The girls finished third at a Class 4A regional this past Saturday in Baldwin City, good for their second straight team appearance at state. THS won its regional last year.

On the boys side, Tonganoxie placed fifth as a team. Though only the top three teams advance to state. Tonganoxie senior Ethan Phillips did qualify individually for the state meet.

THS coach John Tollefson and assistant Patrick Holton said the boys were disappointed they couldn’t join the girls team at state, but Holton said team members should hold their heads high. The coaches agreed the conditions couldn’t be better on an overcast and crisp fall Saturday morning in Baldwin City.

Baldwin won the meet with 49 points on the boys side. De Soto placed second with 55, Hayden third with 132 and Eudora fourth with 134. Tonganoxie finished fifth with 171 points.

On the girls side, Baldwin also won. The Bulldogs scored 39 in the girls race. Atchison finished with 78 and Tonganoxie 111. THS beat out Basehor-Linwood by two points for that third and final state spot.

Individually, sophomore Mia Bond was Tonganoxie’s top girls runner with a seventh-place finish. She completed the course in 20 minutes, 35.36. Baldwin’s Addie Dick won the meet with a time of 19:17.81.

Fellow sophomore Emma Campbell also had a big day for the Chieftains. She placed 11th with a 20:49.94 time. Campbell has battled some health issues in recent weeks. She was unable to finish one of her races, but bounced back Saturday in Baldwin City. Campbell’s time was a personal best. She shaved about 12 seconds off her previous personal record.

The rest of Tonganoxie’s runners finished mostly in a pack.

Sophomore Alyssa Scott placed 31st (22:01.98), sophomore Erin Williams 33rd (22:05.69) and junior Hope Creten 37th (22:17.47). Sophomore Sierra Staatz placed 41st (22:28.1) and senior Sophia Wetta 53rd (23:13.04).

Bond said she was proud of her team after Saturday’s team win on what she called “a really fast course.” The THS Chieftains received medals and a decorated pumpkin for their third-place finish.

“We just get better and better,” Bond said. “I’m really happy. I think it’s great we’re carrying on the tradition, hopefully for more years.

“I love all the girls. Our team is great.”

On the boys side, juniors Carter Kietzmann and Drew Cook placed 28th and 29th, respectively. Kietzmann finished in 18:08.55 and Cook in 18:09.23. Senior Dylan Staatz placed 38th in 18:23.37 and sophomore Chandler Hamman 42nd in 18:32. Freshman Calvin Morgan took 49th with an 18:50.81 time and junior Nicholas French 53rd (19:01.85).

The THS girls will run at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Wamego Country Club Golf Course in the 4A girls race. Phillips will run at 1:45 p.m. in the 4A boys race.