Posted: Oct 30, 2023

Both Cross Country Men and Women Take First Place

The Cowley Cross Country teams entered the championship part of the season at the 2023 XC Region VI/KJCCC Championships, hosted by Allen in Iola, KS. It was on the same course the Tigers raced at in their previous meet at the Cedarbrook Golf Course. Race day conditions were all over the place as it had rained 3 days straight prior, temps had dropped and it was a little bit windy. So it made for a challenging day of racing with the cold, mud, and wet conditions. This meet is unique as it is both a conference and region championship all in one race.

"What a day it is to be a Tiger! Our teams really stepped up to every challenge that was thrown their way with this one."

On the ladies side, they were able to win their 7th straight KJCCC eastern conference championship and they were also crowned the Region VI D-2 Champs for the 4th straight year. Led in a big way by Dheniffer Vaz, who threw down a 15 second personal best and was the conference champion, as well as finishing 4th overall. A Winfield HS graduate, Kayli Myers was the 2nd Lady Tiger to finish with a 20 second personal best, earning All-Conference and All-Region honors. Leticia Belo rounded out our Lady Tigers All-Region performances as well as an All-Conference performance. Britannia Willis and Lakota Schultz also garnered All-Conference honors. Our girls really know how to work together and run for each other out there. Most of our girls are freshmen, so I believe the future is bright with this team. These girls as a team have just kept improving and improving with each meet, I am excited to continue to watch them grow. Any time you are running personal bests or close to personal bests in conditions like this, it is a great sign. Coach Cameron Rieth was also named the KJCCC Women's XC Coach of the year following the efforts of the women's team.

On the men's side we had an awesome effort. They were able to win their 3rd KJCCC Eastern Conference championship in 4 years and 4th straight Region VI D-2 Championship. Our team continued to work great as a team out there. Miquel Cruz led the group with a personal best, and was the runner up finisher for the Eastern Conference, as well as 8th place All-Region VI performer. Mason Bickle was the 2nd Tiger to cross the line as a All-Conference and All-Region VI performer, a massive jump from the previous year. Austin Schaeffer rounded out the All-Conference honors for the Tigers. Our 1-5 pack time was fantastic at this meet, easily the best it has been all season. Which I believe was the difference maker for our guys group. We don't have a solid low stick like some other teams, but our pack is solid, which is going to be all the difference at the national meet in two weeks. If we come ready to run like we ran at this meet, I believe our men will surprise some people.

Next up is the NJCAA D-2 National Champions on Nov. 11th in Huntsville, Alabama. We are coming into the national meet with a lot of momentum and I think that both our men and women are going to surprise some people.

50* chilly, Rainy and muddy + 15 mph wind / Rolling and rough course

WOMEN 5k Results:

TEAM: 3rd Overall | 1st Region D-2 | 1st KJCCC Eastern Conference

Dheniffer Vaz: 18:51.9***% | 4th place$/ 1st Place# (6:04.3 /mile | Mile Split: 6:00.6 | 2.2mile split: 12:39 | Close: 6:12.9)

Kayli Myers: 19:11.15***% | 10th place$/ 3rd place# (6:10.5 /mile | Mile Split: 6:00.8 | 2.2 mile split: 12:42.2 | Close: 6:29)

Britannia Willis: 20:16.40 | 24th place/6th place# (6:31.6/ mile | 6:15 | 2.2mile split: 13:21 | Close: 6:32.4

Lakota Schultz: 20:20.33 | 27th place/ 7th place # (6:32.8 /mile) Mile Split: 6:15.1 | 2.2 mile split: 13:18.9 | Close: 7:01.37)

Tavarie Campbell: 20:41.17 | 31st place/ 10th place (6:39.2/ mile) | Mile Split: 6:17.0 | 2.2milesplit: 13:32. | Close: 7:08.5

Britt Hunter: 21:15.94 | 42nd place/16th place (6:50.7 /mile) Mile Split: 6:33.95 | 2.2 mile split: 14:02.8 | Close: 7:13

Lili-Rose Breheret: DNR | Savannah Fischer: DNR

*** Personal Best | **Season Best | $Regional Medalist | #Conference Medalist | %=TOP 30 All-Time Program

WOMEN 5k:

JK Gold: 9/2/23

TOP 3 average: 20:04 | TOP 5 Average: 20:47 | Top 7 Average: 21:21

Greeno/Dirksen: 9/16/23

TOP 3 average: 19:57** | TOP 5 Average: 20:37** | Top 7 Average: N/A

Chile Pepper: 9/29/23

TOP 3 Average: 19:21** | TOP 5 Average: 19:48** | Top 7 Average: 20:10**

Region VI Preview: 10/14/23 (1-5 Pack Time: 0:58 | 1-7 Pack Time: 2:25)

TOP 3 Average: 19:29** | TOP 5 Average: 19:47** | Top 7 Average: 20:10**

Region VI/KJCCC Championships: 10/27/23 (1-5 pack time: 1:29 | 1-7 pack Time: 2:24)

TOP 3 Average: 19:12** | TOP 5 Average: 19:39** | Top 7 Average: 20:01**

MEN 8k Results:

TEAM: 2nd Overall | 1st Region D-2 | 1st KJCCC Eastern Conference

Miquel Cruz: 25:45.57***% | 8th place$/ 2nd place# (5:11.0/mile) Mile Split: 5:03.44

Mason Bickle: 26:09.02 | 13th place$/ 4th place# (5:15.7/mile) Mile Split: 5:19.36

Austin Schaeffer: 26:23.54 | 17th place/ 6th place# (5:18.6/mile) Mile Split: 5:18.62

Mason Blochowiak: 26:30.78** | 22nd place/ 8th place (5:20.1/mile) Mile Split: 5:18.9

Randy Rojas: 26:39.02** | 32nd place/ 9th place | (5:21.7/mile) Mile Split: 5:18.7

Kevin Rivas-Guillen: 27:02.99 | 34th place/ 14th place (5:24.29/mile) Mile Split: 5:16.8

Deshawn Douglas: 27:40.80*** | 58th Place/ 18th place (5:39.74/mile) Mile: 5:23.55

Elio Rivera: 27:50.34 | 46th place/ 20th place (5:33.42) Mile Split: 5:27.1

Manuel Leos: 28:20.24 | 43rd place/ 26th place (5:42.1/mile) Mile Split: 5:23.3

Korbin Woods: 30:43.77 | th place/ 43 place (6:10.09) Mile: 5:46.99

Jakub Barcik: DNR, Corban Priest: DNR

*** Personal Best | **Season Best | $Regional Medalist | #Conference Medalist | %=TOP 30 All-Time Program

MEN:

JK Gold: 6k 9/2/23

TOP 3 Average: 19:53 | TOP 5 Average: 20:30 | TOP 6 Average: 20:53

(Converted 8k: 26:57 Top 3 average | 27:49 Top 5 average | 28:18 Top 6 average)

Greeno/Dirksen: 8k 9/16/23

TOP 3 average: 27:10 | TOP 5 Average: 27:21.48** | Top 7 Average: 27:46.43

Chile Pepper: 9/29/23

TOP 3 Average: 27:44.4 | TOP 5 Average: 28:24.24 | Top 7 Average: 29:14.26

Region VI Preview: 10/14/23 (1-5 Pack Time: 1:05 | 1-7 Pack Time: 1:40)

TOP 3 Average: 26:01.4** | TOP 5 Average: 26:18.24** | Top 7 Average: 26:34.51**

Region VI/KJCCC Championships: 10/27/23 (1-5 pack time: 0:53** | 1-7 pack Time: 1:55)

TOP 3 Average: 26:05.4 | TOP 5 Average: 26:17.12** | Top 7 Average: 26:35.34 | Full Squad: 27:18.18

2023-XC

PB Counter: 28

SB Counter: 35

SB Team Average Counter: 15

Medalists: 25

TOP 30 All-Time Performances: 9

Link for results:

Region VI/ KJCCC Results Black Squirrel

Region VI /KJCCC Results: TFRRS

PDF: Full Results

Photo Credit: RyAnn Myers