Smith, Reece and Moore garner medals at Wamego

Louisburg senior Wyatt Reece fist bumps a Eudora runner during the Wamego Invitational on Saturday at the Wamego Golf Course. Reece, along with teammates Tim Smith and Trinity Moore, earned medals.

WAMEGO – The Louisburg High School cross country team found itself on the same course Saturday where the Wildcats hope to end their season in late October.

Louisburg competed in the Wamego Invitational on Saturday at the Wamego Golf Course – the site of the Class 4A state meet. The Wildcat runners gave it a test run and they liked what they saw.

Seniors Tim Smith and Wyatt Reece, along with sophomore Trinity Moore, returned to Wamego for the first time since qualifying for the state meet a year ago. Moore left with a state medal, but all three left with a medal this time around.

Smith led the Wildcat runners as he finished 10^th overall with a time of 17 minutes and 24 seconds, while Reece came in 13^th in 17:36 as both bested their times from the state meet.

“Wyatt and Tim took on the beast and slayed it,” Louisburg coach John Reece. “They worked together, and with other Frontier League runners, throughout the race and put themselves in the top 15 and ran their best times for the course.”

Coach Reece also brought Moore and the rest of the Lady Cat varsity team to the meet to give them even more experience running on a difficult course that features several hills and turns.

Moore earned a medal after she finished 26^th overall in 21:59 in what was a competitive girls race. Carlee Gassman (24:14) was second on the team and 78^th overall, while seniors Reilly Alexander (24:48) and Isabelle Holtzen (24:48) finished 100^th and 101st, respectively.

Kaitlyn Lewer (110^th), Emily Williams (114^th) and Payton Shaffer (129^th) rounded out the Lady Cat team.

“It is always a plus to run a course more than once, especially the state course,” coach Reece said. “The girls team ran very well. Trinity worked her way into a medal and the other six worked hard on a difficult course. It was a great opportunity and a definite learning experience.”

The Wildcats split up earlier in week, and since much of the varsity team competed at Wamego, the rest of the team competed at a Frontier League triangular with Ottawa and Spring Hill.

Louisburg brought home several medals from the Ottawa course, including eight on the girls side and three for the boys.

Shaylor Whitham led the Lady Cats as she finished eighth in 27:21. Natalie George (11^th), Abby Crooks (12^th), Avery Graham (14^th), Alex Miller (15^th), Anna Niebrugge (16^th) and Elizabeth Kratochvil (17^th) also earned medals on the Eisenhower Road Course.

Louisburg runners (from left) Cade Holtzen, Carson Houchen and Evan Murphy were all smiles after earning a medal Thursday at Ottawa.

Freshman Cade Holtzen led Louisburg on the boys side as he took 13^th in 21:29. Evan Murphy (17^th) and Carson Houchen (19^th) each earned their first varsity medal as well.

Luke Faulkner (21^st), Dawson Barnes (24^th), Gareth Baus (25^th), Jackson Staab (26^th), Parker Perentis (27^th), Keith Estle (29^th), Rian Mallory (30^th) also competed for Louisburg.

The Wildcats return to action Thursday when it travels to the Wellsville Invitational. Races are set to begin at 4 p.m.