LIBERAL — The Great Bend High School girls’ cross country team came through a decisive victory in the Western Athletic Conference meet on Thursday.
The GBHS boys finished in third place.
It is the third year in a row that the Lady Panthers have sat on top of the WAC, and the third year that senior runner Rubi Torres has finished as WAC champion.
“It is a great day for Rubi,” said Great Bend head coach Todd Kaiser, who was awarded the WAC Coach of the Year after the meet. “She was awarded the WAC Runner of the Year this year on top of being the WAC champion for the third year in a row.”
The girls team, which beat second-place Garden City by 44 points, had five runners finish in the top 10 to receive all-conference honors.
“All around, it was an oustanding performance by the girls,” Kaiser said. “I am real proud about what the girls did and how they’ve run this year.”
Kaitlyn Tuey, Ali Heilman, Hannah Wondra and Morgan Harwood finished in the top 10 to give the Lady Panthers a team score of 24.
The boys were 47 points behind Liberal and only two behind Garden City.
“We’ve been struggline a little bit as a team and they put together their best race of the season,” Kaiser said. “I am very proud of what they accomplished here. They beat Hays, which will hopefully give us some confidence going into regionals.”
Chon Chavez and Cristian Garcia finished in seventh and ninth place, respectively, claiming all-conference honors.
Kole Stiner, Ky Heeke and Michael Sullivan were the other three scoring runners for the Panthers.