Class 5A
After not running cross country her freshman year, Salina Central’s Katelyn Rupe has won three state championships in a row, putting her in the likes of some pretty elite company.
“I was really excited for her to win her third State Championship because I’ve seen the sacrifices she has made to be in that position,” head coach Brad Dix said. “Every top cross country runner works hard, and so many are deserving, but when you work with someone like Katelyn and somehow the two-time state champion is the underdog going into the race, you want it really badly for her. Seeing her making that move and taking the lead late in the race, I just couldn’t be happier for her.”
Rupe, the North Carolina commit knows that her story is not done and has plans on winning some more state championships come track season.
“I just really feel blessed to have had the opportunity to coach someone like Katelyn, not just because of her running ability, but because of the person she is,” Dix said. “She is so much more than just one of the best to ever run in Kansas. She is a great student and a wonderful person. It’s said that rising tides lift all boats, and I think we have seen and will continue to see the positive effect she has had on 5A girls distance running in the state of Kansas.”
Class 4A
McPherson’s Caleb Muehler won another state championship for the Bullpups, winning his second in a row.
“I was very excited to see Caleb win his second State championship,” head coach Nikolous Rempe said. “Caleb has put in lots of miles over the summer and throughout the season, so it was rewarding to see all of his hard work pay off. Coming into State, we had talked about race strategy and knew that there would be a few other racers who would challenge him, as they had raced him close or beat him earlier in the season.”
The Bullpups finished third as a team.
