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The boys race as it heads for the finish. (Photo by Christian D Orr / October 20, 2012) |
The 2011 Class 3A individual cross country state champions each earned their respective right to defend that championship next week at Wamego after their performances Saturday at the Class 3A Gypsum Regional cross country meet.
Both won the regional meet on Saturday in convincing fashion as Hillsboro’s Emil Sechrist and Salina Sacred Heart’s Cory Donley each won their respective races by more than 0:20 seconds. Sechrist won the girls’ race in a time of 15:31.00, :26 seconds ahead of Douglass’ Klair Gibson, who finished second in a time of 15:57.00. Donley, meanwhile, won the boys race in a time of 16:27.00, 0:35 seconds ahead of Hutchinson Trinity’s Cordell Goering, who finished second in the boys’ race in a time of 17:02.00.
Hutchinson Trinity won the boys’ team championship with 49 points, Southeast of Saline finished second in the boys’ standings with 64 points and Marion claimed the third boys’ state meet berth with 84 points. Salina Sacred Heart was fourth in the boys’ standings with 92 points.
Douglass won the girls’ team championship with 48 points, Southeast of Saline was second with 75 points and Salina Sacred Heart captured the third team state berth with 80 points. Haven also finished with 80 points, but the Swathers’ sixth runner came in behind Sacred Heart’s sixth runner, giving the Lady Knights the team state berth.
The girls’ individual race began the day and Sechrist, who is just a sophomore, controlled the race basically from the opening gun.
"Towards the beginning but I was still going to try and push myself," Sechrist said of when she earned her big lead. "I was hoping for a decent time, so I just kept pushing myself."
Douglass had the next two state qualifiers, the top 10 individuals plus the next runner whose team did not qualify for state qualify individually for the state meet, which will be run next Saturday at Wamego.
Douglass’ Klair Gibson (15:57.0) placed second and teammate Suzie Wright (15:58.0) placed third, individually while Belle Plaine’s Devyn Smith (16:00.0) placed fourth, Haven’s Madison Caffrey (16:04.0) placed fifth, Douglass’ Sara Wright (16:07.0) was sixth, Southeast of Saline’s Allison Stutterheim (16:08.0) was seventh, Salina Sacred Heart’s Alex Elmore (16:36.0) was eighth, Douglass’ MacKenzie McBeth, (16:38.0) was ninth and Belle Plaine’s Megan Doyle (16:47.0; 11) was 10th while Haven’s Hailey Davis, (16:49.0) finished 11th, but still qualified for the state meet.
"I’m really excited, I’m just happy that God has blessed me with this gift," Sechrist said. "I can be a little nervous, but I’m just going to pray a lot about it and do my best and give God the glory for whatever happens."
Being only a sophomore and a defending state champion, Sechrist has what few runners in the state have accomplished. If she wins the state meet next week and as a junior and senior she will be a four-time state champion.
"I’m a little nervous (going back to state) but even if I don’t place well I can’t be too disappointed," Sechrist said. "If I win, that’s great, but if I don’t, I can’t be too disappointed.
"I obviously think that would be cool. There are so many things that I can’t control, so I’m going to leave that up to God and if it happens I will be excited."
The boys’ race was even more spread out from the champion to the second place finisher and once again it was a defending state champion taking the lead as Donley won the race by 0:35 seconds.
"I knew I needed to make a statement," Donoley said. "I knew I needed to get out and run well because I only have two meets left."
Hutch Trinity’s Cordell Goering finished second in a time of 17:02.00, Marion’s Jordan Hett was third in , 17:09.00, Hutch Trinity’s Edgar Gutierrez was fourth in 17:29.0, Southeast of Saline’s Isaac Barnhart was fifth in 17:35.0, Wichita Independent’s Josh Aspegren was sixth in 17:45.0, Salina Sacred Heart’s Chris Sandqust was seventh in 18:03.0, Hillsboro’s Josh Richert was eighth in 18:14.0, Hutch Trinity’s Luke Kicklighter was ninth in 18:14.0 and Haven’s Nate Lacoy was 10th in 18:18.0.
Donoley actually didn’t run the race he was planning to. He said he went out a bit faster than he would have liked, which in his opinion, kept his time down.
"I looked back at about a mile and a half and didn’t see anybody so I think that is where (he broke from the pack)," Donoley said. "I wanted to take the first mile easy, which I went a little faster than I wanted, and I just kicked it from there.
"I think it definitely slowed down my time, I just have to deal with what I was dealt with,. Hey, a win is a win."
Both won the regional meet on Saturday in convincing fashion as Hillsboro’s Emil Sechrist and Salina Sacred Heart’s Cory Donley each won their respective races by more than 0:20 seconds. Sechrist won the girls’ race in a time of 15:31.00, :26 seconds ahead of Douglass’ Klair Gibson, who finished second in a time of 15:57.00. Donley, meanwhile, won the boys race in a time of 16:27.00, 0:35 seconds ahead of Hutchinson Trinity’s Cordell Goering, who finished second in the boys’ race in a time of 17:02.00.
Hutchinson Trinity won the boys’ team championship with 49 points, Southeast of Saline finished second in the boys’ standings with 64 points and Marion claimed the third boys’ state meet berth with 84 points. Salina Sacred Heart was fourth in the boys’ standings with 92 points.
Douglass won the girls’ team championship with 48 points, Southeast of Saline was second with 75 points and Salina Sacred Heart captured the third team state berth with 80 points. Haven also finished with 80 points, but the Swathers’ sixth runner came in behind Sacred Heart’s sixth runner, giving the Lady Knights the team state berth.
The girls’ individual race began the day and Sechrist, who is just a sophomore, controlled the race basically from the opening gun.
"Towards the beginning but I was still going to try and push myself," Sechrist said of when she earned her big lead. "I was hoping for a decent time, so I just kept pushing myself."
Douglass had the next two state qualifiers, the top 10 individuals plus the next runner whose team did not qualify for state qualify individually for the state meet, which will be run next Saturday at Wamego.
Douglass’ Klair Gibson (15:57.0) placed second and teammate Suzie Wright (15:58.0) placed third, individually while Belle Plaine’s Devyn Smith (16:00.0) placed fourth, Haven’s Madison Caffrey (16:04.0) placed fifth, Douglass’ Sara Wright (16:07.0) was sixth, Southeast of Saline’s Allison Stutterheim (16:08.0) was seventh, Salina Sacred Heart’s Alex Elmore (16:36.0) was eighth, Douglass’ MacKenzie McBeth, (16:38.0) was ninth and Belle Plaine’s Megan Doyle (16:47.0; 11) was 10th while Haven’s Hailey Davis, (16:49.0) finished 11th, but still qualified for the state meet.
"I’m really excited, I’m just happy that God has blessed me with this gift," Sechrist said. "I can be a little nervous, but I’m just going to pray a lot about it and do my best and give God the glory for whatever happens."
Being only a sophomore and a defending state champion, Sechrist has what few runners in the state have accomplished. If she wins the state meet next week and as a junior and senior she will be a four-time state champion.
"I’m a little nervous (going back to state) but even if I don’t place well I can’t be too disappointed," Sechrist said. "If I win, that’s great, but if I don’t, I can’t be too disappointed.
"I obviously think that would be cool. There are so many things that I can’t control, so I’m going to leave that up to God and if it happens I will be excited."
The boys’ race was even more spread out from the champion to the second place finisher and once again it was a defending state champion taking the lead as Donley won the race by 0:35 seconds.
"I knew I needed to make a statement," Donoley said. "I knew I needed to get out and run well because I only have two meets left."
Hutch Trinity’s Cordell Goering finished second in a time of 17:02.00, Marion’s Jordan Hett was third in , 17:09.00, Hutch Trinity’s Edgar Gutierrez was fourth in 17:29.0, Southeast of Saline’s Isaac Barnhart was fifth in 17:35.0, Wichita Independent’s Josh Aspegren was sixth in 17:45.0, Salina Sacred Heart’s Chris Sandqust was seventh in 18:03.0, Hillsboro’s Josh Richert was eighth in 18:14.0, Hutch Trinity’s Luke Kicklighter was ninth in 18:14.0 and Haven’s Nate Lacoy was 10th in 18:18.0.
Donoley actually didn’t run the race he was planning to. He said he went out a bit faster than he would have liked, which in his opinion, kept his time down.
"I looked back at about a mile and a half and didn’t see anybody so I think that is where (he broke from the pack)," Donoley said. "I wanted to take the first mile easy, which I went a little faster than I wanted, and I just kicked it from there.
"I think it definitely slowed down my time, I just have to deal with what I was dealt with,. Hey, a win is a win."
