By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
It was almost a perfect day for the top-ranked Lady Panther cross country team. Heavy favorites for a Western Athletic Conference title on a windy and warm Thursday evening at Lake Barton, Great Bend took five of the top six spots to finish with 19 points. Hays scored 67 points for second, and Dodge City placed third with 86 points.
The WAC has not changed its format so Thursday's girls' race was a 4K instead of the usual 5K. Senior Addy Nicholson and Hays' Arely Maldonado battled throughout the course. Nicholson took the title in 5:21.52, followed by Maldonado in 15:22.76. Lady Panther senior Makenzie Premer ran third in 15:26.75 as part of the front group.
Sienna Smith ran fourth overall in 15:47.49, followed by Marissa Boone in 15:57.30 for fifth, and Eliana Beckham in sixth with a time of 16:06.57 to complete team scoring. Teegan Guerra placed 10th in 16:33.98, and Morgan Beckwith finished 11th in 16:35.85. Kate Welcher crossed in 16:50.34 for 13th, and Bella Long ran 14th in 16:55.45. Teah King finished 22nd in 17:47.88.
The Garden City boys dominated their race with just 30 points. Dodge City finished second with 60 points, and Liberal placed third with 64 points. Great Bend beat Hays by a single spot for fourth with 103 points.
Garden City took the top two spots individually with Hayden Nemechek winning the WAC in 16:19.51. Kailyn Munoz won the silver in 16:30.03. Tavon Stroup paced the Panthers in ninth in 17:16.76 to miss eighth by five seconds. Ismael Ramirez finished 13th in 17:53.90, and Braylon Moore ran 27th in 18:40.80. Anthony Lawrence placed 30th in 19:14.51, and Bradon Suppes picked up the final team points in 35th in 19:42.13. Parker Coleman placed 36th in 20:29.92.
The Panthers return to Lake Barton next Saturday for Class 5A regional action.