GARNETT — A mixture of elation and heartbreak filled Iola High’s country runners Saturday. ON THE GIRLS’ side, sophomore Megan Klubek was quickest among the Fillies harriers, taking 21st with a time of 17:59.27 over the 4k course.
Senior Kohl Endicott secured a trip to his first ever state berth, the first for Iola since 2012, by placing 12th overall at the Class 4A Regional Meet.
Endicott completed his 5-kilometer run in 18 minutes, 44.31 seconds, the third fastest individual qualifier.
The top three teams at the regional meet advance to state, as well as the five fastest runners from all other teams.
That’s where the heartbreak comes in.
Sophomore Braden Plumlee finished 18th overall at 19:09.99 — the fastest non-qualifier in the meet.
“I’m happy for Kohl, but sad for Braden,” IHS head coach Marv Smith said.
The runners competed in abnormally warm temperatures — highs at the opening gun were in the mid-80s, well above optimum conditions for runners — but that seemed to have little effect.
“I was keeping track of Kohl’s position among the runners, so I could tell him as he was going through the course,” Smith said. “Braden was just far enough back I couldn’t do that for him.
“Kohl didn’t have his best race. It wasn’t his worst, either.”
Among Iola’s other runners, sophomore Kendall Jay finished in 31st at 19:52.87; senior Blaine Klubek was 39th at 20:28.07; senior Travis Hermstein was 42nd at 20:30.10; and sophomore Isaiah Fawson took 55th at 20:51.72.
The Mustangs placed sixth of the 13 teams with 135 points.
As expected, Baldwin — the defending state champion squad — was the class of the field, taking four of the top five slots and seven of the top 15. Baldwin’s George Lestner won with a blazing mark of 17:21.04, more than 24 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor.
“We kind of knew what we were in for when they announced regional assignments,” Smith said. “A lot of the southeast Kansas schools we normally run against were shipped out to Wichita, and we had to go up against schools like Baldwin, Ottawa and Paola.”
Girard and Ottawa joined Baldwin as qualifying teams for state.
This is the second straight year Plumlee has narrowly missed a state berth. He was the third-fastest non-qualifier as a freshman in 2013.
She was followed by junior Abigail Taylor, 18:49.22; and sophomore Olivia Taylor, 19:18.78. Senior Jo Lohman did not complete the course.
Endicott qualifies for state meet
