BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
LAKE BARTON — Great Bend's girls will seek their fourth consecutive 5A regional cross country championship at Lake Barton's regional Saturday. The No. 5 ranked Panthers have finished second, third and fifth in 5A the past three years at Lawrence. Marissa Boone (8th, 8th, 17th), Sienna Smith (13th, 45th) and Kate Welcher (64th, 86th) return with state experience.
Salina Central's 2-time 5A state champion Katelyn Rupe and runner-up Kaylie Schultz headline the girls regional. Rupe is committed to run at North Carolina.
Panther Tavon Stroup placed 50th at 5A state last year.
1A LAKE BARTON — Otis-Bison's Destiny Mitchell will seek a fourth state trip after placing 9th, 38th and 39th. After her run, Mitchell will join her Cougar teammates at Otis' 1A substate volleyball tournament.
St. John's Quade Smith has placed 13th, 14th and 49th at the 1A state cross country meet. Stafford's Josue Valadez placed 16th last year.
3A NORTON — Three-time state qualifier and 2-time Central Kansas League champion Kamden Tarlton will lead the Hoisington Cardinals. Tarlton has placed 20th, 22nd and 43rd. Brady Rossman and Kasey Andereck also return from last year's 3A state qualifier.
2A NORTON — Ellinwood's Central Prairie League champion Eleanor Joiner will lead the Eagles.
5A LAKE BARTON
Goddard, Goddard Eisenhower, Great Bend, Hays High, Hutchinson, Salina Central, Salina South, Valley Center
GREAT BEND GIRLS, 10 a.m.—Teegan Guerra; Marissa Boone; Bella Long; Sienna Smith; Teah King; Kate Welcher; Samantha Negaard; Alyssa Prendergast
GREAT BEND BOYS, 10:40—Tavon Stroup; Diego Pasos; Anthony Lawrence; Isaac Aldana; Brogan Lashley; Noah Kaiser; Parker Coleman; Randy Weber
3A NORTON
Beloit, Cimarron, Colby, Ellsworth, Goodland, Hoisington, Holcomb, SW Heights, Lakin, Larned, Lyons, Minneapolis, Nickerson, Norton, Scott City
HOISINGTON GIRLS 10:35 a.m.—Tianna Lutters; Tristin Compton; Monroe Walker
LARNED GIRLS—Teagan Walker; Addison Snodgrass; Alissa O'Crotty; Emma Corman
HOISINGTON BOYS, 11:45 a.m.—Kamden Tarlton, Brody Rossman; Jasper Pawlowski; Kasey Andereck; Harrison Henning
LARNED—Lane Elam; Jayden Ramirez; Kayden LaPointe; Asher Olivier, David Lumpkins; Landon Haney; Ryan Hill
2A NORTON
Republic County, Bennington, Ellinwood, Hays TMP, Hill City, Hoxie, Stanton County, Wichita County, Oakley, Phillipsburg, Plainville, Smith Center, Sublette, Sylvan Lucas, Syracuse, Trego
ELLINWOOD BOYS, 11:10—Ethan Robl; Shae Hoskins; Joe Brauer; Greg Ringwald; Dallon Luker; Caleb Zook; Jonas Kern
ELLINWOOD GIRLS, 10 a.m.—Eleanor Joiner; Jenna Borror; Ali Gonzalez; Madison Dombroski
1A LAKE BARTON
Bucklin, Central Plains, Deerfield, Elkhart, Ellis, Kiowa County, Ingalls, Hodgeman County, La Crosse, Macksville, Meade, Minneola, South Gray, Ness City, Oberlin, Otis-Bison, Quinter, Golden Plains, Satanta, Wallace County, Spearville, St. Francis, St. John, Stafford, Stockton, Greeley County
MACKSVILLE GIRLS, 11:10 a.m.—Kennedy Butler, Ashley Barron; Alyeia Fulls, Alexandria Lopez
OTIS-BISON GIRLS—Destiny Mitchell
ST. JOHN BOYS, 11:50—Quade Smith; Aaden Gonzalez; Emmett Delp; Garrett Dunn; Liam Knight; Kaden Foote; Jayce Feril
STAFFORD BOYS—Josue Valdez, Joseph Valdez, Joel Valadez, Jobe Valadez, Sam Lowther
CENTRAL PLAINS BOYS—Cale Thompson, Alden Metro
MACKSVILLE BOYS—Aiden Gandara
