Kyra Kilwein finished seventh in the Class 6A state cross country meet last season at Rim Rock Farm.

She was only a freshman.

Free State coach Steve Heffernan said he had even higher expectations for the sophomore this year.

“I think she can finish top three or four,” Heffernan said about Kilwein’s next state appearance. “That would be the top finish in school history.”

Kilwein will lead a Free State High squad that will return six of the seven runners it took to state last year. The Firebirds lost Alysha Valencia, who is competing at the University of Michigan. She was a top-10 runner four straight years at the state meet.

Junior Genie Reems is the oldest member of this year’s girls team. The rest are sophomores. With young runners, Heffernan said he looked closer at potential injuries than with more experienced runners.

“Running is a very high impact sport,” Heffernan said. “Kids usually don’t understand that and think they can run through a lot of stuff.”

Heffernan said he gradually acclimated Kilwein and the rest of the sophomores to distance running. Kilwein currently runs about 40 miles per week. The rest of the team runs up to 30 miles each week. The Firebirds practice at the Lied Center, Rim Rock Farm, Haskell Indian Nations University and Free State.

Lawrence High coach Brian Anderson has a tough decision to make for the LHS girls cross country team. He said he currently has 10 athletes competing for seven spots that compete in meets during the season. He said he would finalize the seven runners this week before Saturday’s Manhattan Invitational at Warner Park.

From left, Free State High's Kyra Kilwein, Seabury Academy's Brooke Sutherland and Lawrence High's Kelly Renfro will be counted on to lead their teams during the 2006 cross country campaign.

Anderson said junior Kelly Renfro is the fastest runner on the Lions. Renfro also has a track and field background. She placed second individually in the 3,200-meter race at state last season.

Seniors Bri Di Lorio and Adrienne Struble will be the team captains. Anderson said the co-captains have earned the position.

“They came out when they were freshmen and ran on varsity,” Anderson said. “We only have two to three people each year who do that.”

Anderson said he had high expectations for LHS this season.

“Quite a few of them ran track and have been working hard all summer,” Anderson said. “If they work hard, we should place at state in the top three.”

LHS placed fifth at state last season.

Seabury Academy’s girls team finished ninth at the Class 1A state meet last season. Coach Eric Nelson said Seabury lost two of its premier athletes to graduation in Katie Pottorff and Regan Sisson. He said it would be a rebuilding year.

As a result, Nelson said the team would be led this season by a converted tennis player, junior Brooke Sutherland.

“Brooke is very committed,” Nelson said. “She’s a tournament-level tennis player, so she knows how to work from that sport. I’m trying to transfer some of that determination over to cross country.”