HUMBOLDT — Crest senior runner Josie Walter has renewed her love for cross country, and it showed as the senior took second at Monday’s Humboldt Invitational.
Walter was just 9 seconds off the pace of Humboldt champion Kyndal Bugni, but Walter feels she has plenty of room to improve as the cross country season enters its home stretch.
“Over the last year, I lost the love of running that I had,” Walter said. “I went from one of the top runners in the state to a runner a lot slower than I used to be, and it was just finding a love for the sport again and trusting Jesus along the way.”
Several teams bowed out of Monday’s rescheduled race, as it was a day before the previously scheduled Eureka Invitational. Crest’s Walter and sophomore fourth-place finisher Kallei Robb decided to run. The field didn’t lack for talent, either, with Pittsburg, Coffeyville and other large programs joining the fray. Having seen these schools before at the Central Heights Invitational, Walter was not intimidated.
“I built my confidence and faith. Today I was running more for fun rather than performance,” Walter said. “I didn’t go into the race expecting much, but coming out second leaves me very motivated. Going from not even being able to finish at Fort Scott, I leaned into that. I saw everyone supporting me and realized the time on the clock doesn’t really matter.”
Walter finished the course in 22:50, followed by Robb at 24:01. Moments later, Humboldt’s first finisher freshman Aspen Wimsett cleared the course in 25:11 for sixth place, then senior teammate Tori Melendez took 11th in 25:55.
Marmaton Valley senior runner Sophia Heim crossed the finish line in 26:05 for 12th, while Humboldt senior Teghen Jaro snatched up the last medal with her 20th-place finish in 28:01. Senior Mallory Sinclair took 24th after clearing the course in 29:28, followed by teammates senior Josey Ellis at 26th in 30:06 and sophomore Reagan Marple in 31:50. Evva Sanders, MVHS sophomore, took 28th in 30:06 and MVHS freshman Emma Louk took 29th in 32:56. Humboldt junior Jo Ellison rounded out the pack with a 30th-place finish in 33:14.
In the men’s 5K, MVHS freshman Brayden Endicott was the only local top ten finisher, but plenty of area runners walked away with medals Monday. Endicott cleared the course 19:09 and, similar to Walter, he feels he has plenty of room to grow this season and beyond.
“It gives me a lot of confidence,” Endicott said. “If I can do well this year, just imagine next year and the next. I try not to think about it too much and get too cocky, but you never know.”
Crest freshman Degon Denny medaled after finishing in 13th place with a time of 19:57 for the final sub 20-minute race of the day.
Humboldt junior Jack Works took 15th with a time of 21:18, followed by MVHS sophomore Thomas Allee, who took 18th in 21:43 and junior Humboldt runner Emmitt Carson, who was the final local medalist at 19th place in 21:48.
Rounding up the pack were MVHS junior Brendon Newman (23rd, 23:03), Crest freshman Wyatt Francis (25th, 23:55), MVHS sophomore Colin Ard (27th, 24:49) Crest freshman Lukas Blaufuss (30th, 26:39) and Humboldt sophomore Carter Collins (31st, 27:57).
Boys eighth-grade 2-mile run: 5. Jaren Curl, MVHS, 13:01; 6. Daniel Allee, MVHS, 13:33; 9. Lukas Taylor, Crest, 14:16; 10. Case Drake, MVHS, 14:16; 13. Deegan Megenity, Humboldt, 15:35; 17. Marcus Whitcomb, Humboldt, 18:04.
Boys sixth and seventh-grade 2-mile run: 1. Oscar Bloom, MVHS, 14:21; 2. Isaac Francis, Crest, 14:39; 3. Nash Holloway, 14:44; 4. Kreed Miller, Crest, 15:09; 7. Doug Dixs, MVJS, 16:16; 9. Thomas Retana, MVHS, 17:07.
Girls eighth-grade 2-mile run: 1. Lynnex Allen, Crest, 12:53; 2. Jordan Allen, Crest, 13:45.Boys sixth and seventh-grade 2-mile run: 1. Piper Schmidt, Crest, 15:01; 2. Klaire Nilges, Crest, 15:26; 3. Ashley Yoder, Crest, 15:56; 5. Petra Billings, Crest, 18:17.
