photo by: Andrew Rosenthal

The Free State girls cross-country team fire off the start line at the Sunflower League meet at Rim Rock Farm on Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018.

For the Free State Firebirds veteran girls cross-country team, earning hardware at the 2018 Sunflower League cross-country meet gives them a confidence boost that it won’t be their final race in Lawrence.

Free State girls earned a podium finish by claiming third with 123 points. Despite only racing six for the boys, missing lead runner Charlie Johnson, the Firebirds also earned a fourth-place finish with 127 points.

“We’re a very good boys team and we’re just missing our top guy today, so we’re pretty excited about our finish,” Free State coach Steve Heffernan said. “(The girls are) a veteran group, so I am really glad they snuck in because they get some hardware.”

Olathe North claimed the title for both boys and girls with two runners in the top 5 of both races.

photo by: Andrew Rosenthal

Free State freshman Ben Shyrock leads the Firebirds at the Sunflower League meet at Rim Rock Farm on Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018.

Julia Larkin ran a strong race after leading the Firebirds at the Rim Rock Classic. Larkin finished seventh overall with a time of 20:18.

Each of Free State’s seven that raced were upperclassmen. Erin Fagan and Erin Liston were not too far behind in a leading pack separated by two minutes. Fagan ran for a time of 20:29 and Liston ran for 21:07.

The boys just missed the podium by 18 points, finishing fourth. Freshman Ben Shyrock finished in the top 5 overall with a time of 16:30. The Firebirds also had three other runners finish with sub-18 times: Ethan Sharp, Brock Cordova, and Jack Keathley-Helms. All four are underclassmen.

“We all had to step up (today),” Shyrock said of the team’s strong performance without Johnson. “We’re all looking forward to him coming back for regionals and getting the momentum for state.”

It was second straight race at Rim Rock Farm for the Free State boys after a meet at Haskell Indian Nations University was rained out. Lawrence also ran in the Rim Rock Classic earlier in the month.

Rim Rock Farm, listed among the eight best college cross country courses in the nation, is also the site of the state meet.

“It allows (us) to understand how we react to Rim Rock, where other teams come in and kind of make that adjustment,” Heffernan said.

photo by: Andrew Rosenthal

Junior Sophie DeWitt races during Sunflower League meet at Rim Rock Farm on Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018.

Lawrence freshman Jack Ryan led the way for the Lions by placing 31st with a time of 17:19. For the girls, junior Sophie DeWitt ran a strong race to pace the Lions, finishing 50th overall with a time of 21:50.

Both Lions teams finished 11th out of 12 teams.

“It was pretty cold, but I think I started off good,” Ryan said. “Second mile, I think I went a little too fast, but it was a pretty good day.”

Both teams look to qualify for state at regionals Saturday at Warner Park in Manhattan.

SUNFLOWER LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Saturday at Rim Rock Farm

Team Scores

Girls — 1. Olathe North, 31; 2. SM North, 119; 3. Free State, 123; 4. SM South, 127; 5. Olathe West, 142; 6. SM East, 154; 7. Olathe Northwest, 155; 8. SM Northwest, 160; 9. Olathe East, 169; 10. Gardner Edgerton, 234; 11. Lawrence, 303; 12. SM West, 310.

Boys — 1. Olathe North, 33; 2. Olathe East, 84; 3. Olathe South, 109; 4. Free State, 127; 5. SM Northwest, 133; 6. Olathe West, 150; 7. Gardner Edgerton, 165; 8. SM West, 172; 9. SM East, 195; 10. Olathe Northwest, 276; 11. Lawrence, 281; 12. SM South, 319.

Lawrence High/Free State results

Free State girls — 7. Julia Larkin, 20:18; 11. Erin Fagan, 20:27; 29. Erin Liston, 21:07; 37. Maddie Day, 21:22; 39. Emily Stone, 21:25; 44. Anna Riley, 21:31; 57. Bella Stull, 22:03.

Lawrence girls — 50. Sophie DeWitt, 21:50; 53. Leslie Ostronic, 21:55; 69. Maiki Martinez, 22:43; 71. Madison DeWitt, 22:47; 79. Layne Prescott, 23:07; 82. Jayden Wilson, 24:01; 85. Jocelyn Wilson, 24:09.

Free State boys — 5. Ben Shyrock, 16:30; 18. Ethan Sharp, 16:57; 28. Brock Cordova, 17:13; 29. Jack Keathley-Helms, 17:16; 60. John Loos, 18:01; 74. Dash Spears, 18:34.

Lawrence boys — 31. Jack Ryan, 17:19; 54. Cole Shupert, 17:46; 62. Ruben Little Head, 18:02; 80. Nicholai Jost-Epp, 18:55; 83. Jackson Theilen, 19:04; 84. Avery Harrington, 19:11; 88. Aaron Reed, 19:24.