Bluebirds qualify for state cross country

The Goessel High School cross country team qualified both its boys’ and girls’ teams to state after second-place finishes Saturday in the Class 1A regionals at the Cessna Activity Center in Wichita.

The Burrton girls won the regional title with 11 points, followed by Goessel at 45 and Colony-Crest in third with 60.

Pretty Prairie claimed the boys’ title with 25 points, followed by Goessel with 41 and Stafford at 45.

“First time in Goessel history that both boys’ and girls’ cross country teams are going to state,” Goessel coach Greg Bontrager said. “We had a great day Saturday at Cessna Activity Center in Wichita. It was a little windy and the course was a little soft but compared to the beginning of the week weather, it was great.”

The Goessel girls claimed two medals — Kristen Hoffman in seventh and Shanna Klassen in 10th. For the Goessel boys, Jared Reimer claimed a fifth-place medal.

The Burrton girls claimed five medals — Kailey Gardner in first, Valerie Wallsten in second, Maria Fernandez in third, Meghan Navarro in fifth and Elizabeth Simoneau in eighth.

The state meet is Saturday at the Wamego Country Club. The Class 1A boys’ race is 11 a.m., followed by the girls’ race at noon.

Class 1A Regionals

Saturday

at Cessna Activity Center

GIRLS

Team scores (top three to state) — Burrton 11, Goessel 45, Colony-Crest 60, Fairfield 61, Stafford 62. Quivira Heights, Pretty Prairie, Dexter, Argonia, Madison, Norwich no team score.

Medalists — 1. Kailey Gardner Bur. 16:23, 2. Valerie Wallsten Bur. 16:56, 3. Maria Fernandez Bur. 17:18, 4. Italy Loving CC 17:28, 5. Meghan Navarro Bur. 17:42, 6. Elizabeth Reifschneider Fair. 17:44, 7. Kristen Hoffman Goe. 18:09, 8. Elizabeth Simoneau Bur. 18:10, 9. Michaela Kirmer Sta. 18:13, 10. Shanna Klassen Goe. 18:14. Other individual qualfiers: 11. Shannon Orth QH 18:20, 12. Bre Tallant PP 18:23, 13. Jolie Butler Dex. 18:27.

Other Burrton runners — 15. Becky Smiley 18:44.

Other Goessel runners — 16. Lindsay Wedel 19:02, 18. Sara Boman 19:09, 24. Mareike Joppien 19:52.

BOYS

Team scores — Pretty Prairie 25, Goessel 41, Stafford 45, Colony-Crest 77, Fairfield 85, Cunningham 86, Hartford 102. Norwich, Quivira Heights, Dexter, Chetopa, Burrton no team scores.

Medalists — 1. Ben Henson Nor. 17:59, 2. Jordan Dahlke QH 18:11, 3. Brennan McNickle Sta. 18:16, 4. Isaac Williams PP 18:19, 5. Jared Reimer Goe. 18:42, 6. Cody Drake Dex. 18:51, 7. Ryan Chambers PP 19:02, 8. Corey Cannon Fair. 19:02, 9. Spencer Hart. 19:06, 10. Waylon Pike Che. 19:07.

Burrton runners — 16. Luis Rivera 19:40, 39. Zac Crow 22:59, 48. Philip Simoneau 28:17.

Other Goessel runners — 13. Laird Goertzen 19:28, 19. Derek Kruger 20:06, 23. Lars Osland 20:34, 34. Chad Wedel 21:47, 35. Anthony Esau 22:23, 36. Isaac Fast 22:38.