By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
More than 250 varsity runners converged at the starting line at Lake Barton for the girls' and boys' races at the Great Bend Invitational Thursday morning. The cross country meet featured 25 teams, including several of the state's best.
The Great Bend girls scored 42 points to win among the larger schools. Bishop Carroll scored 66 points for second, and Garden City placed third with 112 points. Four-time defending Class 3A champion Southeast of Saline was one of just two schools to compete as a full team in the smaller division that featured five teams.
North Carolina-commit Katelyn Rupe of Salina Central separated from the pack early and cruised to the win in 17:14.86. Mustang sophomore Kaylie Shultz, the reigning 5A runner-up, took the silver in 18:05.38.
Great Bend's Sienna Smith finished fifth overall in 19:39.05, less than four seconds out of fourth place. Marissa Boone ran eighth in 20:01.75, followed by Bella Long in 20:02.60 for ninth. Teah King finished 17th in 20:46.62. Reese Bullard, in her cross country debut, capped team scoring in 25th with a time of 21:36.80. Teegan Guerra placed 29th in 21:50.37, and Kate Welcher finished 37th in 22:24.26.
Garden City won the boys' race with 53 points, followed by Holcomb with 77 points, and Junction City with 81 points. Great Bend finished ninth with 241 points.
Southeast of Saline's Brayden Walker won by three seconds in 16:08.58, followed by Holcomb's Brody Deniston in 16:11.17. McPherson's Caleb Muehler, the reigning 4A champion, placed third in 16:12.48.
Hoisington's Kamden Tarlton led area runners in 18th with a time of 17:06.94, just half a second behind the runner in front of him. Ismael Ramirez paced Great Bend in 26th in 17:29.48, followed by Brogan Lashley in 66th with a time of 18:41.88. Tavon Stroup finished just behind him in 18:42.11, and Anthony Lawrence ran 71st in 18:47.19. Diego Pasos completed team scoring in 18:52.02 for 75th overall, and Isaac Aldana crossed in 19:17.50 for 89th.
The Panther runners head to Olathe on Saturday, Sept. 14.