Northern Heights, Olpe primed to defend state titles
No sooner had Northern Heights wrapped up its sweep of last year's Class 3A state cross country titles than Wildcat coach Kristi Lockyear began evaluating her teams' prospects for the 2000 season. Lockyear readily admits that she wondered just how she would replace her top two girls' runners and three of her top five boys.
Olpe coach Tom Camien knew the feeling. His girls' squad captured the Class 2-1A crown last year, but the Eagles graduated three seniors that were the foundation of the program.
Whatever questions both Lockyear and Camien had about the championship caliber of their team have been answered resoundingly this season. Entering Saturday's state meet at Wamego Country Club, all three squads are in position to defend their respective titles.
"It looks pretty good," Lockyear said. "It's kind of up for grabs on either side and we're right there. It's going to be whichever team comes through Saturday.
"That's been our goal all year. We know it's going to be tough, but it was tough last year, too."
So far this season, Heights has come up big time and time again. The girls' team has not been beaten and last Saturday's regional crown was the Wildcats' fourth straight. The boys' squad has been beaten by only Riley County (twice) and 4A power Wamego.
Any anticipated dropoff from graduating top runners Carissa VanGundy and Janice Yingst on the girls' side and Matt Watt, Logan Frank and Dustin Kuhn from the boys' team simply has not occurred. Those shoes were hardly easy to fill as all five were four-year varsity performers and the cornerstones of Lockyear's program.
But as the saying goes, Heights has just reloaded. No. 1 runners Justin Johnson and Amy VanGundy are enjoying their best years by far.
Johnson is one of the top contenders for the 3A crown, along with Jayhawk-Linn's Tyler Applegate, Belleville's Tony Hoops, Central Heights' Shane Teter and Hoisington's Adam Willis. The senior Wildcat finished third to Applegate and Teter at last Saturday's regional, but was battling a hip problem and also ran an extra 100 meters after making a wrong turn on the course.
"We need to have a scorecard with a No. 1 on it," Lockyear said. "Justin's certainly capable of winning."
VanGundy would be a title hopeful if Riley County's Erin Mortimer wasn't around. Instead, the junior, finally healthy, should be among the next wave vying for the runner-up spot.
The key to Heights' success, however has been the emergence of unknown commodities. Holdovers such as Morgan Howard -- the lone senior on the girls' team -- and Garett Frank have made prominent leaps. Newcomers Ashley Johnson and Sarah Lockyear have been more-than-pleasant surprises.
"Ashley was a phenomenal find," Coach Lockyear said. "She and Sarah are going to be our Carissa and Janice for the next three years. We've just been tough as nails all season."
Southwestern Heights, which spent most of the season at No. 1 after finishing runner-up last year, should be the Wildcats' top challenger in the girls' race. Heights boys also are ranked No. 1, sharing the spot with Holcomb, and will have to fend off Riley County, among others.
Olpe may not enter Saturday with a No. 1 ranking, but Camien isn't about to sell his team short. Not after what he's seen them do this season.
Needing to replace the departed Ann Marie Zeller, Stefanie Samuels and Lana Stueve, Camien turned to a talented freshman class. The results have been even better than he could have anticipated.
"I couldn't really ask for more," Camien said. "The freshmen we picked up are probably better than the three we lost last year. As a team, we're better this year. But by no means did I expect them to do what they've done."
Sophomore Allison Samuels gave Olpe a legit top returner, but she's been somewhat overshadowed by freshman Michelle Stueve. A regional champion last Saturday, Stueve has not lost to a 2-1A runner this year and the only people to beat her are Mortimer, defending 4A champion Trisha Culbertson of Burlington and Mission Valley's Blair Spencer.
Fellow frosh Sheila Zeller and Mandy Cole -- who didn't join the team until close to mid-season because she was playing volleyball -- have also shined.
Olpe has lost just once this year, getting beat by Northern Heights. The Eagles will enter the state meet ranked third and Camien has no concerns about how his young team will handle the pressure of the state meet.
"With some freshmen, that might be a problem," Camien said. "But this group is so darn competitive that I don't know if they'll know any better than to just go out and compete as hard as they can. They're a special bunch."
• Saturday's race order will be: 3A girls, 9 a.m.; 4A girls, 9:30; 3A boys, 10; 2A girls, 10:30; 4A boys, 11; 2A boys, 11:30.
Other Wamego state notes -- Stanton County could be positioned to match Northern Heights' title sweep in 2-1A as both teams enter state ranked No. 1. Osborne is No. 2 in the girls' rankings, while Hutchinson Trinity is second in the boys. Madison's Aaron Kennedy and Olpe's Dustin Ballinger are the top area boys' contenders.
Š Lyndon's sister act of Desiraye and Jesi Osburn could make noise as individuals in the 3A girls' race, along with Royal Valley's Ashley Chapman. Spencer could help Mission Valley challenge for a trophy.
In 4A, Clay Center also is capable of sweeping titles after pulling the feat at regionals. The Tiger boys are No. 1, while the girls are second to El Dorado. Hayden's girls could challenge for top-three status, entering state ranked No. 4.
The girls' individual race could be a great one with defending champ Culbertson trying to fight off Baldwin's Megan Noonan, Ottawa's Lisa Morrisey and El Dorado's Kara Griffith, among others. Wamego's Todd Spreer, Clay Center's Joe Moore and Baldwin's Matt Noonan highlight the boys' top contenders.
Brent Maycock can be reached at
(785) 295-1188 or [email protected].