Full Jeff West Cross Country Invitational Girls Results - click here 
Full Jeff West Cross Country Invitational Boys Results - click here

The start gun sounded for the first time on Thursday for the cross country season for several area teams as they competed at the Jeff West Invitational. 

Leading the charge for the area performances was the Hiawatha Red Hawks as the lady Red Hawks snagged first place as a team with 34 total points. Christ Prep took second in the girls competition, while Perry Lecompton placed third. Sabetha, Holton and Northern Heights finished out the girls team performances placing fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively. In the boys action, Hiawatha had the best area performance finishing third, while Christ Prep and KC East Christian Academy took second and first, respectively. Perry Lecompton and Royal Valley boys placed fourth and fifth as teams, while McLouth, Sabetha and Jeff West finished sixth, seventh and eighth. 

The Hiawatha Red Hawks on their way to first place as girl’s team were led by the performance of Elizabeth Kettler one of the top area runners as she won the girls race competing against 76 other runners posting a time of 20:57.94, while her teammates, Emma Williams (23:38.47) and Mary Rosa (23:59.94) raced to eighth and tenth place finishes. Aly Shamburg added a 17th place finish for the lady Red Hawks. On the boys side Gavin Lierz (19:14.02) snagged an eighth place finish helping the Red Hawk boys finish third. While, Parker Winters raced to 11th place and Kade Tollefson finished 18th. 

Perry Lecompton Kaw ladies earned third place as a team and were led by Lexia Jamison (22:59.51) who ran to second place, while Blasie Ball finished 14th and Jolie Hirsch placed 18th for the lady Kaws. Canaan Daniels and Bryce Wheeler each picked up Top 20 finishes for the Kaw boys cross country team racing to finishes of 12th and 16th. 

The best area performance in the boy’s race came from Wetmore Cardinal, Aaron Achten (18:43.46) who posted the fourth best time on the day. 

Second best area time in the boy’s competition was from Keegan Cox (19:06.71) of Sabetha who finished seventh, while Henry Glynn placed 20th. For the lady Bluejays Megan Meyer (23:51.88) notched a Top 10 finish placing ninth to highlight their day. 

Big Seven League schools in Royal Valley, Holton, ACCHS and Jeff West all had Top 20 finishers on the day. For the Panthers, Katie Hanshaw (23:32.70) paced their performances finishing seventh in the girls competition, while Garrett Hicks placed 14th in the boys competition. 

Holton had Taygen Altenburg had the only Top 20 finish for the Wildcats placing 20th in the girls action, while ACCHS was led by Victoria Caplinger who raced to a 12th place finish in the girls race. The host Jeff West Tigers had Taylor Giltner finish 19th in the girl’s competition. 

Valley Falls Dragons also competed at the Jeff West Invitational and Justin Myers (19:28.57) grabbed a 10th place finish in the boys race, while McLouth had a three of Top 20 finishes with Ceara Funk finishing 16th in the girls race, while Braeden Pfau placed 15th and Dakota Driskill finished 19th in the boys race.