By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
A local cross country course record and another state medal. Those were just two of Great Bend High School senior Kaiden Esfeld’s accomplishments as a cross country runner this fall. Earlier this week, Esfeld signed a letter of intent to continue his running career at Fort Hays State University.
Esfeld ran third at the 2021 Class 5A State Cross Country Championships, and was among the favorites for a state title this year. Esfeld, winner of back-to-back regional meets as a sophomore and junior, finished second at this year’s regional, losing his Lake Barton course record in the process. He went on to finish 11th at state for another medal.
The senior is not quite finished as a runner at GBHS, however. As a sophomore, he won three Western Athletic Conference titles in the distance events on the track, and won another as a junior. Last season, he won regional titles in the 800m and 1600m runs and later medaled in the 1600m run at state. He missed the final 800m medal by just a quarter of a second.