There were highs and lows for the Great Bend High School cross-country team at the season-opening Great Bend Invitational on Thursday afternoon at Barton Lake course.
Among the highs was senior Chon Chavez, who finished second overall behind Ellinwood’s Pedro Montoya.
Montoya finished with a time of 16:40.30, while Chavez finished at 17:15.12.
“Chon was his typical Chon self,” GBHS head coach Todd Kaiser said. “I think 17:15 is a pretty good time. He was nine seconds faster than he was on his time trials last Saturday.”
Cristian Garcia and Genesis Rose were the next two Great Bend finishers, seizing 15th and 16th, respectively, as the Panthers finished fourth overall.
“The boys didn’t run a very good team race,” Kaiser said. “But they know what they need to do. I spoke with them, and I think they’ll get it together. If they get some things righted, I think they’ll be fine.”
The Great Bend girls finished second behind Western Athletic Conference competitor Garden City.
“After looking at the results, the girls’ side ran one heck of a team race,” Kaiser said. “They did what they needed to do and they finished second behind a very impressive Garden City team.”
Mary Williams was the top finisher for the Lady Panthers, placing seventh in a time of 17:41.22.
Ellinwood’s boys, the defending Class 2A state champions, finished first overall.
“Our goal on the guys’ side is to repeat as (Class 2A) state champion,” Ellinwood head coach Lyles Lashley said. “Obviously, we have to get back to the state meet first.”
The Lady Eagles, who have been the 2A state runners-up for the past two years, finished in third place.
Jenna Snell finished fourth overall to lead the Ellinwood girls, crossing the finish line at 17:00.93.
“The girls, we just want to get better every week,” Lashley said. “We have three back from last year, and a lot of young girls, so we just want to see them improve week by week.”
Ellinwood travels to Hesston next Thursday afternoon. The meet starts at 4 p.m.
Great Bend travels to at meet in Emporia on Saturday, Sept. 8, starting at 9 a.m.
PREP CROSS-COUNTRY
Great Bend Invitational
At Great Bend
Thursday afternoon
BOYS
Team standings
1. Ellinwood, 50; 2. Garden City, 68; 3. Liberal, 74; 4. Great Bend, 79; 5. Hays, 87; 6. Holcomb, 159; 7. Salina South, 178
GBHS results
2. Chon Chavez, 17:15.12; 15. Cristian Garcia, 18:38.48; 16. Genesis Rose, 18:39.17; 19. Christian Graham, 18:54.62; 28. Kole Stiner, 19:30.22; 29. Cole Mulch, 19:30.60
Ellinwood results
1. Pedro Montoya, 16:40.30; 5. Morgan Feemster, 17:51.13; 9. Kyle Oglesbee, 17:57.66; 14. Derek Ward, 18:35.33; 22. Kyle Blakeslee, 19:07.97; 34. Avery Pike, 20:12.45
GIRLS
Team standings
1. Garden City, 20; 2. Great Bend, 60; 3. Ellinwood, 81; 4 Salina South, 118; 5. Hays, 122; 6. Liberal, 122; 7. Holcomb, 189
GBHS results
7. Mary Williams, 17:41.22; 8. Kaitlynn Tuey, 17:42.06; 11. Mariah Stein, 17:48.14; 14. Morgan Harwood, 17:53.31; 23. Sarah Niederee, 18:52.59; 25. Ashley Weingrad, 18:56.54; 29. Grace Ball, 19:11.87
Ellinwood results
4. Jenna Snell, 17:00.93; 15. Abbie Reichuber, 18:09.04; 16. Laura Standlee, 18:14.52; 18. Brooke Panning, 18:22.04; 35. Chelsea Kasper, 19:50.47
