Great Bend girls’ experience to carry Lady Panthers
Two-time WAC Female Runner of the Year Serenity Larson of Dodge City has graduated and moved onto the college ranks but the top two boys over the past two seasons are back for their curtain-call senior seasons.
That would be two-time WAC champion and Boys Runner of the Year Kaiden Esfeld of Great Bend and Garden City’s Devin Chappel. The first and second place WAC finishers also had strong performances in their respective state meets in 2021 as Esfeld placed third in Class 5A while Chappel took fourth in Class 6A. Running over the same layout on the same day, Esfeld’s time was just two seconds faster than Chappel’s. One can only surmise that, if both are healthy, this year’s battle could be one for the record and memory books.
Chappel led a strong contingent of underclassmen a year ago that enabled the Buffaloes to edge Dodge City, 30-34, for the boys team title while Great Bend’s girls, also bolstered by underclassmen, won the team title easily, scoring 27 points to 54 for runner-up Dodge City.
The group of Lady Panthers will be led by Marissa Boone, Diane Alvarez, Addy Nicholson and Eliana Beckham. Boone, Alvarez and Nicholson ran second, third and fifth at the WAC a year ago and then helped the team to a third-place finish at the 5A state meet.
The 2022 WAC Championship will be run Oct. 13 over the hills of Buffalo Dunes Golf Course in Garden City.
GIRLS PREVIEW
DODGE CITY
Mascot: Lady Red Demons
Class: 6A
Coach: Brian Lenz (24th season)
2021 in Review: WAC, 2nd place; 6A State, 11th place.
Top Returners: Alex Gere, 10th place WAC, 2nd team all-WAC; 6A regional, 9th; Andrea Yates, WAC, 22nd; 6A regional, 15th.
Coach’s Comments: “We are looking to replace five runners (including two time WAC Champion Serenity Larson) from last year’s team. We have a good group that will need to develop together to have a chance to be good.”
GARDEN CITY
Mascot: Lady Buffaloes
Class: 6A
Coach: Krista Linenberger (21st season)
2021 in Review: Team placed 4th in the WAC and then took 3rd at 6A regional to qualify for state where they finished 12th.
Top Returners: Cate Wiese, So. (6th in WAC); Jocelyn Sosa, Sr.; Samantha Orozco, Sr.; Joscelyn Monarrez, Sr.; Kiera Hageman, Sr.; Natalie Guevara, So.; Riley Sekavec, So.
Top Newcomers: Avery Meng, Sr.; Chelsea Torres, So.
Coach’s Comments: “We are returning a good number of varsity runners and that will be one of our strengths. I’m excited to see where and how these kids will step up and help us out. It’s always exciting to begin a new season and to watch runners progress. Hopefully, we stay injury and sickness free and can just focus on surprising a few teams in the east.
GREAT BEND
Mascot: Lady Panthers
Class: 5A
Coach: Lyles Lashley (7th season)
2021 in Review: 1st in WAC, scoring just 27 points to defeat Dodge City which scored 54. Lady Panthers then finished 3rd at the Class 5A State championship.
Top Returners: Marissa Boone, 2nd in WAC, 8th in regionals; 17th in state; Diane Alvarez, 3rd in WAC, 7th in regionals, 30th at state; Addy Nicholson, 5th in WAC, 5th at regionals, 21st at state; Eliana Beckham, 9th at WAC, 6th at regionals, 25th at state; Reese King, 14th at WAC and regionals.
Top Newcomers: Sienna smith, Morgan Beckwith, both who ran two years ago.
Coach’s Comments: “The girls are looking to try and keep the momentum rolling from last country and track seasons (2nd team, Class 5A state).”
HAYS
Mascot: Lady Indians
Class: 5A
Coach: Lyles Lashley (27th season)
2021 in Review: 3rd in WAC; 10th at Class 5A state.
Top Returners: Arely Maldonado, 13th WAC; 12th regional; 55th state; Brenlynn Albers, 12th WAC, 19th regionals; Brynn Kinderknecht, 21st WAC, 23rd regionals; Julia Zadina, 22nd regionals; Jaycine Watson, 31st WAC; Avery Winter, 20th WAC; Mika Zimmerman.
Coach’s Comments: “The girls could be competitive. We add some freshmen that could make our varsity in time. We pretty much return our whole team that finished 10th at Class 5A state. A couple of our girls that would have been on varsity last year were injured late in the season. If we stay healthy, our depth could help us.”
LIBERAL
Mascot: Lady Reds
Class: 6A
Coach: Stan Kachel (4th season)
2021 in Review: 5th, WAC.
Top Returners: Hallie West, Sr., 18th regional; 92nd state; Daniela Cerda, 5th regional, 23rd state; Isabela Gutierrez, So., 16th regionals, 89th state.
Coach’s Comments: “We are looking to break into the top three teams at regionals.”
BOYS PREVIEW
DODGE CITY
Mascot: Red Demons
Class: 6A
Coach: Buc Bolmer (29th season
2021 in Review: 2nd in WAC Championship
Top Returners: David Ultreras, Matthew Banuelos, Danny Lamas. These three finished 6th, 7th and 8th in the 2021 WAC to earn 2nd team all-WAC honors.
Coach’s Comments: “We want to be competitive and we will be setting team goals and working to achieve them. I think we have a good nucleus to build around.”
GARDEN CITY
Mascot: Buffaloes
Class: 6A
Coach: Krista Linenberger (21st season as head coach)
2021 in Review: Buffs won the WAC title by four points (30-34 over Dodge City) by placing two runners in the top five runners – Devin Chappel (2nd), Kailyn Munoz (3rd) and two more in the top 10 – Evan Gurrola (9th) and Taran Castro (10th). Team placed 10th in Class 6A State.
Top Returners: Devin Chappel, Sr.—2nd in WAC, 6A Regional champion, 6A state 4th place; Evan Gurrola, Sr., 9th WAC; Kailyn Munoz, Jr., 3rd in WAC; Taran Castro, So., 10th WAC; Hayden Nemechek, So.
Top Newcomers: Lawson-Weilert-Beymer, Sr., transfer from Lakin; Trevor Fry, Fr., from Horace Good Middle School.
Coach’s Comments: “We are returning a good number of varsity runners from last year. That will be one of our strengths. We made a trip to state a year ago so having that experience also helps us down the road. We had a good number of kids train throughout the summer and that will be key for us to be a competitive postseason team.”
GREAT BEND
Mascot: Panthers
Class: 5A
Coach: Lyles Lashley (7th season)
2021 in Review: The Panthers were unable to field a team, but Kaiden Esfeld proved an elite runner again, repeating as WAC individual champion, regional champion and third place in Class 5A state meet.
Top Returners: Kaiden Esfeld (1st WAC; 1st 5A regional; 3rd, 5A state).
Top Newcomers: Tavon Stroup; Ismael Ramirez.
Coach’s Comments: ”The boys are hoping to have enough runners to compete at the WAC. Kaiden should once again be one of the premier cross country runners in Kansas.”
HAYS
Mascot: Indians
Class: 5A
Coach: Jerold Harris (27th season)
2021 in Review: 4th, WAC.
Top Returners: Elijah McCullough, 26th WAC; 42nd regionals; Taevian Maupin, 12th WAC, 22nd regionals; Tacoma Augustine, 23rd WAC, 39th regionals; Leo Hernandez, 22nd regional.
Coach’s Comments: “Elijah McCullough and Taevian Maupin are coming into the season with a good summer base. The guys’ team should improve throughout the years.”
LIBERAL
Mascot: Redskins
Class: 6A
Coach: Stan Kachel (4th season)
2021 in Review: 3rd WAC.
Top Returners: M.J. Foster, Jr., 5th WAC, 1st team all-WAC; 15th regional; Daniel Amperan, Sr., 23rd regional; Bryan Ortega, 41st regional; Elian Laguna, 40th regional; David Villa; Joaquin Naranjo, 37th regional.
Top Newcomers: Cesar Pavia, Jr.
Coach’s Comments: “We have 20 boys out for the team who will compete for the top spots. We are looking to improve in both the WAC and shooting for a top three at regionals.”
