The THS boys advanced again last year as a team. The Chieftains finished seventh as a team. Oh, and they also had an individual champion.

Eli Gilmore, arguably the most decorated student-athlete in THS history, won the Class 4A state championship. He was a four-year state qualifier who finished among the elite every year. He placed in the Top 5 his freshman, sophomore and junior years before putting it all together for a state title in 2022. And this past May, he became the first boys student-athlete in Kansas preps history to win the 400, 800, 1,600 and 3,200 at the state track and field meet. Only two girls in Kansas high school history had accomplished the feat before him.

Gilmore now is running at the collegiate level for Pittsburg State, but boy are there plenty of returning runners – and rising newcomers in the freshman.

“I think this team could go a long way,” said senior Michael Bottary.

Fellow senior Roman Staples agreed.

“With the new additions we have, I think we could do really well,” he said. “With the numbers we have this year. It’s kinda crazy how much we do have.”

Staples went on to discuss keys to a successful season. He predicts the squad could be in a great position to make noise at the Frontier League meet and regionals before pushing for a state run.

“We have all the tools,” Staples said. “We just have to put it all together, starting with the Red/White Scrimmage.”

The intrasquad scrimmage is set for Saturday as long as the weather cooperates and excessive heat doesn’t thwart those plans.

Bottary and Staples both bemoaned getting up at 5 a.m. for earlier practices due to the heat. At least other teams are dealing with similar conditions.

“It’s still 80,” Bottary joked, referring to the temperature with the early sessions.

Other seniors on the squad are Ben Plake, TJ Schmid, Joseph Turner and Harold Merei.

On the girls side, Kinnley Hoffhines is hoping for another trip to state, but this time with her full team.

Hoffhines is a two-time state qualifier, but the Chieftains haven’t been to state as a full team during her high school tenure yet.

She hopes she can help motivate teammates with her own state experiences as the squad eyes that ultimate goal of qualifying for state with her “family.”

“Cross country is always a family you can go back to,” she explained. “I don’t think I’d be doing cross country if weren’t for the people.”

Fellow senior Molly Cullen said paying attention to the coaches and their training will be key this fall. And as Emiline Liebeno noted, “work hard and run fast. And do what we should be.”

Cullen said the heat wave has made practices more difficult, but “we still make it work.”

Hoffhines said the squad was pushing through the hotter conditions.

“Even though it’s so hot, it’s the memories we create as a team I think that pushes everyone further,” she said. “Heat is definitely a down side.”

Regardless of the weather, team needs to be the theme, she noted.

“Just growing closer as a team,” Hoffhines said. “If we think of it as individual sport, we won’t push each other to state. It’s a full team sport and individual sport at the same time.”

Other seniors on this year’s squad are Alaina Rogers and Madison Ziolo. Manager is Cale Anderson.

Tonganoxie opens the regular season with a 9 a.m. dual Sept. 2 against Lansing at the Leavenworth County Fairgrounds. The first invitational of the season will be 9 a.m. Sept. 9 at Wamego.