The J-W All-Area Girls Cross Country Team

Girls cross country Meredith Wolfe, De Soto; Addie Dick, Baldwin; Emma Campbell, Tonganoxie; Kiran Cordes, Free State; Amber Akin, Mill Valley; Coach of the Year John Tollefson, Tonganoxie; Runner of the Year Emily Venters, Free State; Hannah Honeyman, Santa Fe Trail; Gabby Collins, De Soto; Claire Sanner, Free State; Mackenzie Russell, Baldwin.

Runner of the Year

Emily Venters,

Free State

Venters improved from an impressive freshman campaign by winning every race she entered this year and claiming her second individual Class 6A state championship. The Firebirds’ sophomore led her team to their first Sunflower League title since 2008.

Coach of the Year

John Tollefson,

Tonganoxie

The Chieftains won their first regional championship since 1990, and took fourth place at the Class 4A state meet, which matched the program’s best-ever finish. At state they didn’t have any top-20 runners but their top five runners finished within 46 seconds of one another.

First Team

Amber Akin, Mill Valley — For the second straight year, Akin won a Kaw Valley League title, this year in 16:12. The Jaguars’ junior also took 11th at regionals and 16th at the Class 5A state meet. She’s medaled at state, finishing in the top 20, in each of her three seasons.

Emma Campbell, Tonganoxie — The Chieftains’ freshman had four top-five placings throughout the season, including one win. Campbell finished second in the Kaw Valley League, sixth at regionals and was 28th at state in 16:22 as the top runner for Tonganoxie.

Gabby Collins, De Soto — Collins had a strong freshman season, finishing second in the Frontier League, third at regionals and eighth at the Class 4A state meet. She led the Wildcats to sixth place at state, running her 4K in 15:54.

Kiran Cordes, Free State — Cordes continued to improve throughout the season, and finished sixth at the Class 6A state meet in 15:28. The Firebirds’ sophomore also took third place in the Sunflower League and third at regionals.

Addie Dick, Baldwin — The Bulldogs’ junior led her team to third place at the Class 4A state meet and runner-up finishes in the Frontier League and at regionals. Dick took third at league, seventh at regionals and 12th at state this season.

Hannah Honeyman, Santa Fe Trail — Only a freshman, Honeyman ran a school record 4K in just the third week of the season and later lowered it to 15:26. She never finished lower than second in the regular season, won a Pioneer League title, and took sixth at state.

Mackenzie Russell, Baldwin — Russell followed up a strong sophomore season by running even stronger during her junior year. She took sixth place in the Frontier League, ninth at regionals and 16th at the Class 4A state meet.

Claire Sanner, Free State — The Firebirds’ junior placed in the top-five of every regular season meet before she was hampered by an injury at the end of the year. Sanner took seventh in the Sunflower League, fifth at regionals and 29th at state.

Emily Venters, Free State — Venters was dominant all season, winning her second straight Sunflower League, regional and state titles. She also won the Rim Rock Classic’s girls 5K, finishing in 18:44. After the season, she took 11th at a Nike Cross National Heartland Regional.

Meredith Wolfe, De Soto — In her final prep season, Wolfe led the Wildcats to a Frontier League team championship and runner-up at regionals. The senior took third place at league, fourth at regionals and was 22nd at the Class 4A state meet in 16:11.

Honorable Mention

Daelynn Anderson, Baldwin; Isabella Behm, Tonganoxie; Emily Chambers, Tonganoxie; Sydney Coleman, Eudora; Ceara Funk, McLouth; Emma Grossner, Baldwin; Lexia Jamison, Perry-Lecompton; Bri Jenson, De Soto; Liv Lyche, Free State; Margo Wieschhaus, Mill Valley; Marlee Yost-Wolff, Free State.