A Look Back at the 2017 Men's Region & Conference Championship
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A look back at the 2017 Men’s Region & Conference Championship MEN’S REGION SCORES MEN’S ALL-REGION INDIVIDUALS 1. Allen 50 1. Moses Dirane Cloud 2. Colby 91 2. Thobile Mosito Cloud 3. Cowley 101 3. Oscar Leyva Colby 4. Cloud 115 4. Paul Becker Allen 5. Johnson 128 5. Kyle McRoberts Johnson 6. Hutchinson 137 6. Zekarias Phillipo Highland 7. Butler 144 7. Livan Aguilar Cowley 8. Highland 189 8. Antwain George Highland 9. Dodge City 260 9. Miguel Ibarra Cowley 10. Hesston 320 10. Berry King Allen 11. Garden City 322 11. Yoel Yoel Allen 12. Pratt 323 12. Joshua Clethen Allen 13. Barton 383 13. Anthony Glasgow Allen 14. Northwest Tech NTS 14. Bruce Iley Colby 15. Coffeyville NTS 15. Connor Kaufman Hutchinson 16. Neosho NTS MEN’S EAST TEAM STANDINGS MEN’S EAST TEAM STANDINGS 1. Colby 38 1. Allen 35 2. Cloud 60 2. Cowley 56 3. Hutchinson 65 3. Johnson 66 Garden City (KS)- Heading into the Men’s Championship, 5 teams ranked inside the top 16 prepared to battle for the top 3 spots, with several other schools also looking to make some noise. Cold, windy conditions combined with a challenging course featured a true cross country atmosphere. As the race developed, two-time defending champion Allen emerged as the team once again rising to the top. Through the 5K, the only thing that remained in question was who would claim the final two podium spots. As the final scores were tallied, it was Colby locking down the runner-up region spot with Cowley sneaking into the 3rd position, just 14 points ahead of Cloud. Allen also claimed their 6th straight Jayhawk East Championship while Colby captured the West Championship. Coach Vince Degrado shared, “I’ve been in this Region/Conference since 2006 and have experienced both sides of the coin in terms of winning and losing so to win our 3rd straight Region 6 title and 6th straight Conference title each of them are never taken for granted. I always believe you’re only as good or as bad as your last season. So each year it’s a new team, with a set of new goals to go and achieve. So to win this again was just as exciting as the 1st one in my career.” A look back at the 2017 WOMen’s Region & Conference Championship WOMEN’S REGION SCORES WOMEN’S ALL-REGION INDIVIDUALS 1. Colby 43 1. Winnie Kibet Colby 2. Cowley 44 2. Sandra Szpott Garden City 3. Allen 89 3. Abby Steinhauser Allen 4. Butler 127 4. Harlie Schmeling Cowley 5. Hutchinson 173 5. Raye Moran Cowley 6. Dodge City 184 6. Karen Perez Allen 7. Highland 189 7. Sharon Kimutai Colby 8. Hesston 192 8. Molly Linton Cowley 9. Garden City 218 9. Yulissa Delatorre Johnson 10. Johnson 246 10. Mackenzie Dill Colby 11. Barton NTS 11. Wrylee Dickard Cowley 12. Neosho NTS 12. Jessica Gamez-Ramos Colby 13. Pratt NTS 13. Aileen Gurrola Colby 14. Cloud NTS 14. Amber Gloria Allen 15. Northwest Tech NTS 15. Maggie Lambert Hutchinson 16. Coffeyville NTS WOMEN’S WEST TEAM STANDINGS WOMEN’S EAST TEAM STANDINGS 1. Colby 19 1. Cowley 28 2. Butler 58 2. Allen 42 3. Hutchinson 88 3. Highland 84 Garden City (KS)- Three women’s teams headed into the championship ranked in the top 8 with Cowley, Allen, and Colby all recognized as nationally elite teams. Through two miles, it appeared that Cowley was on their way to claim back-to-back region titles, with 8 Tigers in the top 15 with just over a mile to go. Over the final minutes, a snow storm of white jerseys emerged as the Colby Trojans moved up the pack and used a final surge up and over the final hill to nip the Tigers by a single point. An inspired team effort was led by individual champion Winnie Kibet and fellow sophomore Sharon Kimutai. It was their first region championship since 2000, and Coach Cameron Rieth described the moment: “It was a total team effort from an entire team of selfless and scrappy ladies who had big chips on their shoulders. Most of them were overlooked in high school and refused to accept the status quo. Great day for Colby Cross Country.” Cowley’s women did salvage the day by claiming the Jayhawk East Championship. Two weeks later, Region VI would once again prove to be the toughest in the nation. Cowley rebounded with a podium finish, earning 3rd place team honors. Allen, not a serious factor in the region just two weeks prior, ran their best race of the season to claim 5th place. Colby put the finishing touches on a great day for Kansas Junior College Cross Country, finishing just behind Allen in 6th place at the NJCAA DI Championship held in Fort Dodge, IA. 2018 Women’s Championship Preview Individuals to look for... RUNNER SCHOOL CREDENTIALS Lisayo Ewoi Hutchinson 18:29 @ 2018 MSSU (Champion) Aminata Kenyawani Pratt 23rd in 2017, 18:42 @ 2018 MSSU (Runner-Up) Harlie Schmeling Cowley 4th place in 2017, 18:50 @ 2018 MSSU Raye Moran Cowley 5th place in 2017, 18:58 XC PR Coshan Campbell Highland 2018 NJCAA 800 meter runner-up, 20:01 @ MSSU Karen Perez Allen 6th place in 2017, 19:14 XC PR Jessica Gamez-Ramos Colby 12th place in 2017 Amber Gloria Allen 14th place in 2017, 18:53 @ 2018 MSSU Aileen Gomez Hutchinson 19:44 @ 2018 MSSU Sarah Patteson Hutchinson 19:46 @ 2018 MSSU Ieshia Dickerson Cowley 32nd in 2017, 18:50 @ 2018 MSSU Anna Keller Cowley 33rd in 2017, 18:46 @ 2018 Tiger-Builder Invite Marcela Martinez Dodge City 19:23 @ 2018 Sterling Invite Betty Ramos Allen 40th @ 2017 NJCAA Championships, 19:25 Laina Kanuho Allen 19:34 @ 2018 MSSU Edita Sklenska Highland 19:51 @ 2018 Augustana Twilight THE TEAM RACE When the first NJCAA DI rankings were released in impressive starts to their seasons and look to seize a mid-September, 5 women’s teams from Region VI podium spot if one of the top 3 ranked teams falters found themselves ranked in the top 10 with Cowley in Winfield. Colby and Dodge City are two other (3), Hutchinson (6), Allen (7), Pratt (9), and Highland proud programs to watch out for as the team battle (10). Other teams will look to crash the podium promises to be exciting. party, but based on early season results, it would appear the champion will come out of that group of 5. Cowley’s women won their first two meets and averaged 19:15 for the 5K distance at the MSSU Stampede, led by 5 sophomores. Their top 4 have all broken the 19:00 barrier, and it would appear that Cowley is the favorite to win the region title and avenge 2017’s one-point loss at the hands of the Colby Trojans. Hutchinson, however, has also looked very strong early on. With the addition of individual race favorite (Lisayo Ewoi), the Blue Dragons have found themselves right in the mix of the championship conversation. Ewoi is followed by a large pack of sophomores and talented freshman Gabby Collins. Allen has plenty of firepower returning to be a serious threat at the championship meet. Typically running their best when it matters most, the Red Devils are a team that could make some serious noise in October (L to R) Sophomores Anna Keller, Raye Moran, and and November. Pratt and Highland are also having Harlie Schmeling look to lead Cowley in 2018. 2018 men’s Championship Preview Individuals to look for... RUNNER SCHOOL CREDENTIALS Andrew Kibet Hutchinson 24:42 @ 2018 MSSU (Champion) Dennis Kiptoo Cloud 24:25 @ 2018 Woody Greeno Invite Santino Kenyi Cloud Ran in the 2016 Olympics in Rio Saba Khvichava Cloud 25:37 @ 2018 Woody Greeno Invite Kelvin Kiptemboi Highland 26:05 @ 2018 MSSU (Runner-Up) Sylvestre Kiparar Hutchinson 19:58 @ Hutchinson Twilight (4 miles) Joshua Clethen Allen 26:12 @ 2018 MSSU Joshua Doria Allen 26:13 @ 2018 MSSU Yoel Yoel Allen 26:34 @ 2018 MSSU Saulo Yoel Highland 26:59 @ 2018 MSSU Brett Hillabrand Hutchinson 26:42 @ 2018 MSSU Jared Stark Hutchinson 26:43 @ 2018 MSSU Emmanual Kipngetich Colby 25:51 @ 2017 Fort Hays State Wesley Banguria Colby Talented freshman from Kenya Tyler Soliz Cowley 32:58 10K @ 2018 Region VI Track Championship Connor Kaufman Hutchinson 27:22 @ 2018 MSSU THE TEAM RACE After a dominant performance by Allen in 2017, this year’s team battle looks to be a much closer contested championship. In mid-September, 5 Region VI teams found themselves ranked in the top 16 with Cloud (3), Hutchinson (5), Allen (7), Colby (13), and Cowley (16). Cloud is led by five international freshmen, including 2016 Olympian Santino Kenyi. Their team will be tough to beat, but Hutchinson added two Kenyan men (Kibet and Kiparar) to nicely compliment their returning group led by Jared Stark and Connor Kaufman. Freshman Brett Hillabrand rounds out a top 5 with potential to get Hutchinson on the podium in Winfield. You can’t talk about Region VI without mentioning three-time defending champion Allen. With a very strong top 3 established in September, the Red Devils will look to develop the talented crew they have following closely behind. Colby’s men, region runner-up in 2017, return enough talent to be a serious podium threat. The fast course in Winfield will provide the perfect stage for what promises to be an intense race for the crown. You better be in shape if you hope to follow the leaders of this race around the course.