In the midst of history?🦉
Back-to-back-_____
In 2017, when Olathe West first opened its doors, it became the fifth high school in USD 233, joining Olathe North, East, South and Northwest. The four high schools that Olathe West joined were no slouches when it came to both cross country and track & field. At the time, Olathe East had eleven state titles to their name ( 3 Girls XC, 4 BT&F, 4 GT&F), and Olathe North’s boys had won a track & field team title in 2005. Since the Owls have entered the chat, the five schools have won a total of eight state titles. Most recently, Olathe North won a state title in track on the girls’ side last spring, and then on the boys’ side last month. The Olathe South boys are the defending cross country state champions, and the Ravens of Northwest were crowned champions last month, after the girls won their first title in program history. Long story short, Olathe West had some work to do if they wanted to keep up with the Olathe dominance.
It took Olathe West just three seasons to get on the podium at state, and four to win a state title. Almost out of nowhere, a team that didn’t have a single state qualifier in 2018, became a team that finished runner-up with three medalists a year later. 2019 was the last time the Owls lost in the state meet, and one of only two regular season losses for West since fall of 2020. During their build-up to the first state title in school history, the ladies went 6-1 prior to state, including both Sunflower and Regional championships. Their lone loss came to Blue Valley Northwest at the Mark Chipman Cat Classic, and to this day it is the last time the team lost during the KSHSAA season. They ended their storybook year with four medalists and six runners in the top twenty-two. The team battle was close, with West edging out Olathe North and BV Northwest 59-61-61. Last fall it was Owl season, as West finished the year 8-0, including a team victory at Roy Griak Invitational, where they finished atop a field of forty-five teams, including some of the best in the nation. Down at the Four Mile Creek Resort, the site of the 5A and 6A state championships, Olathe West left little doubt on the course, winning by sixteen points over Olathe North and Blue Valley Northwest for the second year in a row, this time 52-68-106. Improving on 2020, five Owls made their way into the top twenty, with their sixth finishing just one spot away in 21st. What may be even crazier is that the exact same six have the chance to run it back again just a few months from now as they try to win their third straight state title.
By now, all of Kansas is aware of how dangerous the Owls are on the grass, but what they probably weren’t aware of was the mid-distance talent the Owls possessed. For the past two years, West has been crowned the 4x800m state champions, and this year they added a state record to their resume to spice it up. The new all-time leader in the event was run at the Shawnee Mission North Relays, where the quartet of Kate Miller, Bree Newport, Paige Baker, and Charis Robinson ran 9:17.40, an average of roughly 2:19 per leg. The four also have 1600m PR’s ranging from 5:04.96-5:20.15, adding another layer of talent that can be looked over when the 800m talent is so dominant. Needless to say, Olathe West can do it all.
After their performance at Nike Outdoor Nationals a few weeks ago, I thought that learning more about one of the best teams in the region would garner interest for all of you. The ladies surpassed their previous state record by just under four-tenths of a second, lowering it from 9:17.40 to 9:17.01. You may not realize this, but this wasn’t even the same lineup from the Shawnee Mission North Relays. Soon-to-be junior Kalyn Willingham stepped up big for a teammate who was unable to race, perfecting the “next woman up” mentality. The fact that the Owls were able to set state records with two different lineups speaks for itself, displaying the amount of depth that this roster has. Last week, Kelsey Carbajo, the head coach of the Olathe West cross country program took some time and answered some questions about her program’s past, present, and their future.
In just the program’s third year, the girls finished as the runner-up to a very talented Mill Valley team in a deep 6A field. How did you bring the program to relevancy so quickly, and is there anything specific that you attribute to the quick rise to success?
In 2019, our Principal and Athletic Director, Jay Novacek and Pat Butler, mentioned to me that we had not won a Sunflower League Championship at Olathe West yet. This fueled some fire and energy with our girls because we knew we had a shot to win it. We ended up winning the league meet, which motivated our girls to perform well at regionals and qualify for state. That year we barely made it out of regionals but qualified as a team for the first time in school history. We went into that State Meet with nothing to lose, and our girls outperformed what they had been doing all season. I remember my sister running up to me saying we got 2nd and I thought she was lying to me. After that, our girls have continued to set high goals for themselves and are willing to do what it takes to achieve the goals. Also, they like to prove the “doubters” wrong. If someone tells them they can’t achieve something, they go after whatever it is full speed to make it happen. This type of mentality has worked in their favor and will continue to work in their favor as they grow up. From top to bottom they are a competitive group of girls who would run through a wall for each other. Their bond is like no other!
What was your mindset after the 2019 cross country season? You had a top five made up of three freshmen, a sophomore and a junior. Was there a lot of excitement within the program and were the girls “hungry” to train and push themselves? Did they sense that they had the chance to build a dynasty?
After the 2019 season, the talk about a state championship started. They would talk about it on their runs and would talk about what they needed to do in order to make it happen. That track season ended up getting canceled due to Covid, but they continued to meet up and run with one another on their own. We would get on Zoom calls and they would share about their runs. As a coach, watching them shine through this difficult period, I was very optimistic about our upcoming season. We knew we were getting some freshmen that were going to help make a difference, and they welcomed them in. I would say they have been hungry since we placed at 2nd at state in 2019 – They love working hard and making their school, parents, and teammates proud!
In a year filled with so much unfamiliar territory, the girls won the program’s first state title, putting four in the top twenty and all seven in the top 31. Did you think that a state title was possible with teams like Olathe North and Blue Valley Northwest also having talented teams?
The 2020 season was extremely difficult because we didn’t get to have a “normal” schedule and teams were getting quarantined here and there. I felt like we were walking on eggshells all season hoping no one would test positive or have to be quarantined. Our first meet of that season we got to race against ON and BVNW. We ended up winning that meet, but we knew those 2 teams were the teams to beat if we wanted a shot at the State Title. On paper the scores were very close, so we knew they needed to have one of their best races to make it happen. That was probably one of the most stressful times as a coach – waiting for the scores to load on our phones. That was one of my favorite meets in my coaching career because it was so competitive. After the 3 teams got their awards, we took a big group photo – That’s the coolest thing about our sport is that they cheer each other on and make each other better. I truly believe that this type of approach is going to make Kansas running better!!
This last fall, the girls outdid themselves as the team had all five scorers in the top twenty, all within 40 seconds of one another. Did you and/or the girls feel any sense of a target on their back being the reigning champs, or was the mindset different?
There was definitely a sense of a target on our backs especially after we won the Griak meet this year. Our mindset was just “Be you! – We don’t have to do anything different than what we have already been doing this year. Run with confidence and trust your teammates!” There is usually high stress at State Meets, so keeping everyone calm and focused on the goal is our priority. We had great leaders on the team who kept the mood happy and fun – that was very helpful! Also, we talk a lot about trusting your teammates – it doesn’t take one of them to get the job done, it takes all of them working towards the goal together!
Based purely off of PR’s and splits (that I could find), Bree, Kate, Charis, and Paige could run 9:11.83. Do you think they can go under nine? If so, how far under?
That was talked about last week in Oregon.😊 They continue to impress us with what they are able to accomplish, so I think if they make it a goal, they will chase after it! They push each other in practice and in life. This is a special group of girls. Every single one of them, JV to Varsity, encourages and pushes one another. They have a sister bond that will last a lifetime, and I feel so blessed to be a part of it.
Heading into the fall, your girls are shooting for their third straight state title and you didn’t lose a single girl from your top six from a year ago. Obviously, a third title is a goal, but are there any goals that your girls have for the season? (NXN, RunningLane, Etc)
We are very excited about this 2022 season. We are going back to Griak and plan to run at Chile Pepper in Arkansas. Our goal last year was to qualify for Nike Nationals, but that ended up getting canceled. Our girls placed 4th at Nike Regionals, so we wouldn’t have qualified in the first place, but it was one of the goals. This season, we have the same goal. We know we need to get faster, and I have no doubt they will work hard to put their best foot forward when we race at Nike Regionals again this year.
What has been the greatest experience being the Head Coach of Olathe West?
My greatest experience as the Head Coach is getting to experience these amazing moments with my sister as the assistant coach. We have an incredible coaching staff that I consider family, which I believe carries over to our team. We have created a family atmosphere that is very special to me. My parents and grandparents treat these runners as if they were their own and the parents of our runners cheer on every single kid as if they were theirs. I will cherish these memories forever!
Lastly, what traits about this group of girls has gotten them to this point in their career? What makes them stand out from the rest?
This group stands out from the rest because of their bond they have with one other. They spend a lot of time together at practice, school, and outside of school. They know how to push each other and they know how to have difficult conversations when needed. They support each other in life and other experiences outside of running. When they are working together, they are some of the toughest girls I know. Their parents are also very special – they are all very positive and allow these girls to pursue their dreams. These girls pretty much have “bonus parents” because they are so supportive of the girls.
In a little over four months, the Olathe West Owls will look to win their third straight state title in just their sixth year as a program. With the top six Owls returning from last fall, West will look to build on their momentum that they’ve built throughout the spring, and ideally carry it over onto the grass. I can’t wait until this fall, but we’ve still got some track & field before we shift our focus. To both Olathe West and the rest of the state, good luck with the rest of your training over the next month and a half from KSXCT&F! Also, I want to apologize for this newsletter coming out so late. Lost track of time at USA’s, and with the addition of poor planning on my end, it got delayed a couple of days. Don’t worry though, this Friday another one will be sent out detailing Nike Outdoor Nationals, USA’s, and will touch on some other topics as well. Finally, if you aren’t going to be at the Heartland Distance Summit tomorrow and Friday, you’re going to be missing out!
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