Class 4A State Cross Country Preview

Class 4A will see Mulvane continue its dominant run and a freshman make her mark.

For other state cross country previews:
Class 6A
Class 5A

1. Morgan Wedekind – Valley Center
When KSHSAA announced that Valley Center would be moving down to Class 4A there was nobody who benefitted more than Morgan Wedekind. She went from being a virtual lock for third place in 5A to virtual lock for a state championship in 4A. Wedekind has been a giant killer in her freshman season taking down big names such as Danielle Walker of Maize, Emily Hornbeck of Derby and the biggest in Molly Milbourn of El Dorado. I try not to put much stock in regional results, but a 23-second victory over Milbourn on her home course is too much to ignore. The only downfall for Wedekind is that she has never seen Wamego before. It is a course that can chew up and spit out the best of runners if they are not prepared.

2. Molly Milbourn - El Dorado
The defending champion surprised last year with her victory over BreAnna Briggs. Wamego is her course and she is still the defending champion. She cruised to victory at the Wamego Invitational earlier this season with a solid 15:18. If Wedekind is not ready for what the Wamego course has to offer then Milbourn will step right in and take the championship. She knows how to race this course.

3. Cheyenne Becker – Pratt
This girl has been anything but consistent this season, but it is a little bit of a what have you done for me lately situation. Becker was a disappointing third at her league meet, but then she turned around and dropped a 15:19 on a tough Lake Afton course. Becker fell apart at state last year after winning a regional championship at Afton. The difference was that last year she ran 15:47 at Afton. She is much faster this season.

4. Kristin Strecker – Topeka Hayden
Strecker regressed a little bit last season with a 17th place finish at the state meet. She is back and running strong this year. She was a distant second at the Wamego Invitational to Milbourn. She won the Blue Race at Rim Rock. She has also gone head-to-head with Avery Clifton of Washburn Rural twice. She is ready to run on the big stage.

5. Bridgette McCormick – St. James Academy
After finishing 20th last season, McCormick appears to be one of the most improved runners in the state. She did just enough to win at her regional meet as she nipped her teammate Amy Feldkamp for the victory. At Rim Rock in the Blue race she was second behind Strecker with a time of 16:22.

Top 3 Teams
1. Baldwin
The perennial power appears to be the clear favorite once again. It was dominant at the Wamego Invitational and has continued its run of success. It would be a major upset if someone were to knock them off.

2. DeSoto
DeSoto will be a distant second but appears to be in good shape. The team scuffled early but has turned it on lately with a very solid 17:28 average at its league meet at Rim Rock. That was an improvement of a minute and 13 seconds over the Rim Rock Invitational.

3. Wamego
The Wamego pack will out gun the front runners of Hayden and St. James for the win. In a similarly large field at the Rim Rock Invite, Hayden ran a team average of 17:49 and Wamego was 17:54 for an average but still was able to beat Hayden by 27 points because of a solid pack. Wamego also took care of Hayden at last week’s regional meet.

Top 5 Boys Individuals
1. Riley Woodward – Wamego
Woodward, to my knowledge, has yet to dip below 16 minutes for the 5k this season. The second runner on this list has done it a couple times. What Woodward has working for him is home course advantage and two victories over Evan Landes. The two have gone head-to-head at Wamego and Rim Rock and Woodward has pulled it out both times. Last season on the girls side a Wamego runner was favored (BreAnna Briggs), but an AVCTL Division III runner pulled the upset (Molly Milbourn). I think Woodward gets Wamego an individual championship this year.

2. Evan Landes – Mulvane
Landes took the honor of being the top runner on the state’s best team early on and has held onto the spot. His team is solid and will be right behind him. Landes has come into his own this season by leading his team to an undefeated season against Kansas teams including 6A juggernaut Lawrence at Rim Rock.

3. Nikki Trooien-Smith - Mulvane
Trooien-Smith is as solid a number two runner as there is in this state. He has a wealth of experience at Wamego and knows how to win, period. When the chips were down at the big meets he beat who he needed to by edging Tony Weiss of Baldwin at both Wamego and Rim Rock. He has struggled a little heading into state, but the senior should put it all together for one last run at Wamego.

4. Tony Weiss – Baldwin
This race will be a good one between Weiss and Trooien-Smith of Mulvane. Trooien-Smith beat Weiss head-to-head at Rim Rock and Wamego, but the Baldwin runner has gained a considerable head of steam heading into state with dominating league and regional championships.

5. Nick Lockwood – Mulvane
This spot could have gone to any number of runners. Hudson Phillip of Wamego, Austin Hinchey of DeSoto, James Wilson of Abilene and many others will be in the mix. Lockwood has turned it on lately and been right with Trooien-Smith. Mulvane is going to continue a very special run in 4A with three runners in the top five and five in the top 15.

Top 3 Teams
1. Mulvane
Barring injury or illness, Mulvane there is no question that romps to its third title in a row in dominating fashion. Five in the top fifteen and less than 35 total points

2. Wamego
Wamego has a very solid top three with Riley Woodward, Hudson Phillip and Kevin White. In many other seasons the trio would be enough to win state.

3. DeSoto
DeSoto destroyed Baldwin at its league and regional meets. It has a solid pack, but lacks the sheer number of front runners that Mulvane and Wamego can boast which relegates it to third place for this season.