It was a great day in Kanzaland as 30 plus runners form the area and eight teams have qualified for state next weekend in their respective classes. The multitude of great performances at regionals included three regional champions all at Riley County, with Lukas Koch of Centralia win Class 1A boys competition and Audrey Schmitz of Axtell making it a Twin Valley League sweep in Class 1A, winning the girls competition at Riley County regional. While the other regional champ came in Class 3A girls competition, as Hiawatha's, Jordan Puvogel continued to win taking first place, as she has done in every competition this season.

The Kanzaland area will be represented by at least one runner in Class 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A at the state competitions coming up next weekend (for details on state sites and times --- click here)

Class 4A: (Bonner Springs Regional Results -- click here) (Anderson County Regional Results -- click here)

In Class 4A, two different regionals featured some Kanzaland area schools but it was the Bonner Springs regional that featured a majority of the teams and Kanzaland area runners. It was a tough task for the Kanzaland area runners on the day in Class 4A, but Atchison's, Sarah Jaloma paced her way to a seventh place finish (15:56.92) qualifying for state as a freshman. While, Connor Strader of Holton nabbed a spot at the state meet with a fifteenth place finish at regionals.

While the only boy from the Kanzaland area in Class 4A to qualify for state was Thomas Broxterman of Royal Valley.

Class 3A: (Riley County Regional Results -- click here)

Class 3A, features the most Kanzaland area runners qualifying for state as 14 individuals captured a spot in at state in the boys and girls competition at Riley County's course in Leonardville. The top performance of those 13 came at the hand of Hiawatha Redhawk, Jordan Puvogel as she raced her way to yet again another first place finish winning by 25 seconds (15:25.06). Puvogel only a sophomore looks primed for a great performance at state and dominance over the next few years in the world of cross country. Puvogel's teammate on the boys side, Tyler Beockman, also qualified for state finishing seventh.

Pleasant Ridge and Sabetha were the schools from the area to enjoy the most state bids captured. The Rams had three girls finish in the top 10 with one boy take a top 10 finish, also. Behind Rachel Hattok's sixth place, Hailey Worthington's ninth place and Kristina Silvers' tenth place the Rams girls team, also qualified for state as the top girls team in the Riley County regional. Tony Weber had the best Kanzaland area runner finish on the boys side taking second for the Rams.

For the Bluejays both the girls and boys teams will head to state as the boys finished second place and the girls third in the team scores. Bluejays, boys squad was lead by Trenton Cox and Corbin Cox and their fourth and sixth place finishes. While for the girls, it's been freshman, Taryn Schuette highlighting the team as she took eighth at regionals.

Nemaha Valley, Marysville, ACCHS and Horton will all be sending runners to state also with top 10 performers. On the girls side familiar faces Horton Charger senior, Leah Murata and ACCHS Tiger freshman, Madison Bissell both tabbed top five finishes at third and fifth; while Marysville Bulldog, Bryclin Alstrom finished eleventh but manage to qualify for state. While in the boys competition, Colin Lierz of Nemaha Valley and Joe Smith of Marysville took home fifth and seventh place finishes to qualify for state.

Class 2A: (Washington County Results -- click here) 

In Class 2A it was Washington County hosting all the Kanzaland area teams in Class 2A and nine Kanzaland runners finished in the top 10, while a few others qualified for state, also and two teams.

The top performance on the day went to the Jefferson County North Chargers girls who placed first place as a team behind four top 10 finishers. The Chargers girls had the top Kanzaland runner performance with Mallory Kramer capturing second place. Kramer was joined in the top 10 by her teammates, Laramie Leakey, Carissa McAfee and Abbie Weishaar who finished fifth, sixth and ninth, respectively. Chargers also notched top three finish in the boys competition with Dallas Edwards capturing third place.

Jackson Heights and host Washington County were the only other Kanzaland area schools to have qualifiers for state. The Cobras boys squad grabbed a third place team finish to qualify as a team for the state competition, as they were lead by Eric Mellenbruch's seventh place finish on the day. Corba, Kaitlynn Little also qualified for state with a fourth place finish.

For the Tigers they will be sending a boy and two girl runners to state, also, as Madison Stone took a seventh place finish and Mandi Allerheiligen qualified, too. While Dylan Hodgson placed second to qualify for the boys competition.

Valley Falls Dragon, Hunter Hosler finished thirteenth to also qualify for the state cross country meet.

Class 1A: (Riley County Regional Results -- click here) 

Two regional championships were captured by Class 1A Kanzaland area runners at Riley County's regional meet. For the boys it was a gentleman that has won every race he's competed in this season in Centralia Panther, Lukas Koch and the regional was not any different winning the competition by 22 seconds with a time of 16:35.50. The girls competition, was no competition as Axtell Eagle, Audrey Schmitz cruised to a regional title winning by over a minute.

Audrey was joined by two of her teammates in the top 10 in the girls competition with Tricia Schmitz and Susan Peschel placing sixth and seventh, respectively. The three top 10 finishes helped pace the Eagles to a girls team regional title, while the boys Eagles squad qualified for state also with a third place finish. That third place team finish for the Eagles boys team was paced by Tracy Schmitz and Shane Torrey who finished fourth and seventh on the day.

Centralia, also saw one other runner qualify for as Julia Klute place ninth in the girls competition.

One other team qualified for state that was the Frankfort Wildcat boys as they took home second place as a team. The Wildcats were lead by sophomore, Adam Koch who placed third on the day finishing in the top five like he has done a majority of the season.

Clifton-Clyde is the other school to be sending runners to state with Abby Sikes taking fourth and Colby Sorell a tenth place finish.

Kanzland area saw 10 individuals with top 10 performance and three teams qualify for state in Class 1A.