenhauser Goddard 16:47
12. Matt Morton SMNW 16:49
13. Matt Moon Derby 16:51
14. Aaron Gearey Blue Valley North 16:52
15. Will Tramp SM North 16:53
16. Danny Schneider Free State-Lawrence 16:54
17. Skyler Delmott Emporia 16:55
18. Josh Weems SMNW 16:56
19. Tim Testa Junction City 16:56
20. Drew Beggs SM South 16:57

GIRLS TOP TWENTY FIVE
1. Laura Roxberg Blue Valley Northwest 15;07
2. Jana Gwenn Blue Valley North 15;12
3. Kristin Wolkey SM North 15:23
4. Rebeka Stowe Olathe Northwest 15:29
5. Alysha Valencia Free State-Lawrence 15:34
6. Lauren Bonds Hutchinson 15:38
7. Layne Moore Emporia 15:38
8. Hayley Beggs SM South 15:39
9. Kelly Renfro Lawrence 15:41
10. Kristen Gillespie SM South 15:44
11. Amanda Miller Olathe East 15:46
12. Kelsey Witherspoon Goddard 15:49
13. Elizabeth Marsh Wichita East 15:49
14. Alyssa Bellinder Aquinas 16;00
15. Nikki Knowles Garden City 16;05
16. Katie Coomer Aquinas 16:08
17. Megan Sornson Maize 16;09
18. Michaela Reynolds Emporia 16;12
19. Sarah Conrow Washburn Rural-Topeka 16;14
20. Ashli Kelso Olathe East 16:16
21. Mandy Puhak Olathe East 16:19
22. Heather Coe Emporia 16:28
23. Brttany Tracz Olathe North 16:29
24. Andrea Showalter SMNW 16;31
25. Andie Jordan SMNW 16;31

5A

Grant Cain (Seaman-Topeka) ran 16:36 over 5k to defend his 5A state title, with Bishop Carroll-Wichita moved over the last mile to win the boys team title. Ellen Thompson (Winfield) held off Kelsy Long (Bishop Miege-Shawnee Mission) to win the girls title and Miege won the team title.
Cain used his former football playing strength to buck through the strong winds and hills at Rimrock and held off fast-closing Nick Nowack (McPherson 16;41) to win. Danny Rice (Carroll 16:55) was third to lead his title winning team, and Scott Thompson (Salina South 17:00) and Dustin Garcia (Arkansas City 17:01) were fourth and fifth.
Team wise, Seaman-Topeka led through the first mile, while Carroll looked wary and waiting, taking their time to move up. But as the runners came out of The Narrows and onto the Jim Ryun Skyline, it became apparent the Carroll was controlling the race. Carroll raced to a 53 point total, with Seaman second at 83 and Salina South third at 117. Bishop Miege-Shawnee Mission was fourth with 139 and Great Bend fifth with 164.
Ellen Thompson (Winfield) was near the front from the start, stalked by Kelsy Long (Miege) and a tight pack. Through the last hills Thompson built a slight lead, holding on for a 12:18 win with Long second at 12:21. Teall Culberson (Arkansas City 12:26) was third, just ahead of Kelsey O' Hara (Mill Valley-DeSoto) fourth at 12:26 and early leader Melissa Ortiz (Wichita West) was fifth at 12:29.
Bishop Miege packed well to win the team race with 72 points, with Seaman second at 97. Kapaun Mt.Carmel-Wichita was third with 115, with Hays (120) and Mill Valley-DeSoto (132) fourth and fifth

5A BOYS TEAM SCORES
1. Bishop Carroll-Wichita 52
2. Seaman-Topeka 84
3. Salina South 117
4. Bishop Miege-Shawnee Mission 139
5. Great Bend 164
6. Blue Valley 179
7. Blue Valley West 179
8. Gardner-Edgerton 179
9. McPherson 188
10. Valley Center 215
11. Kapuan-Mt. Carmel-Wichita 228
12. Paola 269

5A GIRLS TEAM SCORES
1. Bishop Miege-Shawnee Mission 72
2. Seaman-Topeka 97
3. Kapaun-Mt. Carmel-Wichita 115
4. Hays 120
5. Mill Valley-DeSoto 132
6. Blue Valley West 139
7. Wichita West 143
8. Great Bend 153
9. McPherson 169
10. Blue Valley 227
11. Paola 303
12. Topeka West 313

5A BOYS TOP TWENTY
1. Grant Cain Seaman-Topeka 16:36
2. Nick Nowack McPherson 16;41
3. Danny Rice Carroll-Wichita 16;55
4. Scott Thompson Salina South 17:00
5. Dustin Garcia Arkansas City 17:01
6. Tim Specht Blue Valley West 17:03
7. Daniel Everhardt Turner-Kansas City 17:07
8. Josh Dostert Carroll-Wichita 17:08
9. Sloane Kern Great Bend 17:08
10. Ryan Peck Paola 17:12
11. Brandon Gregory Seaman-Topeka 17:14
12. Bryce Volz Carroll-Wichita 17:16
13. Jonathan Baker Blue Valley West 17:17
14. Colby Crum Valley Center 17;20
15. Tristan Walls Winfield 17;21
16. Nate Thiesfield Gardner-Edgerton 17;23
17. Nathan Hampton Carroll-Wichita 17;23
18. Matt Bilhimer Shawnee Heights-Topeka 17;24
19. Ronnie Lavoie Gardner-Edgerton 17;26
20. Anthony Wichman Liberal 17:36

5A GIRLS TOP TWENTY
1. Ellen Thompson Winfield 12:18
2. Kelsy Long Miege-Shawnee Mission 12;21
3. Teall Culberson Arkansas City 12:26
4. Kelsey O'Hara Mill Valley-DeSoto 12:26
5. Melissa Ortiz Wichita West 12:29
6. Michelle Sumner Liberal 12:30
7. Kaitlyn Coen Hays 12:31
8. Devin Wiegers Blue Valley 12:32
9. Kresten Tremontti Miege-Shawnee Mission 12:35
10. Kara Windisch Blue Valley West 12:36
11. Megan Gayer Wichita West 12:37
12. Autumn Kidwell Seaman-Topeka 12:38\
13. Chelsea Clanton Great Bend 12:38
14. Jill Nowack McPherson 12:38
15. Emily Dittemore Kapuan-Mt. Carmel-Wichita 12:46
16. Angela Reed Pittsburg 12:43
17. Abby Searle Kapaun-Mt. Carmel-Wichita 12:46
18. Hayley Charles Hays 12:49
19. Kayla Delzer Campus-Haysville 12:50
20. Ariele Brownfield Seaman-Topeka 12:54

 

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