Only four girls cross country teams at the 4A level can say that they have won back-to-back-to-back state championships.
But the Cardinals became the fifth on Saturday after the team beat out Baldwin and Clay Center to secure their third straight state title.
“Honestly, it’s amazing,” senior Sydney Owens said. “It’s awesome. It’s so fun to make history, and it’s so fun to do it with this team and these coaches because they’re amazing.”
As she crossed the finish line at Wamego Country Club Saturday, sophomore Addie Williams said something was telling her that the team had done it once again.
“I had a gut feeling that we won,” Williams said. “It was one of the best feelings I’ve felt ever. It was just so exhilarating. Everyone’s adrenaline was through the roof even though we just ran 3.1 miles, 5K. Everyone was just so happy, and everyone was proud of each other. There were some tears shed for me, but they were tears of joy, and I’m just so happy and proud of everyone.”
Head coach Jim Barnard said he held his breath while he waited for the official results to come in, but he was thankful to breathe again once he saw the Cardinals were on top.
“They were doing something new this year at the state meet. They were giving times and teams score splits at the one mile and the two mile [marks], and so I knew we were in the lead, but it wasn’t by much,” Barnard said. “But as the race kept unfolding, we kept just kind of passing the eye test, like looking at the race, and looking where we were. So we felt good about it. But it still took like 20 minutes after the race finished before the results would be official. So, it was just a relief knowing that it was real.”
Owens said she got teary-eyed once the results became official.
“I just started bawling because it was awesome,” she said. “For a second they were like, ‘Oh, maybe, it’s unofficial,’ and then as soon as it was official it was just awesome to go out that way.”
Owens said what makes this team special is its ability to stick with each other even in the face of pressure that comes with winning.
“I think whether you have that target on your back or not, there is always going to be some sort of pressure. I think it’s just knowing how to deal with that pressure,” Owens said. “I think our team does a really good job of that and being there for each other and telling each other that, ‘You can do it, and just relax and you got it.’”
Owens helped lead the Cardinals to the title as she was the individual state champion with a time of 18:47.82.
Junior Hanna Keltner finished right behind Owens to claim the state runner-up title with a time of 18:59.57.
Keltner said she and Owens couldn’t have asked for a better way to end the season together.
“After the race, me and Sydney, we just looked at each other and we’re like, ‘Man, we just did that. That’s crazy,’” Keltner said. “There’s not a lot of teammates that can say they went one and two at state cross country. I’m just really proud of Sydney because that girl has been working her butt off. She is an amazing girl. She worked so hard and she really deserved it today.”
Williams placed 13th with a time of 20:19.76 to earn a state medal as well.
Seniors Addison Metcalf and Sophie Whalen finished in 33rd and 37th with times of 21:17.83 and 21:30.04, respectively.
Senior Jayla Erpelding placed 48th with a time of 21:53.02.
Sophomore Camila Garcia rounded out the girls team by placing 69th with a time of 22:39.25.
Barnard said he is incredibly fortunate to be the coach of a team that is willing to put in the work required to win three straight championships.
“It’s a testament to the kids and how hard they work to keep winning that long,” Barnard said. “You have kids that graduate, new kids that come in. So, it’s just really a testament to the leaders that started it, and just kind of showed the young kids how to do it year after year.”
Williams said she is happy to give the team’s seniors a championship sendoff.
“I’m definitely going to miss these seniors. These are probably my favorite batch of seniors, and last year’s, all of them, I love them to death,” Williams said. “But, I feel like we made them proud and we made sure to tell them that they made us proud.”
Keltner said she hopes this win for the cross country team as well as the recent success of all of Eudora’s girls sports teams will draw more attention to the programs.
“Some people don’t think they’re [girls sports] as interesting to watch, but Eudora girls, watching us go to volleyball state and watching us go to golf [state], and to all these places in all these different sports, it’s just amazing,” Keltner said. “Cross country is a sport that’s kind of looked over at some times. But we’ve kind of shed light on just how fun cross country can be and how rewarding it is to see so much success.”
Arnold finishes second, Clobes 35th
As they stepped up to the starting line for their final high school race, seniors Zach Arnold and Alex Clobes were amped up to get after it Saturday.
“Me and Alex were really pumped. I’m glad that we can be so positive,” Arnold said. “It’s really nerve racking, you know, if you’ve ever been on that line. There’s nothing more scary sometimes. But, I think that Alex and I really brought some good positive energy towards each other.”
Arnold placed second on the day with a time of 15:59.61, which was less than a second behind first-place finisher Caleb Muehler of McPherson who finished with a 15:58.74.
Arnold said he was disappointed to not win the individual state championship, but he was proud of the race he ran.
“It was a great run by me. Coach said I couldn’t have really run it any better than the way I did, and sometimes in life and in sports things may not go the way you planned, and that’s OK,” Arnold said. “But I think this will help to give me some more extra motivation and help me out in my future plans and future goals.”
Clobes finished in 35th with a time of 17:37.40.
While the placement may not look flashy, Clobes said he ran one of his best times Saturday.
“There’s always disappointment. I mean, I’ve always been shooting for that top 20, but it’s better than I did last year,” Clobes said. “In everything you can always find a silver lining and give thanks for it. Honestly, I’m happy I could do my best. It wasn’t 100%, but I’ll take 99. It was a good way to finish the season.”
Both boys said they enjoyed sharing the state stage with each other in their final race together.
“Alex and I have been together forever. He’s been a good friend of mine for a long time, and I’m very proud of him to see him be here with me,” Arnold said. “I’m really glad that he was because being on that line by myself, it would’ve been tough, for sure. But I have Alex, and I’m really proud of that kid.”
Buhler, Wamego and Tonganoxie were the top three teams on the boys side, respectively.
Reach reporter Jack Denebeim at [email protected]
If you appreciate our sports coverage, please donate. Our newspaper depends on your donations to provide coverage of Eudora and continue providing local news.
To donate to support our community journalism, please go to this link: tinyurl.com/y4u7stxj
