You get a PR & You get a PR!⏱
fast racing, gritty performances, and rain all around
As per usual, it’s Thursday morning and I’m just now starting to write the newsletter. Is it because I love to procrastinate and stress myself out? Possibly, but this time that isn’t the only factor in my late start.
It seems the cross county population in the state of Kansas is currently on one of two sides following last weekend’s races. Those who are happy with the results of the Olathe Twilight meet, and those who are not.
It took me a couple of days to figure out how I was going to approach what is turning out to be such a polarizing topic, and honestly I’m still unsure about my strategy. It puts me in a pretty tough position as the writer of The Lead Pack. The last thing I want to do is upset any of my readers, but I feel that regardless of what I write, there will be people out there that are still unhappy with the content.
I mean, on one hand, I have a very strong opinion about immediately citing a course as short, just because there were state leads, fast times, and PR’s. I really don’t like it. Though, on the other hand, I completely understand the frustrations of those who didn’t compete at Olathe Twilight, and opted for a different meet last weekend. Trust me, I’ve been in your shoes before.
There is a lot that I would like to say about this, but I don’t think I’d be doing the topic any justice by trying to squeeze it into the characters I have left in this week’s edition. With that being said, for now I’m opting to do a little more research on the subject, and put together a newsletter that will do a great job of covering both sides, while hopefully answering any questions that you may have.
Three words to describe Olathe Twilight👌
Emergence— I feel like we should’ve seen a breakthrough for Hannah Gibson coming, and maybe you all did and I was just late for the party. After casually running 10:50 and 5:07 in the spring, and earning two top-four finishes at state, it was only time until Gibson broke the eighteen minute barrier. Well, Saturday was that day for the Shawnee Mission South senior, as she made the race her own; she was the only athlete to break eighteen, running 17:54 in the process. Gibson had been close in years past, running 18:09 her sophomore year, but didn’t quite reach that mark in 2021. None of that matters though, because she is the fastest girl in 6A right now and has officially thrown her hat into the ring as a title contender come October.
Return— When I tell you I gasped when I saw Anjali Hocker-Singh at the front of the pack early on during the race, in all honesty I did. It’s not because I don’t think she was in contention; it’s because I didn’t realize she was racing! After not seeing her during the track season, and seeing her absent of results from week one, I feared she wasn’t set to return for some time. Thank goodness I was wrong, because the two-time defending state champion in cross country was back like she never left. Besides a quiet DMR leg she ran in early April, Hocker-Singh had not raced since last cross country season, where she ran the fastest time the state had seen since 2017. An 18:00.00 is not too shabby for a debut, and especially for not competing in quite some time. I don’t know if she’s a reader of The Lead Pack or not, but Anjali, it’s good to have you back!
Dominance— Olathe West is good. Olathe West is great. Olathe West is dominant. For the past two years, they have run the table in 6A, and in the state as a whole. Two weeks in, and it seems 2022 is on pace to be more of the same. On Saturday, in one of the fastest and most competitive races of the year, the Owls put five in the top eleven, all under nineteen, scoring a minuscule 41 points, sixty-seven points ahead of the runner-up. Charis Robinson led the way, running 18:20.81 for 4th. Kate Miller was 7th in 18:41.60, and the trio of Sydney All (18:50.10), Bree Newport (18:52.10), and Paige Baker (18:55.60) went 9-10-11 to round out their scoring. It’s only the third week of September, and the team looks to be close to mid-season form.
Paige Mullen (SMNW/18:06.60) and Lida Padgett (SME/18:28.60) took 3rd and 5th, completing a top five made up of all Kansas athletes.
Re-writing the record books✍️
In the history of the state, only two boys had ever dipped below fifteen minutes in the 5000m during the cross country season: Stuart Mcnutt of Blue Valley West 15’ and current Shawnee Mission North junior Micah Blomker. On Saturday, in near-perfect conditions for a race under the lights, two seniors and a junior etched their names on a very exclusive list. Wyatt Haughton, Clay Shively and Colby King ran lifetime PR’s, taking advantage of a loaded field and a very quick opening pace.
Haughton, the defending 6A state champion in the 1600m and 800m, was the highest Kansas finisher, finishing as the runner-up by just over a second in 14:46.80, the 7th fastest time in the nation as of Thursday morning. Shively, just a junior from Wichita-Trinity, now sits as the only athlete not in 6A or 5A to run in fourteens, crossing the line in 14:47.40. Shively, who is the defending runner-up in cross country, and the 3A 1600m and 800m, started off his junior year with a bang! The third and final Kansan under the coveted barrier is ANOTHER St. Thomas Aquinas stud, Colby King. It seems that having the extra week of rest and training did King some good, as he set a new Saints’ course record in 14:50.60. He is now the fastest Saint in the program's history, on all courses. The fun wasn’t over for the rest of the field though, as twenty of the next twenty-two in-state finishers ran the fastest time of their careers.
Sam Hurley (BVNW) and Caden Peters (SME) rounded out the top five Kansas finishers, running 15:61.61 and 15:18.00 respectively.
Just as they did a week ago, Liberty North showed up and showed out at a huge meet, this time taking down a field twenty-five teams deep, and quite decisively, I might add. Led by the Missouri state record holder in Wilde, the Eagles soared to victory by putting their top six runners at 16:10 or faster, with their top four under sixteen. Shawnee Mission East and Wichita-Trinity edged out DeSoto and Olathe South for the podium, taking second and third by a margin of just four points, with the Lancers holding them off 104-144. Liberty North won the meet with 104 points.
Some quick takeaways from the Olathe Twilight meet
A few more teams have made their presence known in the race for the 5A boys state title, as DeSoto and St. Thomas Aquinas showed that they have what it takes to compete with Blue Valley Southwest and Kapaun Mt. Carmel. DeSoto was the top 5A finisher on Saturday, averaging 16:03 for their top five, along with a seven second pack time. The Saints broke through back onto the scene, thanks to a sub-15 performance from Colby King, and their 2-5 runners under seventeen and within fourteen seconds of one another.
Shawnee Mission East is proving that they can threaten Olathe South’s quest for a title defense, as the Lancers took down the Falcons by twenty points last weekend. East won the Greg Wilson Classic, and was the top Kansas team this past weekend. Don’t be surprised if it’s a dogfight between the two in late October.
Olathe West is in a world of their own in 6A, but the fight for second is highly contested, and I’d say Washburn Rural is the next team up. On Saturday, the Jr. Blues took 5th, and were the highest 6A finisher after the Owls. Led by sophomore Payton Fink, they put two in the top twenty and their top five in the top seventy-three. Keep in mind, their top returner Maddie Carter has not raced this season, but owns an 18:14 PR and finished 7th at state a year ago. At full strength, they’ll be even tougher to tackle than they are now.
The first part of my day was spent at the Wamego Country Club, for the Wamego Invitational. I only got to be there for two of the four varsity races, since I had to leave during the delay to make it on time to the K-State game, where luckily I was available for another delay. In the end it was okay, because the ‘Cats reminded Missouri they weren’t good enough for the SEC or the Big 12.
Hayley Trotter navigated the hills of Wamego quite easily, taking down a top-notch field in 19:16.70, her fastest time out of her five trips around the course. The defending champ and four-time state champ is in excellent form so far, winning both her races of the year. Behind her was newcomer Brett Jacobson of Circle, who is proving to her competition that she is going to be a threat for years to come. She took home the victory at the JK Gold Classic the first week, and this week took seventeen seconds off of her PR, running 19:31.20 behind Trotter.
Spectators may have been surprised when they saw a number of Southeast of Saline jerseys in the 4A race, since any true fan knows they are the back-to-back defending 3A champs. It was a great battle between them and the defending 4A champs, Eudora. The Trojans held their own against the Cardinals, but the combination of front runners and depth proved to be too strong. Led by Sydney Owens and Hanna Keltner in season best times of 19:54.10 and 20:07.00. Eudora took first over Southeast of Saline, 59-111. Sure, a win would have been nice, but to leave Wamego with a finish over a lot of 4A competition is still a win, at least in my books. Thanks to Ashley Prochazka and Abby Commerford, who took 7th and 8th, the Trojans were able to outlast a handful of contenders in 4A.
On the boy’s side, it was a whole lot of Eli Gilmore, the senior out of Tonganoxie who led from wire-to-wire much like Trotter. In a course PR of 16:23.00 and the top time in 4A, the Chieftain should have some confidence heading into the second half of September, as he is looking to win his first state title of his career.
Going 2-3-4, Southeast of Saline’s Damion Jackson held off the charging duo of Wamego’s Brady Stegman and Chapman’s Drew Elliott, as the three went 16:36.5, 16:36.6 and 16:36.7. Just as the girls did before them, the boys of Southeast of Saline made their way into the 4A race, and had a statement win over the entire 4A field, including the all three podium teams from 2021. The Trojans put four in the top twelve, averaging 17:04 on a very difficult course. Wamego, the 2021 runner-ups came out on top of the the 4A field, including a sixteen point win over four-time defending champion Buhler, 66-82.
After a lengthy delay in the 1-3A races, 2021 2A runner-up Payton Wurtz took home a forty-one second victory, running a season best of 19:52.40. Taking 2nd and 3rd were Adelaide Hydeman of Christ Preparatory Academy and Emma Bailey of West Franklin. The two ran 20:33.5 and 20:37, both getting their first taste of Wamego since last fall. In the team race, it was Hydeman and her Christ Preparatory teammates that took down the fifteen team field, winning 55-80 over Bailey and West Franklin.
Marysville junior Silas Miller opened up his third year with a win, taking down 161 other athletes, while being one of only two finishers under seventeen. Taking 2nd and 3rd were Ell-Saline teammates Garrison Zerger (16:58.9) and Carson Fouard (17:06.9). Led by Jonah Godina in 17:26.2, Trinity Catholic out of Hutchinson won the team title, spoiling Christ Preparatory’s chance for a sweep. In a 75-99 battle, the Patriots’ sixty-second pack time was not enough for Trinity Catholic’s five runners in the top thirty.
Wyatt Haughton: The Fastest Kansan Ever🏃♂️🔥
In case you somehow missed it, over the weekend at the Olathe Twilight meet, Shawnee Mission East senior Wyatt Haughton took second in the boys’ varsity race, in a time of 14:46.80. Haughton’s time broke the state record of 14:49.30, which was set last year by Micah Blomker. He currently ranks as the seventh fastest boy in the nation, and one of only thirty-one athletes to break the fifteen minute barrier so far this season.
Can you walk me through the Olathe Twilight race? Did you have a certain game plan heading into the race, and did you have to alter anything due to the conditions?
Yeah, I definitely did have a game plan heading into it. I was planning on sitting on Sage through two-ish miles and trying to make a move around him and then hold. Unfortunately, he made some ground up on me at around 1.75 miles. I knew I could still make it close on the track with my kick, and as far as the weather goes I was not worried about it, I was still locked in and just focused on the race.
You had already opened up the season in 15:27, and are still coming off of a fantastic track season. Did you think that you had a state record in you?
I knew that the state record was close, I had run a 15:10 in a time trial in late summer and knew that it would happen soon. I was going into the race confident I could walk away a state record holder.
At one point it appeared that Sage was gapping the field and pulling away. However, both you and Clay really closed the gap at the finish. Was there a point where you knew you had to change gears in order to keep pace? What was going through your mind late in the race?
When Sage started to pull away I just had to stay calm and know that I could kick hard on the track. I think the biggest thing with this sport is when something happens out of your control, you need to remain calm. Late in the race I could tell up ahead Sage’s pace might have been slowing a little and Clay was coming up behind, so I picked it up and started rolling. Once we hit the track I really kicked it in and closed the gap on Sage. Obviously I am a little upset I didn’t get Safe because that was the goal from the start but I’ll be ready next time.
How does it feel to be the fastest high schooler in state history? Has it hit you yet that no one has ever ran faster in cross country than you?
It feels like a dream come true. This has been a goal for so long and to finally achieve it, it all feels pretty surreal. I’m just truly grateful for the opportunity to be able to race at this level. I will not be stopping with the state record, there is still so much more a I want to accomplish.
I know you’re still in the midst of your season, but do you have any goals you are focusing on for the track season? How fast can Wyatt Haughton go?
As far as goals go, I definitely have times and positions I want to achieve. In cross I want to finish top 10 at nationals in Alabama, and run a time of around 14:20. In track, my goals are an 8:40 2-mile, and as close to a sub-4 mile as I possibly can go. If everything goes well then, sub-4 is the ultimate goal for me.
Highlights around the state🌻
Topeka West senior Lenny Njoroge was the fastest man in 5A for about twelve hours on Saturday, after running 15:24.61 at the Joe Schrag Invitational in Topeka, finishing as the runner-up. Njoroge missed the 2021 season due to a broken leg sustained in club soccer.
Kaleb Glazier, a junior at Maize ran 15:48.7 at the Emporia Invitational, ran at Jones Park. I ran this course multiple times throughout middle school and high school, and it’s not a walk in the park. To my knowledge, Glazier owns the fastest high school time ever recorded on the course. He’s one of three boys to ever break sixteen on the course as well (also to my knowledge).
A day after announcing her commitment to the University of Tennessee, Stanton County senior Chesney Peterson soloed a 17:44.67 at the Greeley County Invitational in Tribune. This was her fastest time since the 2020 season, setting a new PR by half of a minute. Peterson has won her last 48 races; her last loss came May 01, 2021.
In the NCAA DII National Coaches’ Poll that was released on Wednesday of this week (09/14), the Pittsburg State men are ranked 12th as they head into the Missouri Southern State Stampede this weekend. The Pittsburg State women improved from not being ranked to being ranked 30th in the nation.
In the NCAA DI Regional Rankings, the Wichita State men are the highest ranked program in Kansas, sitting at 4th in the Midwest Region, behind Oklahoma State (#2), Tulsa (#6), and Iowa State (#9), who are all ranked nationally.
ICYMI: Topeka-Hayden graduate and 4x MIAA Champion at Washburn University, Jacob Klemz, signed pro last week! He is joining the Hansons-Brooks ODP group, based out of Michigan. The group most recently had athlete Natosha Rogers represent the USA in the women’s 10k at the World Championships in Eugene, OR this summer.
The Winner Board 🥇
Stockton MS/HS XC Invitational
Avery Boydston — Ellis
Jaidon Allen — Phillipsburg
Quinter Invitational
Emma Weiner — Golden Plains
Elliot Churchwell — Hoxie
Lyndon Invitational
Lillian Skalsky — Olpe
Kodi Downes — Council Grove
Holton Invitational
Eden Bathurst — Abilene
Camden Bachman — Hiawatha
Fort Scott Invitational
Josie Walter — Colony Crest
Jesse Taylor — Iola
Wichita West XC Invite
Royce Trotter — Wichita Heights
Alexa Ornelas — Wichita North
Wamego Invitational
(4A) Hayley Trotter — Clearwater
(1-3A) Payton Wurtz — Wabaunsee
(4A) Eli Gilmore — Tonganoxie
(1-3A) Silas Miller — Marysville
South Gray HS Invitational
Ozia Trujillo — Southwestern Heights
Brenden Ellis — Ingalls
Skyline Invitational
Mary Pearce — Kingman
Branden Fischer — Medicine Lodge
Olathe Twilight
Hannah Gibson — Shawnee Mission South
Wyatt Haughton — Shawnee Mission East
Joe Schrag Invitational
Ryin Miller — Topeka-Seaman
Lenny Njoroge — Topeka West
Greeley County Invitational
Chesney Peterson — Stanton County
Kamryn Golub — Stanton County
Emporia Invitational
Lorna Rae Pierce — Junction City
Kaleb Glazier — Maize
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