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Gilmore wins second Frontier League title for Tonganoxie High cross country

By Shawn Linenberger - | Oct 15, 2021

Shawn Linenberger

Tonganoxie HIgh junior Eli Gilmore, at far left, stands with other top runners after Thursday's Frontier League cross country championships in Baldwin City. Gilmore won the race for the second consecutive season.

? Eli Gilmore captured a second straight Frontier League title Thursday in Baldwin City.

The Tonganoxie High junior won the race in 16 minutes, 35.24 seconds, holding off Eudora junior Zach Arnold, who placed second with a 16:38.47 time.

The victory comes a year after Gilmore won the Frontier League title with a 17:25.11 time in Ottawa.

He also finished as runner-up is freshman year in 2019 when Tonganoxie also won the Frontier League title on its home course at the Leavenworth County Fairgrounds.

This season, the THS boys placed fifth overall.

Freshman Jett Gilmore was Tonganoxie’s No. 2 runner at the Baldwin Golf Course. He finished the day with a time of 18:34.28.

Senior Nick Edholm placed 34th (19:09.41), sophomore Cole Holmgren 35th (19:24.66) and sophomore Michael Bottary 38th (19:30.88). Freshman Brock Gibbs placed 42nd (19:39.43), junior Brandon Wilson 45th (19:51.59) and freshman Piercen Eccles 52nd (20:21.79). Freshman James Scott took 63rd (21:06.84), Freshman Ben Farrar 66th (21:13.44) and sophomore Roman Staples 72 (21:31.24).

Junior Robby Patterson placed 73rd (21:33.26), junior Canyon Hendrickson 97th (23:21.95), freshman Huston Albert 101st (23:32.84) and sophomore TJ Schmid 103rd (24:10.99). Junior Jacob Tuter finished 106th with a time of 24:37.97.

Spring Hill won the team title in what turned out to be a three-squad battle.

The Broncos finished first with 51 points, just ahead of Louisburg, which scored 57, and Eudora which finished with 61.

Paola placed fourth with 124, Tonganoxie fifth with 125 and Ottawa sixth with 142.

Baldwin scored 170 for seventh and Piper 177 for eighth. Bonner Spings did not field a full team.

Jocie Thomas finishes in Top 10

Tonganoxie freshman Jocie Thomas earned an eighth-place finish in the girls race.

She finished with a time of 20:19.66.

Junior Kyleigh Thomas placed next for THS in the No. 22 spot. She crossed the finish line with a 21:40.79 time.

Sophomore Kinnley Hoffhines placed 26th (22:00.54) and senior Brooklyn Lang 36th (22:50.65). Senior Chy Aaron took 49th (24:20.95), while fellow senior Macy Geiger placed 51st (24:52.5). Freshman Elena Edholm finished right behind Geiger in 51st with a 24:53.22 time.

Alaina Rodgers nabbed 63rd as the sophomore and a 26:03.67 time. Sophomore Molly Cullen placed 69th (26:52.94) and sophomore Emiline Liebano 72nd (27:25.86.) Senior Madi Schiffelbein placed 76th (27:39.71).

The THS girls also placed fifth as a team.

Eudora won the meet with 44 points, just ahead of host Baldwin at 45.

Spring Hill placed third (81) and Louisburg fourth (101).

Tonganoxie scored 122 for fifth, while Bonner Springs was at 173 for sixth and Piper 187 for seventh.

Paola scored 189 and finished eighth. Ottawa did not field a full team.

Regionals up next

Tonganoxie runners will be back on the Baldwin course next week for a shot at state.

Baldwin is the site for one of four Class 4A regionals.

The girls race will start at 10 a.m. and the boys at 10:45 a.m.

Teams competing with Tonganoxie at the regional are Baldwin, Eudora, Fort Scott, Iola, Louisburg, Ottawa, Paola and Bishop Miege.

All-league honors

Coaches vote for all-league selections in pretty much every sport except cross country.

For the fall sport, how student-athletes finish the league race determines their all-league status. The Top 7 are considered first-team all-Frontier League, with those finishing between 8 and 14 second team and then 15-21 honorable mention all-league.

Eli Gilmore was first-team all-Frontier League, while Jocie Thomas was on the second team after finishing eighth. Interestingly enough, both Jett Gilmore and Kyleigh Thomas just missed second-team distinction. Each finished 22nd.