Class 2A Regional Cross Country Results
The Jackson Heights Cobras varsity cross country team traveled to Council Grove for the Class 2A regional cross country meet on Saturday, Oct. 21. The top 10 runners from each of the four regional sites qualify for the 2023 Class 2A state cross country meet at Wamego Country Club on Saturday, Oct. 28.
The Cobras had one boy qualify for the 2023 Class 2A state meet in senior Nate Linck who took eighth place at regionals with a time of 18:45.97.
The girls team scores were as follows: 1. Oskaloosa 44, 2. Hillsboro 75, 3. Valley Falls 77, 4. Wabaunsee 78, 5. Pleasant Ridge 100, 6. Jefferson County North 113 and 7. Jackson Heights 159.
The girls results were as follows: 1. Payton Wortz, Wabaunsee 20:02.82, 27. Laramie Self, Jackson Heights 25:41.95, 39. Emirson Fritz, Jackson Heights 27:11.07, 44. Emma Brucken, Jackson Heights 27:29.30, 45. Alexis Deneault, Jackson Heights 27:31.76 and 50. Jennifer Buck, Jackson Heights 29:39.52.
The boys team scores were as follows, 1. Chase County 56, 2. Jefferson County North 60, 3. Pleasant Ridge 68, 4. Marion 69, 5. Horton 109, 6. Wabaunsee 148, 7. Mclouth 180 and 8. Jackson Heights 182.
The boys results were as follows, 1. Silus Hernandez, Chase County 17:16.20, 8. Nate Linck, Jackson Heights 1845.97, 43. Grant Bales, Jackson Heights 22:15.70, 54. Talen Browning, Jackson Heights 23:36.90, 55. Danny Bottom, Jackson Heights 23:55.84 and 56. Isaac Karns, Jackson Heights 24:35.90.
Jackson Heights head cross county coach Gary Keen recently commented on this year’s cross country season.
“This past week our Jackson Heights cross country team met at what we called our Last Supper,’’ said head coach Gary Keehn. “Here the parents serve a meal and we reflect on our season and most of all how we have grown as a cross country family. It was a tough bittersweet to hear the runners share the impacts the senior runners Nate Linck and Emma Brucken have given them throughout the year. We also were able to share the impacts that each runner received from each other in the day to day trainings in cross county that makes us not only better runners, but better young people.’’
“When I look at our team’s season as a coach, I first of all see a young group of runners who have not only gotten better as runners, but individuals and the tight knit they have as a group,’’ said coach Keen. “Throughout the season, we look at two charts that show the runners how they have improved as runners. One chart is the meets and the times they run as they go through the season. We highlight the faster times and as the chart was developed the faster times moved to the right. Even though we know each course has its own challenges, the runners ran faster times all year.’’
“The other chart we look at is what we call PPM runs,’’ Keen said. “With this, the runners showed faster times as they increased volume and some even moved to a faster level. Workouts like this are great factors to show the hard work our runners have done all season and I am proud of what they have achieved, that meets may never show. Our team not only grew as stronger runners, but as a family. They will never replace their own families, but they be one they have in our school.’’
“I cannot be more proud of the effort we had at our regionals,’’ Keen said. “Anytime you can come out of a regional competition and have a runner or runners qualify for the state cross country meet, that is a great bonus and privilege. Nate Linck has overcome many challenges this past year and it is great to see him rewarded with the opportunity to take it to the next level at the state cross country meet. This will be his third year as a runner to compete at the state meet. I have high hopes of him having an opportunity to be on the medalist stand.’’
