MEADE — The regional dominance continues for Ellinwood High School.
Both the Eagles and the Lady Eagles won their Class 2A regional cross-country meet on Saturday at Meade.
The Eagles finished with 58 points, topping second-place Leoti by 26 points and third-place Elkhart by 44.
“They’ve just worked hard,” Ellinwood head coach Lyles Lashley said of the boys. “Having Morgan Feemster back has helped a lot on the boys’ side. We got him back a couple weeks ago, but we’ve had a couple freshmen step up in his absence, and Pedro (Montoya) and Kyle (Oglesbee) handle their business.”
Ellinwood’s girls finished with 27 points, beating Stanton County (46) and South Central (79).
“The girls ran the best race of the season,” Lashley said. “They just ran lights out today. They even did it without (senior) Sophie Hayes, who is competing in sub-state volleyball today. The girls ran great on a tough course, too.”
For the last three years, any team that has been in the same Class 2A regional cross-country meet as Ellinwood has had to settle for second place or lower in both the girls’ and the boys’ race.
For the Lady Eagles, the reign of dominance is even longer. They have not lost a regional meet in five years.
“We’ve just had a great group of girls,” Lashley said. “They’ve just bonded together and worked hard. They’ve done well.”
On top of everything else, Ellinwood also claimed both individual titles as well.
Montoya won the boys’ race at 16 minutes, 28 seconds.
Oglesbee placed 10th for a medal (18:04).
Joanna Strecker won the girls’ race at 16:22.
Abbie Reichuber placed fourth (16:49), and Maddie Hayes finished seventh (17:35).
Both teams qualified for the 2A state meet, which will be held on Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Wamego Country Club in Wamego.
The 4A, 2A and 1A races will be held at Wamego.
Ellinwood’s girls are scheduled to run at 11 a.m.
The Eagles are slated to run at 12:30 p.m.

                                      — Kevin Price

HIGH SCHOOL CROSS-COUNTRY
Class 2A Regional Meet

Saturday

At Meade

GIRLS

Top 3 teams
1. Ellinwood, 27; 2. Stanton County, 46; 3. South Central, 79

Ellinwood results
1. Joanna Strecker, 16:22; 4. Abbie Reichuber, 16:49; 7. Maddie Hayes, 17:35; 12. Chelsea Kasper, 17:56; 14. Brooke Panning, 17:58; 15. McKenna Rugan, 18:04; 19. Shiani Hughes, 18:42

BOYS

Top 3 teams
1. Ellinwood, 58; 2. Leoti, 84; 3. Elkhart, 102

Ellinwood results
1. Pedro Montoya, 16:28; 10. Kyle Oglesbee, 18:04; 11. Morgan Feemster, 18:13; 17. Noah Leon, 18:50; 21. Jacob Kasselman, 19:02; 25. Avery Pike, 19:13; 45. Devin Ramsey, 20:31