Wichita East has solid showing at regionals and state

As the rain poured down last Saturday Oct. 13, the Wichita East cross country waited for word on the status of the Greater Wichita Athletic League championship. It was to be rescheduled for Monday, Oct. 15 at Cessna Activity Center.

In cold weather the week before, East ran at the El Dorado Invitational and finished with dozens of personal best times. The transition to their first afternoon competition of the season was a challenge the Aces embraced.

After a day filled with classes, the Aces arrived ready to run at the highly competitive GWAL meet. One of the most outstanding performances came from senior Carlin Greene in the girls varsity race.

Greene finished first overall for the Aces and third in the race with a 16:12.00 4K. She was accompanied in the top twenty by teammate Cierra Devorce (tenth) and all other Aces in the top twenty-five.

“I think we did the best we could to represent our girls team,” said Greene.

The boys finished seventh in their varsity race led by freshman Rayond O’Day and junior Sam Clayton in twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth place.

“We wet out and ran the best that we could,” said O’Day. “It wasn’t the best we gave all season but it was the best we could that day.”

This Saturday Oct. 19, Greene led the Lady Aces to a third place finish and chance to run in the State Championship meet at Rim Rock Farm Saturday, Oct. 26.

Although the Lady Aces didn’t run their best meet of the year on Saturday, Greene is able to see what may be a silver lining.

“We probably could have run better as a team at regionals,” she said. “Maybe it’s for the best that we didn’t peak at regionals and now we have something left for state.”

East was the No. 12 team finisher at the state meet at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence. Greene led the way with an 11th-place individual finish.