LIBERAL — Great Bend Panther Kaiden Esfeld (15:54.1) sprinted to the Western Athletic Conference cross country championship and earned WAC Runner of the Year honors Thursday.
Great Bend’s Emilia Diaz (15:42.89) earned third medalist and All-WAC honors in the 4-kilometer race. Fourth-place Emma Loomis (15:50.99) earned All-WAC honors. Dodge City medalist Serenity Larson (15:35.83) led the Red Demons to a 2-point victory over Great Bend 39-41. Tenth-place medalist Addy Nicholson (16:17.99), 11th-place Morgan Beckwith (16:20.53) and 13th-place Eliana Jackson (16:31.64) also counted for the Panthers.
Great Bend's boys finished third (63) with 11th-place Matthew Huslig (17:39.0); 12th-place Malachi Wasson (17:41.26); 15th-place Apollos Johnson (17:52.88) and 24th-place Brody Fiest (18:37.35) also counting.
"We posted five PRs by the guys and Kaiden was WAC Runner of the Year," said Great Bend coach Lyles Lashley.
Dodge City's boys (40) placed four runners in the top 10 to edge Garden City (50) for the WAC title.
Great Bend will compete at the 5A cross country regional at Lake Barton Oct. 24.
WAC GIRLS (4 KILOMETERS)
1–DODGE CITY (39)–1–Serenity Larson, 15:35.83; 5–Norma Rodriguez, 16:00.43; 8–Daisy Orozco, 16:13.76; 9–Andrea Yates, 16:15.16; 16–Karina Herrera, 16:57.41; 20–Andrea Ridgway, 17:06.24; 25–Karina Estrada, 17:36.31; 27–Yessica Dozal, 17:48.15; 31–Mariela Lopez, 18:25.12; 34–Isabel Sandoval, 18:45.46
2–GREAT BEND (41)–3–Emilia Diaz, Great Bend, 15:42.89; 4–Emma Loomis, 15:50.99; 10–Addy Nicholson, 16:17.99; 11–Morgan Beckwith, 16:20.53; 13–Eliana Jackson, 16:31.64; 23–Haley McCormick, 17:18.11; 33–Hannah Loomis, 18:41.65; 39–Reagan Huslig, 19:12.94; 40–Brooklyn Ramsey, 19:25.2
3–HAYS HIGH (64)–6–Arely Maldonado, 16:05.71; 12–Amelia Jaeger, 16:22.64; 14–Bren Albers, 16:31.77; 15–Jaycine Watson, 16:36.94; 17–Avery Winter, 17:02.28; 19–Brynn Kinderknecht, 17:03.61; 22–Landri Dotts, 17:15.86; 24–Nayeli Cisneros, 17:18.88; 26–Michaela Dickman, 17:45.54
4–LIBERAL (105)–2–Daniela Cerda, 15:39.09; 18–Halle Payton, 17:03.32; 30–Hallie West, 18:20.8; 32–Reece Hays, 18:38.06; 38–Pam Bolivar, 19:08.39; 41–Ava Maxwell, 19:33.3; 42–Gabriela Ramirez, 19:55.11
5–GARDEN CITY (115)–28–Sam Orozco, 18:03.87; 29–Selah Hageman, 18:09.13; 35–Abi Aguilar, 18:46.43; 36–Lana Rodriguez, 19:01.45; 37–Jos Monarrez, 19:03.12
GIRLS JV MEDALIST–1–Claire Shippy, Hays, 17:55.78
WAC BOYS (5 KILOMETERS)
1–DODGE CITY (40)–4–Angel Landeros, 16:44.7; 5–Martin Marquez, 17:05.89; 6–Alex Chavez, 17:08.26; 9–David Ultreras, 17:19.2; 16–Ed Hernandez, 17:55.37; 17–Oz Martinez, 17:59.03; 20–Gerrardo Rameriez, 18:08.91
2–GARDEN CITY (50)–2–Devin Chappel, 16:14.28; 3–Brode Hoff, 16:41.46; 10–Ken Craig, 17:25.9; 13–Evan Gurrola, 17:45.28; 22–Isaiah Casados, 18:14.66; 31–Hayden Bailey, 19:09.56
3–GREAT BEND (63)–1–Kaiden Esfeld, 15:54.1; 11–Matthew Huslig, 17:39.0; 12–Malachi Wasson, 17:41.26; 15–Apollos Johnson, 17:52.88; 24–Brody Fiest, 18:37.35; 34–Bradon Suppes, 20:28.55
4–LIBERAL (73)–7–Alex Lopez, 17:08.47; 8–EdMurillo, 17:14.6; 14–Aaron Barbosa, 17:51.95; 19–Aidan Purdy, 18:07.97; 25–Izek Olivas, 18:39.44; 28–Dan Amparan, 18:55.91; 30–Elian Laguna, 19:06.94
5–HAYS HIGH (117)–18–Landon Viegra, 18:03.59; 21–Lane Dewald, 18:11.81; 23–Ty Dempsey, 18:15.94; 26–Daimon Lang, 18:47.65; 29–Zach Chance, 19:04.75; 33–Fernando Zarate, 20:03.06
BOYS JV MEDALIST–1–Alexis Romo, DC, 18:02.57
