Dodge City boys, Great Bend girls favored in WAC XC
DODGE CITY RED DEMONS
Head Boys Coach: Buc Bolmer (26th season)
He’s been around the block long enough to know how competitive the Western Athletic Conference can be in cross country.
But Buc Bolmer, entering his 26th season at the helm of the Red Demons, said the 2019 boys WAC championship was one of the closest in memory, with only three points separating from first to third.
His Red Demons boys placed third in that battle with Great Bend and Garden City, eventually took third at the Class 6A regionals and then placed 10th at the state meet in Lawrence.
Despite losing Bethel signee Giovanni Valverde and Dodge City Community College signee Jair Martinez to graduation, Bolmer welcomes back a solid group of boys for 2020.
Leading the way is senior Angel Landeros, an all-WAC first-team selection and junior Martin Marquez, an honorable mention pick. Three returning seniors will compete for varsity spots, Bolmer said, and that group includes Alex Chavez,m Logan Starnes and Gerrado Ramirez. Juniors Josias and Alexis Romo will be in the mix as will sophomore David Ultreras.
“We have an experienced group of young men who are looking forward to running and challenging themselves and their teammates to have a successful season,” Bolmer said. “They have worked hard over the summer and can’t wait to get the season started. We have a solid group of runners and team leaders.”
Head Girls Coach: Brian Lenz (22nd season)
After a second-place finish in the 2019 WAC Championship, veteran Lady Demons’ head coach Brian Lenz is optimistically looking forward to the 2020 season.
With five of his top seven runners back, Lenz believes his team has a shot at the top spot in the WAC and improved finishes in the postseason.
The optimism comes from having Serenity Larson return as the top runner a year ago, placing fourth in the WAC, fifth in regionals and 43rd at state. Norma Rodriguez was seventh, 13th and 52nd while Daisy Orozco was 11th, 14th and 79th. Also back in the fold are Karina Estrada (20th, 11th, 98th) and Karina Herrera (19th, 16th, 85th).
“We return our top runners and a lot of experience from the important meets,” Lenz said. “We’re looking to improve on finishes at WAC, regional and state and the WAC meet should be very competitive and exciting.”
2020 Season Schedule: Sept. 5—Boys at Wichita Lake Afton; Girls at Perryton, Texas; Sept. 10—at Hesston; Sept. 17—at Hays Inv. (Sand Plum Nature Trail, Victoria); Sept. 24—at Goddard (Lake Afton); Sept. 26—at Lawrence Rim Rock Farm Inv.; Oct. 3—at Newton Centennial Park; Oct. 10—at Salina Bill Burke Complex; Oct. 15—WAC at Liberal; Oct. 24—6A Regionals, Wichita State; Oct. 31—6A State, Lawrence Rim Rock Farm.
GARDEN CITY BUFFALOES
Head Coach: Krista Linenberger (23rd season)
In 2019, the Garden City Buffaloes cross country teams had their share of late-season heroics as the boys captured the WAC title by just two points over Great Bend and three points in front of Dodge City in one of the closest races in recent history.
Gone from that Buffalo squad is individual league medalist Ethan Fisher.
On the girls side, the Lady Buffs struggled as a team, placing fourth at the WAC, but did have a breakout season from then freshman Jocelyn Sosa, who placed second at the league meet, then won the 6A regional in Wichita before placing 23rd at the Class 6A state meet.
Veteran coach Krista Linenberger enters her 23rd season at the program’s helm and she will have to find runners to replace Destiny Avila, Kaety Kohlhost and Anna Casados on the girls side and Austin Hess, Jeremy Garcia and Santiago on the boys side.
In addition to Sosa, Lineneberger will look to junior Andrea Hernandez, who placed 28th in the league, and 31st at regionals. Kiera Hageman, now a sophomore, showed early promise before being injured and missed most of the last portion of 2019, but is now back and healthy.
For the boys, Linenberger will look to four varsity returners for leadership and improved performances. That group includes senior Brody Hoff, who was 10th, 13th and 62nd at WAC, regionals and state. A pair of sophomores had strong freshman seasons – Devin Chappel (11th, 20th, 81st) and Evan Gurrola (13th, 25th, 90th). Junior Kenji Craig rounds out that group of varsity returners (23rd, 47th, 100th). Newcomers expected to battle for varsity spots are senior Emilio Arteaga and junior Isaiah Casados, both of whom ran JV in 2019.
“We will struggle to find a strong seven early into the season,” Linenberger said. “But I am convinced we will have a solid five by later in the season for the boys. We have a couple of new girls who will help Jocelyn for sure. Keeping Kiera healthy is key also.”
The experienced gained in 2019 will be invaluable to the Buffs, Linenberger said.
“We were young last year and relatively inexperienced at the varsity level,” she said. “More maturity and tight packing will be extremely important for us this season.”
2020 Schedule: Sept. 3—at Great Bend Inv.; Sept. 10—at Hesston; Sept. 17—at Hays Inv.; Sept. 26—Open, TBD ; Oct. 3—at Newton Inv.; Oct. 10—at El Dorado Inv.; Oct. 15—WAC, at Liberal; Oct. 24—Class 6A Regionals, TBD; Oct. 31—Class 6A State, Lawrence-Rim Rock Farm.
GREAT BEND PANTHERS
Head Coach: Lyles Lashley (5th season)
The 2019 cross country season proved to be a highly-successful one for both the girls and boys teams at Great Bend High School.
The Lady Panthers captured the WAC title behind the gold-medal winning efforts of the now graduated Mayra Ramirez while the Panther boys just missed the team title by two points, being edged out by Garden City.
For the Lady Panthers, though, the cupboard is far from bare, as fifth-year coach Lyles Lashley returns five of his top seven runners. That group includes Emilia Diaz, who was third in both the WAC and the Class 5A regional while placing 12th at the state meet. Others returning are Haley McCormick, Emma Loomis, Hannah Loomis and August Siefkes. McCormick placed 9th in regionals and 41st at state while Emma Loomis was 15th and 54th, respectively.
“We should be a more mature and stronger team with the returners,” Lashley said. “Despite losing our two front runners, we have several freshmen who will look to help fill that void.”
Lashley said his top freshmen include Morgan Beckwith, Addy Nicholson and Eliana Jackson.
The boys squad, however, will face a probable rebuilding season, having graduated four of its top five runners. The best of the returners is Kaden Esfeld, who placed third in both the WAC and 5A regionals while earning a 31st place finish at the state meet. The other returning varsity runner is Matthew Huslig, 22nd at WAC and 39th at regionals.
2020 Schedule: Sept. 3—GREAT BEND INV.; Sept. 10—at Hesston; Sept. 17—at Buhler Inv.; Sept. 26—at KU Rim Rock Inv.; Oct. 3—at Newton Inv.; Oct. 15—at WAC, Liberal; Oct. 24—Class 5A Regionals; Oct. 31—Class 5A State, Lawrence-Rim Rock Farm.
HAYS HIGH INDIANS
Head Coach: Jerold Harris (11th season)
The 2019 cross country season for veteran coach Jerold Harris had mixed results with young teams finishing third in the WAC girls division and fifth in the boys side.
Graduation didn’t hit particularly hard, though, with Harris losing only Yesonia Maldonado for the Lady Indians and Nathan Erbert and Grant Brungart for the boys.
The top returner for the girls team will be Amelia Joeger, who placed fifth in the tough WAC championship, seventh in the Class 5A regional and placed 33rd at the state meet in Lawrence. In addition, Harris has returners Landri Dotts and Claire Shippy.
Three returning starters will highlight the boys side of running as Landon Viegra, Zachary Chance and Fernando Zarate all gained valuable experience a year ago.
“We have a great mix of youth and experience,” Harris said of his girls squad. “We’re showing better depth than in recent years.”
Harris was pleased with what his runners did during the summer workouts despite the COVID-19 outbreak.
“We’re very young,” Harris said of his boys squad. “I’m very excited as we had a great summer of logging miles. We will also have a good mix of youth and experience.”
2020 Schedule: Sept. 3—at Great Bend; Sept. 10—at Hesston; Sept. 17—HAYS INV.; Sept. 24—at McPherson; Ot. 3—at Junction City; Oct. 10—at Salina Central; Oct. 15—WAC, at Liberal; Oct. 24—5A Regionals; Oct. 31—5A State.
LIBERAL REDSKINS
Head Coach: Stan Kachel (2nd season)
Stan Kachel will be going into his second season as the head coach for Liberal’s cross country teams and he has high hopes of seeing improvements from 2019 when the Redskins placed fifth (girls) and fourth (boys) at the WAC Championships.
Gone from those teams are Audrey Gilmore and Erika Valverde for the Lady Redskins but no top runners on the boys team were lost to graduation.
For the girls, Kachel welcomes back Hallie West, a sophomore, who placed sixth in the WAC and ninth at regionals; Reece Hay, a senior, who was 29th at WAC and 36th at regionals while Ava Maxwell, now a sophomore, was 36th in WAC and 42nd at regionals.
On the boys side, three seniors return with a wealth of experience in Alex Lopez, Edwin Murillo and Aaron Barboza. They were 15th, 20th and 26th at WAC and 55th, 35th and 31st at 6A regionals. A pair of promising sophomores also are back in Daniel Amparan (24th WAC) and Elian Laguna (48th regionals).
Kachel is also excited about the addition of freshman newcomer Daiela Cerda, who captured the WAC middle school eighth grade title a year ago while senior Hallie Payton is a new addition to the roster.
“I think our girls will expect to compete harder this year now that they know what to expect after the coaching changes of a year ago,” Kachel said.
For the boys, Kachel said the experience from a year ago will be beneficial to the 2020 success.
“We have great leadership and will be looking to move up from our fourth place finish and eighth place finish at regionals,” Kachel said.
2020 Schedule: Sept. 3—at Meade; Sept. 10—at Hesston; Sept. 19—at Hugoton; Sept. 26—Lawrence-Rim Rock Inv.; Oct. 3—at Newton; Oct. 10—at El Dorado; Oct. 15—WAC, at Liberal; Oct. 24—6A Regional; Oct. 31—6A State.
Coaches Preseason Poll:
Girls: 1. Dodge City; 2. Great Bend; 3. Hays; 4. Garden City; 5. Liberal.
Boys: 1. Dodge City; 2. Garden City; 3. Great Bend; 4. Liberal; 5. Hays.
