Reece runs way into Wildcat history book

By Andy Brown
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Updated: October 7, 2015

Louisburg sophomore Wyatt Reece sprints to the finish line during a meet earlier this season. Reece ran a personal best time of 17 minutes and 24 seconds, which was good enough for a 12th place finish, a medal and the seventh-fastest time in LHS cross country history.

PITTSBURG – As just a sophomore, Wyatt Reece has quietly become one of the top runners on the Louisburg High School cross country team.

There wasn’t anything quiet about his performance Thursday during the Pittsburg Invitational. Reece recorded one of the top times in program history as he ran a personal best 17 minutes and 24 seconds to finish 12^th overall and earn a medal.

The Pittsburg course was just short of a full 5-kilometers, but Reece’s time was a loud statement that he is vying to become one of the top runners in the history of the program.

“Wyatt continues to compete well and improve his times,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “With an adjusted time due to the short course, he ran a personal best 17:59, which puts him at No. 7 all-time for our program.

“Pittsburg’s course is very flat, so it is challenging to keep pressing the pace because there are no down hills that could be used to relax a little on.”

As a team, Wyatt helped the Wildcats to a fifth-place team finish with 154 points. Pittsburg won the meet with 44 points and Paola was second with 65.

Senior Devyn Small was the next to finish for Louisburg as he took 32^nd in 18:51. Teammate Austin Raetzel came in 44^th in 19:21 and Eddie Murphy was 52^nd in 19:31.

Zach Minor (19:56) and Jarod Rose (20:00) rounded out the Wildcat team in 60^th and 61^st place, respectively.

The Louisburg girls cross country team faced one of their toughest fields of the season as the Lady Cats competed against some of the top runners in the state.

Sophomore Isabelle Holtzen led Louisburg in 30^th overall in 21:52. Junior Madelynn Yalowitz and sophomore Savannah Reinhart followed right behind her. Yalowitz was 31^st in 21:53 and Reinhart came in 32^nd with a time of 21:54.

Liz Hildreth was next for the Lady Cats in 44^th in 22:45 and Kaitlyn Gaza was 46^th in 22:55. Alex Miller rounded out the Louisburg lineup in 56^th with a time of 24:29.

The Lady Cats were fifth in the team standings with 114 points. Frontenac won the title with 51 points and Fort Scott was second with 53.

“The girls ran well again,” coach Reece said. “It was a strong field of runners and a strong field of teams. I think we might have gone out a little fast at the start but that was OK. We learn every race so that we are better the next time.”

Lilly Mick recorded a top-10 finish to lead the Louisburg junior varsity girls in 10^th with a time of 24:03. Teammate Mara Justesen came in 16^th in 24:50, while Lily Cook (25:02) and Bryn O’Meara (25:11) finished 18^th and 19^th, respectively.

Lexie Reece (23^rd), Hailey Crowder (38^th), Cierra Rose (39^th) and Grace Rolofson (47^th) also competed for Louisburg.

Bryce Kuhlman led the Louisburg junior varsity boys in 16^th in 20:29 and Gareth Baus was next on the team in 18^th with a time of 20:37. Kennedy Unthank (22:27) and Michael Shaner (22:35) rounded out the Wildcat runners in 41^st and 46^th, respectively.