Sports writer
PBHS cross-country wrapped up the season Saturday with an appearance at the state cross-country meet in Wamego.
PBHS junior Lauren Pickens medaled with a top-10 finish and the boy’s team came in seventh.
Pickens finished the 4-kilometer race in sixth place with a time of 16 minutes, 46.43 seconds. This was her second-best personal time in her career.
“Lauren ran very well,” head coach Kim Topham said. “She gave it everything she had. She has an amazing running ability.”
The boy’s team was hampered by illness and finished seventh with 167 points, just six points out of fifth place.
Aaron Topham crossed the line first for the PBHS team in 37th place. He ran the 5k race in 18:45.83. Jacob Simmonds was close behind with a 39th-place finish at 18:47.90.
Sheldon Wiebe crossed the line in 41st place at 18:49.37, Joshua Klarmann was 51st at 19:14.60, Curtis Frederick was 64th at 19:42.07, and Matt Hiebert was 76th with a time of 20:11.29.
The final PBHS runner was Steffen Pospeich. Pospeich finished the race in 83rd place with a time of 20:11.29.
“Overall our boys’ team had a very successful season,” Topham said. “This is the sixth consecutive year we have gone to state.”