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Panther girls sweep WAC cross country title
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The Great Bend girls win back-to-back Western Athletic cross country titles. Front row Eliana Beckham (70), Bella Long (75), Morgan Beckwith (71), Sienna Smith (78), Teegan Guerra (73); back row Addy Nicholson (76), Makenzie Premer (77), Kate Welcher (79), Marissa Boone (72), Teah King (74). - photo by JIM MISUNAS Great Bend Tribune

BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

LAKE BARTON — Western Athletic medalist Addy Nicholson (15:21.52) led a pride of Panthers across the finish line for the WAC cross country champions. The Panthers (19) cruised to Thursday's WAC title ahead of runner-up Hays High (67) in 83-degree weather and 20 mph wind.

No. 1 ranked 5A Great Bend featured five of the top six medalists and delivered nine All-WAC runners among the top 14. No girls team has ever dominated the WAC like the Panthers did. Great Bend captured a WAC record 17th cross country title. Great Bend will return to Lake Barton Oct. 21 for the 5A regional.

Nicholson broke Great Bend's previous 4K Lake Barton course record.

"It feels weird going to a 4K after running 5Ks, but it's fine," Nicholson said. "We're used to running 5K, but a change isn't bad for us."

As usual, the Panthers ran in a tight pack.

"Working together is so much fun,' Nicholson said. "It wasn't exactly how we planned, but it's the best."

Earning first-team All-WAC honors were third-place Makenzie Premer, 15:26.75; fourth-place Sienna Smith, 15:47.49; fifth-place Marissa Boone, 15:57.3; and sixth-place Eliana Beckham, 16:06.57.

Sophomore Smith enjoyed a breakout race with her fourth-place finish.

"I surprised myself,' Smith said. "It was exciting to see how much I improved since my last race. I had a great mindset coming into the race and my body felt really good. I'd never beaten Marissa before." 

Earning second-team All-WAC honors for Great Bend were 10th-place Teegan Guerra, 16:33.98; 11th-place Morgan Beckwith, 16:35.85; 13th-place Kate Welcher, 16:50.34; and 14th-place Bella Long, 16:55.45,

Great Bend coach Lyles Lashley was pleased with the performance.

"They all ran well. They're competitors heading in the right direction," Lashley said. "It's amazing to see those girls battling it out every week. Sienna's race was a pleasant surprise."

BOYS DIVISION  — Great Bend's Tavon Stroup (17:16.76) placed ninth to earn second-team All-WAC honors. Stroup improved his time by 62 seconds from the Great Bend Invitational.

"This was my best time at Lake Barton," Stroup said. "My goal was top seven (first team All-WAC). I wanted to start off conservative and pick it up as we went along. I didn't get it, but I was close."

Stroup said his best stretch came in the second mile.

"It's been a lot of hard work," Stroup said.

Garden City's Hayden Nemecheck (16:19.51) earned medalist honors. Garden City (30) captured the team title. Great Bend (103) edged Hays High (104) for fourth place. 

Great Bend's 13th-place Ismael Ramirez (17:53.9) improved his time by 21 seconds. 27th-place Braylon Moore (18:40.8) improved his time by 52 seconds. 30th-place Anthony Lawrence (19:14.51) improved 57 seconds; 35th-place Bradon Suppes (19:42.13) improved 28 seconds and 36th-place Parker Coleman, (20:29.92) finished out the runners.

"I was excited for the guys because their goal was to beat somebody,' Lashley said. "These guys have stuck with it. They've had to work hard to get those times down to 18-19 minutes. With two freshmen running, I've very pleased with the guys." 

WESTERN ATHLETIC GIRLS

LAKE BARTON 4K

GIRLS TEAM SCORES—1—Great Bend 19; 2—Hays High 67; 3—Dodge City 86; 4—Liberal 91; 5—Garden City 103

FIRST TEAM ALL-WAC—1—Addy Nicholson, GB, 15:21.52; 2—Maldonado, H, 15:22.76; 3—Makenzie Premer, GB, 15:26.75; 4—Sienna Smith, GB, 15:47.49; 5—Marissa Boone, GB, 15:57.3; 6—Eliana Beckham, GB, 16:06.57; 7—Cedra, L, 16:14.19

SECOND-TEAM ALL-WAC—8—Wiese, GC, 16:29.24; 9—Ramirez-Alvarez, DC, 16;33.78; 10—Teegan Guerra, GB, 16:33.98; 11—Morgan Beckwith, GB, 16:35.85; 12—Devorce, L, 16;43.06; 13—Kate Welcher, GB, 16:50.34; 14—Bella Long, GB, 16:55.45

WESTERN ATHLETIC BOYS

LAKE BARTON 5K

BOYS TEAM SCORES—1—Garden City 30; 2—Dodge City 60; 3—Liberal 64; 4—Great Bend 103; 5—Hays High 104.

FIRST TEAM ALL-WAC—1—Hayden Nemechek, GC, 16:19.51; 2—Munoz, GC, 16:30.03; 3—Pavia, L, 16:51.36; 4—Catsro, GC, 16:52.74; 5—McCullough, H, 16:54.25 6—Foster, L, 16:57.84; 7—Fry, GC, 16:59.78 

SECOND-TEAM ALL-WAC—8—Gamez-Mora, DC, 17:11.83; 9—Tavon Stroup, GB, 17:16.76; 10—Salinas Millan, DC, 17:38.45; 11—Johnson, DC, 17:46.18; 12—Torres, L, 17:52.69; 13—Ismael Ramirez, GB, 17:53.9; 14—Carmona-Ortiz, DC, 17:54.08

GREAT BEND—27— Braylon Moore, 18:40.8; 30—Anthony Lawrence, 19:14.51; 35— Bradon Suppes, 19:42.13; 36—Parker Coleman, 20:29.92.