Cross country heading to state
By LHSports
The cross country teams competed at the Class 3A regional in Norton, with the Lakin boys qualifying to state as a team.
Austin Ritsema finished second and Alex Luce third to help the boys to a runner-up finish behind Holcomb. The Longhorns had 39 points to Lakin’s 71. Scott City was third with 86.
The top three teams qualify for state, with the top 15 placers qualifying for state regardless if their team qualified for state.
Brody Deniston of Holcomb won the meet in 16:02.7, two seconds ahead of Ritsema and 15 seconds ahead of Luce.
Zael Bermudez finished 19th, Blake Matthews 26th, Gabe Cox 27th, Camden Bergkamp 31st, and Josiah Shotlz 47th.
Lakin’s girls were led by Emma Miller in 22nd (21:50) and Claire Barnhardt in 29th (22:16).
The state meet will run Saturday in Lawrence at Rim Rock Farm. Last season, the boys finished sixth on that same course.
Last year, Luce medaled seventh and Ritsema 10th.
In 2022, Luce finished 11th and Ritsema 13th. In 2021, Luce was 11th and Ritsema 13th.