Led by a sixth-place medal finish from senior Octavio Dikin, the Emporia High boys cross country team finished fifth out of nine teams at the annual Emporia Invitational at Jones Park.
Dikin ran the extraordinarily muddy 5K course in 18 minutes, 2.82 seconds, finishing less than a second out of fifth place. P.J. Greer of St. Thomas Aquinas took home the individual boys title, running in 17:30.59, and Manhattan won the team crown with 44 points. Emporia finished with 140.
“Octavio competed very well,” Spartan coach Mark Stanbrough said. “He’s a senior on his home course, and he stepped up today and ran very well.”
Dikin was the only EHS runner on either the boys or girls team to earn a top-20 medal. Tyler Tilton finished 25th, running the course in 19:13.14. Jack Heim timed at 19:33.77 for a 31st place finish. Matt Wayman finished 37th, Sal Tovar 41st, Donnie Tennal 48th and Cody Black 52nd.
The EHS girls finished seventh out of eight teams with 164 points. Stanbrough was impressed with freshmen Abigail Chiroy, who led the Spartans with an 18:18.62 time and a 28th-place finish, and Abbey Davies, who finished 34th at 18:46.29. Junior Jenna Stanbrough, normally the Spartan girls’ top runner, finished 32nd at 18:37.72.
“Jenna had leg problems and breathing problems,” Mark Stanbrough said. “She was off a bit today.”
Joslyn Barton and Whitney Bauck finished 37th and 38th. Mysha Mason finished 49th.
Avery Clifton of Washburn Rural won the individual girls title with a time of 16:06.81. De Soto scored 50 points to win the team title.
Emporia High had four boys and four girls running in the junior varsity races at the event. On the boys side, Matt Frye earned a medal with a 20th-place finish, Drew Detwiler finished 39th, Tommy Hudson finished 69th and Jamie Schmidt finished 78th. For the girls, Victoria Sims just missed a medal, finishing 21st. Tonya Morales finished 41st, Aysia Paige finished 57th and Taylor Lake finished 93rd.
EMPORIA INVITATIONAL
Boys
Team scores
Manhattan 44, St. Thomas Aquinas 51, Washburn Rural 75, Shawnee Heights 123, Emporia 140, De Soto 162, McPherson 165, Great Bend 194, Olathe South 203.
Emporia results
6. Octavio Dikin, 18:02.82; 25. Tyler Tilton, 19:13.14; T31. Jack Heim, 19:33.77; 37. Matt Wayman, 19:51.05; 41. Sal Tovar, 20:24.41; 48. Donnie Tennal, 20:44.04; 52. Cody Black, 21:06.74.
Girls
Team scores
De Soto 50, Manhattan 54, Olathe South 81, St. Thomas Aquinas 87, Washburn Rural 95, McPherson 148, Emporia 164, Great Bend 194.
Emporia results
28. Abigail Chiroy, 18:18.62; 32. Jenna Stanbrough, 18:37.72; 34. Abbey Davies, 18:46.29; 37. Joslyn Barton, 18:56.29; 38. Whitney Bauck, 18:58.52; 49. Mysha Mason, 20:26.80.