Goessel cross country team earns sixth place at state
By DELBERT PETERS
Sports writer
Goessel High School cross country boys' team finished ahead of six teams Saturday at the State meet at Wamego.
"When the season started, I could not predict how we would do during the season," head coach Greg Bontrager said. "When Cam (Cameron Voth) got injured I knew someone would have to step up. The three seniors (Evan Fast, Kellen Jenkins, and Brady Peters) have always had a positive attitude. Casey Wedel, a freshman, picked up the pace big time. Jake Schrag, Anthony Esau, and Chris Johnston have made steady improvement all season."
Of the 12 teams competing at state, the Bluebird team finished in sixth place just four points behind Brewster, but only four points ahead of Hanover.
Fast earned a medal with a 16th-place finish (18:08.81). Senior teammates Jenkins finished in 43rd (19:44.52), and Peters in 46th place (19:46.25).
Wedel came in 53rd (19:58.65), Schrag took 66th (20:41.82), Esau came in 79th (21:46.12) and Chris Johnston finished 85th (22:15.62).
It was a beautiful day for the runners, with sunshine and 50 degrees including a strong south wind. A deep valley runs through the golf course and the runners seldom have a flat area to run across.
The race finished with runners coming downhill, then making a 90-degree turn for the last 100 meters to the finish line.
"That last 100 meters was intense," said a smiling Peters after the race.
Both Jenkins and Peters had to hold off several runners trying to sprint at the end of the three-mile race.
Ninety runners earned the right to compete in the 1A boys' division. It was the second year in a row the Goessel boys competed at state as a team and this year's sixth-place finish showed improvement over last year's eighth place.
Bontrager hopes several runners join the team next year to replace the three graduating seniors, and he knows that his underclassmen likely will be stronger and faster next year.
Janessa Wedel qualified for state for the second year in a row and finished in 23rd place out of 80 runners.
She crossed the finish line in 14:10.02, 12 seconds faster than her two-mile time last year at the same meet. The Bluebird's sole girls' runner stayed near the front of the pack in the early part of the race, and held her own against those runners trying to sprint near the end.
KSU pride day set for Nov. 15
Multicultural high school seniors and their parents who are interested in attending Kansas State University are invited Nov. 15 to spend a day on the KSU campus.
The day will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the KSU student union. Seniors will be given an opportunity to experience college life, opportunities to discuss their academic interests with faculty members and learn about housing, student activities, and student financial assistance.
The cost is $15 which includes program materials, parking, and lunch.
To make reservations or for more information call (800) 432-8270, or e-mail k-state@k-state.edu.
