Great Bend Post Sports
They had to pick the hottest day of the week. Thursday's Buhler Cross Country Invitational started a little earlier than usual due to expected high temperatures. The Lady Panthers blistered the course, going almost perfect with just 20 points. Four-time defending Class 3A champion Southeast of Saline finished second with 64 points, and Berean Academy placed third with 99 points.
Great Bend junior Sienna Smith led a pack of Panthers among the leaders for the win by five seconds in 20:33.6. Junior Reese Bullard ran third in 20:38.5, just a tenth of a second behind the silver. Senior Marissa Boone placed fifth in 21:15.0, sophomore Bella Long ran sixth in 21:38.7, and sophomore Teah King capped team scoring in eighth with a time of 21:48.0. Kate Welcher finished 31st in 23:50.2, and freshman Samantha Negaard finished behind her in 23:51.7.
The Southeast of Saline boys easily won their race with 59 points. Buhler followed with 107 points, and Hutchinson Trinity placed third with 117 points. Great Bend scored 177 points for eighth out of 14 teams.
Southeast of Saline junior Brayden Walker won by 23 seconds in 16:48.4. McPherson junior Caleb Muehler, the reigning 4A state champion, took the silver by two seconds in 17:11.9.
Junior Ismael Ramirez paced the Panthers in seventh place with a time of 17:30.5. Senior Diego Pasos placed 29th in 19:03.3, sophomore Anthony Lawrence finished 40th in 19:23.9, and freshman Isaac Aldana ran 50th in 19:41.5. Junior Tavon Stroup finished out team scoring in 57th in 20:04.1, and sophomore Parker Coleman ran 64th in 20:18.7.
The Panther runners head to Rim Rock Farm outside Lawrence on Saturday, Sept. 28.