Truman Ellison has never been one to back down from challenge, and running is has certainly been one of those.

Ellison, who will be a junior at Louisburg, made big strides last season with the Wildcat cross country team. He became one of the team’s top runners and earned a spot at the state meet.

He went up against the state’s best last October in Wamego and Ellison battled rainy and muddy conditions to finish 52^nd overall.

It was a challenge, to be sure, but Ellison was ready for something a little bit bigger – ok – a lot bigger.

Ellison signed up to compete at the Night Hawk 50K at Clinton Lake near Lawrence in late June. It was a 3-lap race around the lake that totaled 31 miles.  It was the type of competition that was not for the faint of heart.

“The thing that made me do it was I wanted to see if I could finish the race,” Ellison said. “I thought it would be a fun adventure and really see what I am capable of. The farthest I had run prior to the race was 18 miles.”

With the sun out prior to the race, Ellison took off on his adventure – one that ended in the dark and rain. Still, he met the challenge head on as completed the race in 8 hours, 6 minutes and 29 seconds.

He was just one of 26 competitors to finish the race in what was a grueling course around Clinton Lake.

“The race went great for me,” Ellison said. “I started out the first lap with high spirits and strong legs. The second lap the back of my ankles started bleeding, and I started feeling tired. Lap 3 went well but my whole body was tired and hurting. Between every lap I took a 10 to 15 minute break and stretched and ate.”

If that wasn’t enough, Ellison also took part in the Miola Madness around Miola Lake in Paola on July 12. It was an ultra-marathon where he crossed the finish line at 1 a.m. the next morning as he completed 24.25 miles.

It is these types of races that Ellison hopes will help him prepare for the upcoming cross country season this fall.

“I feel like this boosted my endurance and ability to push through sore legs and hard races,” Ellison said. “I absolutely love doing this.”

“One of the biggest things I learned during the race is how important it is to stay present. When you start thinking about how many miles are left, it gets overwhelming. But if you focus on the next hill or aid station, you can just keep moving forward.”

Louisburg sophomores Truman Ellison and Levi Cotter competed well Saturday in their first state cross country meet in Wamego.

WAMEGO — When Truman Ellison and Levi Cotter lined up for the Class 4A boys state race Saturday, they were the last competition of the day.

The 4A girls, along with both the Class 1A and 2A races, had already gone and normally going last wouldn’t matter. However, rainy conditions at the Wamego Country Club course left it a muddy mess.

It wasn’t exactly ideal racing conditions, but the Louisburg sophomores made the best of a tough situation.

Both runners finished in the middle of the pack as Ellison took 52nd overall in 19 minutes and Cotter was right behind him in 58th in 19:05.

“Levi and Truman ran well at the state,” Reece said. “For two sophomores to qualify was a great accomplishment. With such a young team this year, this experience gained will benefit the team and individuals over the next few years.”

The race was a difficult one for everyone involved as they had to work around standing water and muddy holes left by runners in the five previous races. Still, Reece liked what he saw from his two competitors.

“The conditions were miserable for all who were there, both athletes and spectators,” Reece said. “Being the last race of the day, the wet areas became mud pits, which could have presented a challenge, but they both embarrassed the conditions and competed well.”

Wamego won the boys Class 4A state championship with 52 points and Buhler was the state runner-up with 66. McPherson junior Caleb Mueller won individual state title in 16:33.

In the Class 4A girls race, Buhler won the state crown with 78 points and Eudora was the state runner-up with 89, just edging out Baldwin, which had 90.

It was a Frontier League dominated race as senior Hanna Keltner won the state title in 19:18 and Baldwin’s Irelyn Kennedy was second in 19:51. Paola freshman Ella Needham was third in 20:00.

OVERLAND PARK — The season isn’t quite over for the Louisburg cross country team — Levi Cotter and Truman Ellison made sure of it.

Both Cotter and Ellison qualified for the state meet after each earned top 15 finishes at the Class 4A regional meet Saturday that was held at Blue Valley Southwest. 

“Levi and Truman ran great races,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “They had a controlled start and were able to move through the field as the race played out. They had to work hard the last 800 as they were in the mix of several runners and had to be top 15 to qualify.”

Prior to the season, the Kansas State High School Activities Association changed how a runner can qualify for state. Previously, it was the top three teams, then the top five individuals that weren’t part of the state qualifying teams.

This season, it is still the top three teams, but runners that are not on state qualifying teams must finish in the top 15. Cotter and Ellison beat out a pack of runners to earn that state bid.

Cotter led the Wildcats as he broke the 18 minute mark and took 12th overall in 17 minutes and 57 seconds.

“I felt like all of the work that I put in throughout the years for running has paid off,” Cotter said. “I felt like I was ready. During the warm-up I was feeling great, too. The course was amazing and I couldn’t have asked for an easier course than that.”

As for Ellison, he was right behind his teammate as he finished 14th overall in 18:02. Both runners earned their first state bid.

“Everyone on the team has been putting in the hard work,” Ellison said. “I’m grateful for my coaches that have pushed me since fifth grade, and it feels like the encouragement and work that I have put in is paying off.

“I feel like I ran an amazing race and was prepared, both physically and mentally. There were many great runners at the meet and the competition was very hard. At first the course was a little bit confusing, but after walking it before the race, I felt like I knew it well. The course had many ups and downs, but it was very fun to race.”

Another sophomore, Spencer Mattison, also ran for the Wildcats and he took 27th overall in 19:08.

On the girls side, the Wildcats had four runners compete and freshman Hailey Shelton led the way in 22:20 and took 31st. Freshmen Annie Hornberger (22:48) and Anna Cotter (23:13) finished 24th and 39th, respectively. 

Sophomore Talen McMurray rounded out the Wildcat lineup in 41st in 23:16.

“The girls did awesome,” Reece said. “All four of them ran PR’s to end their season and gained some great racing experience. We hope to take another step forward next year with such a young group of runners.”

Now Cotter and Ellison will prepare for the Class 4A state meet that will be held this Saturday at the Wamego Country Club. The 4A boys race is scheduled for 12:55 p.m.

“Having run Wamego earlier in the season, I look for them to compete well and leave state with a course PR and maybe an all time PR,” Reece said. “It is going to be a great day.”

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week eight of the fall sports season, sponsored by IronHorse Family and Cosmetic Dentistry.

TRUMAN ELLISON, SOPHOMORE, CROSS COUNTRY

Louisburg sophomore Truman Ellison put together one of his better races of the season Saturday and picked the perfect time to do it. At the Class 4A regional meet on Saturday at Blue Valley Southwest, Ellison qualified for the state cross country meet as he took 14th overall with a time of 18 minutes and 2 seconds. He will join teammate Levi Cotter at state, who also qualified with a top 15 finish.

Ellison has medaled in several meets this season for the Wildcats and will try to do the same this Saturday when both Wildcats runners will travel to Wamego for the Class 4A state meet.

The athlete of the week award is announced every Wednesday morning during the fall season and the winner is selected by Louisburg Sports Zone with the help of nominations from coaches.

Previous Winners:

Week 1: Myles Vohs

Week 2: McKenna Lohse

Week 3: Ashton Moore

Week 4: Levi Cotter

Week 5: Colton Blue

Week 6: Adelyn Moore

Week 7: Brayden Yoder

TONGANOXIE — The Louisburg cross country team began its postseason schedule last Thursday at the Frontier League Invitational in Tonganoxie. 

One Wildcat was able to leave the meet with postseason honors.

Sophomore Levi Cotter finished 20th overall as that was good enough to put him on the All-Frontier League honorable mention team. Cotter ran a time of 18 minutes and 42 seconds to lead the Wildcats.

“Levi ran a great race and moved through the field in the last mile to put himself in All-League honors,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “Even though it was not his best time, it was a very competitive race for him.”

Sophomores Spencer Mattison and Truman Ellison also finished in the top 30 in the league. Mattison (19:25) and Ellison (19:37) were 28th and 29th, respectively.

Senior Ben Proctor was 54th in 21:44, while another senior, Jerynce Brings Plenty, is out for the rest of the season with an injury.

On the girls side, freshman Hailey Shelton just missed out on all-league honors as she led the Louisburg girls in 24th in 23:32. Sophomore Talen McMurray was 28th in 23:40.

Senior Marissa Vallejo was 36th in 24:20 and freshman Anna Cotter was 46th in 24:51. Freshman Brianna Caraway (67th) and sophomore Luciana Vallejo (74th) rounded out the Wildcat varsity team.

“The girls team is very young and are doing well,” Reece said. “Hailey led the way and posted her best time on a challenging course.”

The course at the Leavenworth County Fairgrounds provided some challenges for all the runners involved.

“It was challenging due to lots of curves and turns and there was never true smooth ground to run on, very rough footing,” Reece said. “There were two long gradual hills in the last mile that challenged all runners.”

Louisburg will now prepare for the Class 4A regional meet Saturday that will be held at Blue Valley Southwest. The girls race will begin at 10 a.m., and the boys race will be at 11:15.

“We have a good chance to qualify individuals at regionals so it will be an exciting race,” Reece said.

The Louisburg cross country team finally got a chance to run on its home course Thursday during the Louisburg Invitational.

Not only that, but a pair of Wildcats earned medals following the race at Lewis-Young Park. Sophomores Truman Ellison and Levi Cotter each had top 15 finishes to earn hardware and led the Wildcats at the 5-team meet.

Ellison finished eighth overall in 18 minutes and 2 seconds to earn his second straight medal. As for Cotter, he took 11th in 18:16 and he captured his fifth medal on the season. Both runners recorded personal bests in the process.

“Truman ran a great race and made a solid move with about 1,000m left and ran a solid PR,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “Levi also ran a great race and PR’ed as well. They are setting themselves up to finish the season strong.”

Another sophomore, Spencer Mattison, just missed out on a medal in 16th in 18:57. Senior Jerynce Brings Plenty, who has been battling an injury, took 21st in 20:33 and senior Ben Proctor was 24th in 21:45.

On the girls side, senior Marissa Vallejo also just missed out on a medal by one spot, but ran her best race of the season, Vallejo took 16th in 23:38. Sophomore Talen McMurray was right behind her in 17th in 23:45.

Freshman Annie Hornberger took 21st in 24:55, while freshman Anna Cotter (26:15) and sophomore Luciana Vallejo (29:06) were 25th and 28th, respectively. 

“The girls continue to work hard and are doing a great job,” Reece said. “Marissa had a good race and continues to lead the girls team.”

Louisburg will now prepare for its postseason schedule that begins this Thursday when the Wildcats travel to Tonganoxie for the Frontier League Invitational. The following week, the Wildcats will try and earn a spot in the state meet at the Class 4A regional meet, which is held at Blue Valley Southwest.

“We think they see the writing on the wall and there is a great chance to qualify individuals for state,” Reece said. 

LA CYGNE — The Louisburg cross country team brought home their fair share of hardware from the Ramsey Invitational last Thursday at Prairie View High School. 

Both teams had their best performance of the season and it all started on the girls side. The Wildcat girls finished second in the team standings with 41 points, 10 points behind Jayhawk-Linn.

Although they didn’t have the numbers to qualify as a team, the Wildcat boys had strong performances of their own as they had three top 10 medalists.

Freshman Hailey Shelton led the Wildcat girls on the Prairie View course as she took seventh overall in 24 minutes and 22 seconds. Teammate Talen McMurray was right behind her in 24:24 in eighth.

Senior Marissa Vallejo also left Prairie View with a medal as she took 10th overall in 24:47. Freshmen Annie Hornberger (25:04), Anna Cotter (25:25) and sophomore Luciana Vallejo  (27:57) took 12th, 14th and 20th, respectively.

“It was a great meet for our girls,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “We had girls really improve as they are understanding how to race. Hailey ran a great race and really moved through the pack in the last 2 kilometers. Talen ran strong as well. We are getting there and hope to be rolling come regionals.”

On the boys side, sophomore Levi Cotter was less than two seconds from winning the race. Cotter medaled for the second straight week as he was second in 18:31, just behind Fort Scott freshman Lincoln Fess.

Sophomore Truman Ellison also finished toward the top of the standings as he took fourth in 18:39, while another sophomore, Spencer Mattison, was 10th in 19:40.

Senior Ben Proctor rounded out the Wildcat team in 27th with a time of 21:53.

“Levi had an amazing race as he ran a controlled the first mile and then really moved through the field to challenge for the win,” Reece said. 

On Saturday, Louisburg senior Jerynce Brings Plenty competed in the one of the most competitive high school cross country meets in the state — the Rim Rock Classic. The meet, which was held at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence, brings in the top runners in all classes from across the area.

Brings Plenty battled the field, but an injury hampered him. He still finished the race in 19 minutes and 51 seconds, which was good for 224th out of 306 runners.

“Rim Rock is an amazon course that is challenging,” Reece said. “Jerynce had his own challenge as he cramped up at about 3K, but stuck it out and finished the race. It was not the day we were looking for, but every race cannot be your best.”

The Louisburg team will hit the course once again this Thursday as it competes at the Perry-Lecompton Invitational at Hummer Sports Park in Topeka. Events begin at 5 p.m.

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week four of the fall sports season, sponsored by Dr. Laura’s Orthodontics.

LEVI COTTER, SOPHOMORE, CROSS COUNTRY

Louisburg sophomore Levi Cotter set the pace for the Wildcat boys cross country team at the Ramsey Invitational last Thursday at Prairie View. Cotter finished second overall and was one of three Wildcats to finish in the top 10. He ran a time of 18 minutes and 31 seconds and was less than two seconds off the winning time.

Cotter medaled for the second straight week after earning hardware at the Wellsville Invitational back on Sept. 19.

The athlete of the week award is announced every Wednesday morning during the fall season and the winner is selected by Louisburg Sports Zone with the help of nominations from coaches.

Previous Winners:

Week 1: Myles Vohs

Week 2: McKenna Lohse

Week 3: Ashton Moore

WELLSVILLE — Levi Cotter and Jerynce Brings Plenty both earned medals this past week, but they each did it at a different venue.

Cotter and the Wildcat team competed at the Wellsville Invitational last Thursday and the Louisburg sophomore earned a medal with a 23rd place finish.

As for Brings Plenty, he competed on his own Saturday at the Baldwin Invitational and earned an 11th place medal. It was a successful week for the Wildcats just days after competing at a challenging Wamego Invite.

“The boys ran well considering they had run Wamego just 5 days before,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “They ran controlled first miles then worked their way up through the runners. It was great to see Levi medal with such a short turnaround between meets.”

Cotter led the 3-member Wildcat group in 23rd in 19 minutes and 40 seconds, while two other members finished just outside the medals.

Truman Ellison was 31st in 20:26 and Spencer Mattison was right behind him in 20:34 for 33rd place.

On the girls side, sophomore Talen McMurray led the Wildcats in 34th overall in 25:51 and freshman Hailey Shelton was 45th in 26.52.

Sophomore Ella Bockelman was 56th in 28:15 and sophomore Luciana Vallejo took 71st. Reagan Smith rounded out the Wildcat lineup in 78th.

“All things considered, especially with the heat, the girls ran strong,” Reece said. “We are making steady gains and hope to make a big step forward as a team at Prairie View this week.”

On Saturday, Brings Plenty took part in the Baldwin Invitational in a meet full of Class 5A and 6A competition. The Louisburg senior more than held his own as he medaled 11th in 17:44 at the Baldwin City Golf Course.

“Jerynce ran a very competitive race at Baldwin,” Reece said. “There were mostly 5A and 6A schools there so an 11th place finish was great. He will have great competition this week at Rim Rock.”

Brings Plenty will compete at the Rim Rock Classic in Lawrence this Saturday, while the rest of the Wildcats will travel to the Prairie View Invitational on Thursday.

An abbreviated version of the Louisburg cross country team took part in what will be one of their largest meets of the season Saturday at the Wamego Invitational.

More than 100 hundred runners took to the Wamego Country Club course to square off in the Class 4A race and four Wildcat boys found themselves in the middle of it all.

Jerynce Brings Plenty, Truman Ellison, Noah Cotter and Spencer Mattison took part in the competition that featured 136 runners from all over the state and one of them left with some hardware.

Brings Plenty earned his first medal of the season as he took 31st in 17 minutes and 50 seconds.

“The boys ran well at Wamego,” Louisburg coach John Reece said. “Jerynce medaled and is progressing well. The three sophomores, Levi, Truman, and Spencer, had great performances. We only had four running because of ACT testing. If we keep on the path we have started, the end of the season will be exciting.”

Ellison and Cotter ran most of the course together and earned a pair of top 50 finishes. Ellison was 44th in 18:29.30 and Cotter was right behind him in 45th in 18:29.53.

Mattison finished with a time of 19:49 and took 90th overall.

More than 20 schools competed in the Class 4A race and Southeast of Saline won the team title with 57 points and Wamego was second with 82.

Brayden Walker of Southeast of Saline won the race with a time of 16:08 and McPherson’s Caleb Mueller was second in 16:16.

Louisburg will field its full team this Thursday as the Wildcats travel to the Wellsville Invitational. Races are set to begin at 4 p.m.