By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
A photo finish was required to parse out the winner of Saturday morning's Class 5A regional cross country race at Lake Barton. That's what happens when two of the best runners in Kansas decide to cross the finish line together. Behind the Salina Central duo, Great Bend junior Reese Bullard finished third to lead the reigning state runner-up Lady Panthers to a fourth-straight regional title. Great Bend won the crown with 37 points, followed by Valley Center with 65 points, and Salina South in the final team-qualifying spot with 74 points.
Reigning 5A champion Katelyn Rupe, the North Carolina-bound senior from Salina Central, finished 0.02 seconds behind sophomore teammate Kaylie Schultz. The duo crossed in 18:10.38 and 18:10.40.
Bullard has battled a muscle injury for two weeks. Even a chilly October morning could not deter the junior Saturday morning. She ultimately broke from a pack of Lady Panther runners with no leaders in sight. Bullard crossed in 19:39.87, six seconds ahead of sophomore teammate Bella Long, who placed fourth in 19:45.79.
"Really, all it was, it was a mental game," she said. "I went in just hoping for the best. It was all mental. Considering the first two were so far ahead, I didn't know where I was. But it was kind of cool to feel like I was leading for a second."
Marissa Boone and Sienna Smith were part of the pack that included Bullard and Long midway through the race. Boone ultimately ran sixth in 19:59.64, and Smith finished 10th in 20:30.27. Teah King grabbed the final team points in 14th with a time of 20:43.29.
"That push of people behind you is always motivation knowing there is someone behind you pushing just as hard as you are," Bullard said. "Us being in a pack helped, too."
Kate Welcher ran 21st in 21:35.47, and Samantha Negaard placed 24th in 21:41.56.
The Lady Panthers return to Rim Rock Farm just outside Lawrence on Saturday for the Class 5A State Cross Country Championships.