After hosting a Class 5A regional cross-country meet at Barton Lake, Great Bend High School will be sending three runners to the state meet at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence.
Great Bend’s Mary Williams, Karen Razo and Kerby Depenbusch finished high enough in the individual standings to qualify.
Both teams finished in fourth place, needing to finish in the top 3 to qualify as a team.
“On the girls’ side, we just didn’t have enough firepower,” GBHS head coach Todd Kaiser said. “That’s how it’s been all year long. Really on both sides, I thought we be in contention, and they both ended up in fourth place.
“I thought the boys might have just enough firepower to make it, but we just didn’t have the runners to make it.”
Depenbusch led Great Bend runners with a fourth-place finish. He turned in a time of 17:18.
“He’s been steady all year long,” Kaiser said. “He didn’t quite have as good a time as he did at the beginning of the season on our course, but it got hot on us again.
“To qualify for the state meet as a freshman, that’s just a great opportunity for him.”
Williams led the Lady Panthers with a ninth-place finish, clocking in a 16:55.
Razo placed 18th at 17:34.
“I’m very happy with Mary and Karen,” Kaiser said. “They’ve been our top runners all season long and I’m proud that they were able to qualify.”

PREP CROSS-COUNTRY
Class 5A Regional
 
Saturday
 
At Great Bend
Barton Lake
 
GIRLS
Team scores
1. Valley Center, 33; 2. Maize South, 44; 3. Liberal, 76; 4. Great Bend, 125; 5. Newton, 139; 6. Salina South, 142; 7. Salina Central, 144
 
Great Bend results
9. Mary Williams, 16:55; 18. Karen Razo, 17:34; 28. Mariah Stein, 18:35; 31. Paloma Sandoval, 18:47; 40. Ashley Weingrad, 20:26; 44. Abby Stiner, 21:15; 47. Stevee Nily, 24:53
 
BOYS
Team scores
1. Maize South, 52; 2. Newton, 61; 3. Liberal, 64; 4. Great Bend, 130; 5. Salina South, 133; 6. Wichita Heights, 155; 7. Salina Central, 156; 8. Valley Center, 174
 
Great Bend results
4. Kerby Depenbusch, 17:18; 25. Eric Vazquez, 18:52; 29. Adam Jacobs, 19:11; 35. Isaiah Davis, 19:33; 37. Cole Mulch, 19:38; 52. Antonio Carrasco, 22:24; 54. Jeffery Muiruri, 23:07