LAWRENCE — The Great Bend High School girls’ cross country team ran and crawled its way to a third-place victory at the Class 5A state meet at Rim Rock Farms on Saturday.
Of the seven Lady Panthers competing in the meet, three collapsed at the finish line.
“All three of them are fine,” Great Bend head coach Todd Kaiser said of Rubi Torres, Ali Heilman and Hannah Wondra. “I was just as proud as could be because of the effort these girls put into the race.
“Hannah collapsed just before she got to the finish line and crawled to the finish. They put forth all that they had into this race.”
Torres, the reigning Western Athletic Conference champion and regional champion, took fifth place at the state meet, her highest finish at state in her high school career. Torres crossed the finish line at 15 minutes, 57 seconds.
Her placement earned Torres all-state honors for the third year in a row.
“I think she has finished as the most decorated cross country girl from Great Bend High School ever,” Kaiser said.
Heilman took 26th place, Kaitlynn Tuey took 30th, Morgan Harwood took 36th and Wondra took 38th to finish as scoring runners for the Lady Panthers.
“It was another tremendous finish for the girls,” Kaiser said. “To finish at the top with all of those private schools, it was a great effort.”
Erin Sullivan and Lakin Hulse also competed for Great Bend, finishing in 49th and 52nd place, respectively.
The Panthers were represented by sophomores Chon Chavez and Kole Stiner.
Chavez crossed the finish line at 17:47, a time good enough for 45th place. Stiner took 74th place with 18:29.
“They are both sophomores so I just wanted them to reap the rewards of the season,” Kaiser said, “and get a taste of state so they can bring back the excitement for the rest of the boys.”
Class 5A state meet
At Rim Rock Farms
Saturday’s results
Girls team results
1. Bishop Carroll, 44; 2. St. Thomas-Aquinas, 51; 3. Great Bend, 123; 4. Kapaun-Mt. Carmel, 144; 5. Gardner-Egderton, 159; 6. Valley Center, 160; 7. Lansing, 172; 8. Stilwell-Blue Valley, 189; 9. Topeka-Seaman, 209; 10. Hays, 233; 11. Newton, 240; 12. Shawnee Heights, 305.
Lady Panthers results
5. Rubi Torres, 15:57; 26. Ali Heilman, 16:55; 30. Kaitlynn Tuey, 16:59; 36. Morgan Harwood, 17:07; 38. Hannah Wondra, 17:11; 49. Erin Sullivan, 17:36; 52. Lakin Hulse, 17:39.
Panthers results
45. Chon Chavez, 17:47; 74. Kole Stiner, 18:29.