By: Mike Glesinger Panhandle Post
Western Nebraska will be well represented at the NSAA State Cross Country Championships Friday in Kearney.
In Class D, Hemingford has qualified both their Girls and Boys teams. The Lady Bobcats won the D-6, team title and had three Top 15 finishers...Dakota Horstman, (4th), Aurora Hinman( 8th) and Carlye Kresl (9th). Other team members are Serenity Dillard and Madisen Meek.
The Bobcat Boys finished 3rd in the team race with one, Top 15 place winner, Zane Hinman in 8th place. The rest of the team includes Boady Hunter, Creel Weber, Drew Varner and Gavin Bell.
Other State Team Qualifiers in Class D....Bridgeport Girls...Madison Ribble (6th), Alexis Hill (12th), Taylor Bright, Kyra Sikes-Robbins and Demetria Lapaseptes. Garden County Boys....Zeke Christiansen (4th) , Nate Billey, Branson Anderson, Eldon Lambert and Ethan Martin.
Individuals....Cecilia Barron of Morrill (2nd). Axi Benish of Leyton (5th). Tyrah American Horse of Gordon-Rushville (7th). Gregory Johns of Gordon-Rushville (13th). Parker Wellnitz of Hay Springs (15th).
In Class C, the Chadron Girls finished 2nd in C-5. Team members are Micaiah Fuller (5th) , Grace Pyle (11th), Emma Witte (14th), Jentsyn Fuller (15th), Makinley Fuller and Aspen Graves. Sidney was 3rd. Team members are Talissa Tanquary (3rd), Rheo Dystra (9th), Alayna Wiegand, Ileana Newfeld-Ponce, Avery Lawson and Jenju Peters.
Class C Boys, Sidney finished 3rd in the team standings. Team members are Jashawn Davenport (14th), Noah Canas (15th), Brenden Shepard, Micah Schneider, Robert Stevens and Johnathan Meza. Alliance Junior Ben Cassatt-Reina qualified with an 11th place finish.
The Gering Girls and Boys both finished in 2nd place teamwise. The Gering Girls team members are...Madison Seiler (1st), Jadyn Scott (3rd), Demi Seelhoff, Jenna Davis, Marison Herbel and Alison Bradford. The Gering Boys team members are....Bryce Carillo (6th), Nathan Seiler (8th), Axton Stone (11th), Gage Ruzicka (14th), Aiden Bell and Eli Marez. Scottsbluff has also qualiffied their Girls team. Team members are...Kylee Charbonneau (4th), Jaime Modec (9th), Emilee Bentley, Claire Thomalla, Natalee Bentley and Hannah Rugroden. Two Scottsbluff boys have qualified...Hans Bastron (7th) and James Adams (12th)
The State Cross Country Championships will be held Friday, Oct. 21, at the Kearney Country Club beginning with the Class D Boys at 12 noon, followed by Class C Boys at 12:30 pm. Class D Girls at 1 pm and Class C Girls at 1:30 pm. C/D Awards at 2 pm. Boys Class B at 2:30 pm, Boys Class A-3 pm. Girls Class B at 3:30 pm and Girls Class A at 4 pm with Class B/A Awards at 4:30 pm. All times are Central Time.