With much of the state's attention turned toward larger
weekend meets, it was a smaller Thursday meet that just may have been the best
race of the week on the Kansas cross country scene.
Senior Halle Johnson of Bennington followed her victory in
the Girls Blue division at the Rim Rock Classic by posting the state's fastest
time by a Kansas girl this season, winning the Beloit Invitational in 18:11.00.
But it was more than just the time that made this a special
race. For the second time this season, she out-ran Sylvan-Lucas sophomore
Autumn Princ, who had earlier beaten Johnson in the season-opener and was the
class 1A state champion in cross country, the 1600 and 3200 as a freshman.
Fast-rising freshman Jaycee Vath of Lincoln placed third in
19:22 (which, until Saturday's races, had been the No. 1 time by a Kansas
freshman this season), while Hannah Burks of Beloit -- the state runner-up in
the class 3A 1600 and 3200 meter runs last spring -- was fourth in 19:23. Syd...