Area runners vie for state berths at regional meets

Fresh off their runner-up finish at the Pioneer League Meet, Iola High’s cross country runners will test their mettle Saturday against some of the best harriers from eastern Kansas at the Class 4A Regional Meet in Ottawa.
The competition gets under way at 2:30 p.m. for the 4A girls, 3 o’clock for the boys.
The meet is at Ottawa’s Eisenhower Road Course, 2460 Eisenhower Rd. Spectators approaching Ottawa from the south should turn west on Kingman, then go a mile to the road’s intersection with Eisenhower. The course is on the southeast corner.
It remains up in the air how effective Fillies runners Abigail Taylor and Megan Klubek will be. Both are battling knee injuries and have been held out of practice this week.
Iola coach Marv Smith said both were to have tested their knees Wednesday to see how they would recover.
Runners from the top three teams as well as the top 10 individual runners will qualify for the 4A state meet Nov. 2 in Wamego.

AREA schools also will compete at regionals Saturday. Humboldt’s runners will be at Mound City’s Sugar Valley Golf Course for the Class 3A Regional. Girls begin running at 3 p.m., boys at 3:30. State qualifiers will race at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence Nov. 2.
Yates Center’s Drake Busteed, Tri-Valley League champion, will headline the Wildcat contingent competing in the Class 2A Regional, also at Sugar Valley. Girls start at 2 p.m., boys at 2:30.
Marmaton Valley’s runners will compete at the Cessna Activities Center in Wichita for the Class 1A Regional. Girls race at 2 p.m., boys at 2:30.
Like Class 4A, the Class 2A and 1A state qualifiers will run at the state meet in Wamego.
To reach Richard Luken email him at richard@iolaregister.com or follow him on Twitter @rlukenregister.

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Lizzy Huey
Sarah Charbonneau
Sidney Keith