×
×
homepage logo

Boys win sixth straight KVL title

By Shawn Linenberger - | Oct 17, 2001

The fall landscape at St. Mary College in Leavenworth was painted with distinct red, orange and yellow at the Kaw Valley League Cross Country Meet last Thursday.

The finish line, though, was dominated with Tonganoxie red in the boys’ race.

Junior Kyle Norris led the way with a school-record tying finish of 15 minutes, 57 seconds. He finished second behind Mill Valley’s Griffin Lee. Norris was the top THS finisher for the third straight meet. He credits the late-season surge to a stronger mental approach.

“When I’m dying I don’t care,” Norris said. “I’m just pushing myself more.”

Tonganoxie took six of the top eight spots in the race. The top seven finishers also received all-KVL honors. Senior Alan Davis took second (16:35), senior Nathan Bailey finished third (16:41), junior Tony Aligo (17:24) was sixth, and senior David Saultz (17:41) finished seventh. Junior Tommy Powell placed eighth. Levi Huseman (18:19) took 15th.

The Chieftains also notched their sixth straight KVL title. Tonganoxie scored 22 points, while Mill Valley finished second with 50.

“I was real pleased with how the team performed,” THS coach Phil Williams said. “They attacked the race.”

Junior Laura Korb led Tonganoxie again, placing second for the girls as well. She finished with a 12:40 time and all-KVL honors. The team also took second behind Lansing as senior Alicia Stauch (13:41) placed tenth, senior Erin Seymour (13:46) took 12th, and sophomore Elizabeth Smith (13:47) was 13th.

Williams saw his team peak on the girls’ side with the second-place finish.

“They ran as well as they have all year,” Williams said. “Second place was disappointing for them, but Lansing pulled out a great race.”

Tonganoxie now heads into regional action Saturday at the Kansas State Hospital grounds in Topeka. The girls will run at 2 p.m., while the boys start at 3 p.m.

Williams was unsure if the Chieftains would win the team title in the boys’ race, but he predicted a top-three finish.

For the girls, Williams said his team needed another big performance similar to last Thursday’s meet at Leavenworth.

“The girls really need to put one together,” Williams said. “They have a chance I think.”

The Chieftains will compete against Atchison, Maur Hill (Atchison), Basehor-Linwood, Clay Center, Council Grove, Hiawatha, Holton, Piper, Lansing, Marysville, Jefferson West, Perry-Lecompton, Hayden and Wamego.

Although Lansing will be competing, Mill Valley will not. Norris said it was possible he would see the Jaguars’ Lee at the next race.

“I can still beat him at State,” Norris said. “I hope.”