13 area cross country runners have qualified for their respective classifications state cross country championships next Saturday.
Highlighting the area are two regional champions. On the girls side, Northern Heights’ Ellei McCrory won the Class 1A regional in Sabetha with a time of 19:50.40. McCrory is the defending state champion in Class 1A. On the boys side, Lebo’s Caleb Durst won the boys race of the 1A regional at Sabetha with a time of 17:12.50. Durst is also the defending state champion in Class 1A. Also qualifying for state from the 1A regional at Sabetha are Northern Heights’ Josie Tiffany (3rd, 20:59.60), Lebo’s Kennah Speer (8th, 21:41.30) and Northern Heights’ Rees Spade (10th, 18:39.10) and Hartford’s Cody Cleveland.
Three area runners qualified at the 1A regional in Wichita. Olpe will have two representatives at state with Kaleb Arnold (3rd, 16:29.22) and Lily Skalsky (5th, 20:57.94). Madison’s Lily Hudson also qualified for state setting a new school record with a time of 21:24.59.
One area runner will run in the Class 2A meet. Lyndon’s Kendall Wine finished 12th (18:43) at the Southeast of Saline regional. Three area runners will run at state in Class 3A. Osage City’s Emory Speece (4th, 19:19.20) and Alex Dawdy (15th, 17:05.65) and Council Grove’s Jadyn Picolet (13th, 17:02.92) qualified for state also at the Southeast of Saline regional.
Classes 1A and 2A will run at Wamego Country Club in Wamego while 3A will run at Rim Rock Farms outside of Lawrence.