For the first time since 2004, the Ellsworth High School boys and girls cross country teams will compete at the state meet Nov. 2 at Wamego.

The teams qualified after competing in the 2A Regional Oct. 26 in Hutchinson.

The boys finished first overall; the girls placed second.

According to head coach Eric Coonrod, in order to qualify for state, individual runners had to finish individually in the top 10. The top three placing teams would also qualify for the state meet.

“Ellsworth had a very good day,” Coonrod said.“Unlike what we’d dealt with a lot of the season, Saturday was an almost picture perfect day to run, cooler temps and little breeze.”

The girls were first to run at 11:20 Saturday morning.

“Not every school brought full girls’ teams, we figured that Remington was going to be tough, so we thought if we can hold off Hillsboro and Hutch Trinity, we’d have a really good shot at qualifying the team,” Coonrod said. “At the finish, sophomore Joni Schroeder finished in the runner-up position, holding off a late charge by a Hillsboro runner. The other girls stepped it up as well, running some of their best times of the season. Kirsten Meier was able to fend off four Hutch-Trinity girls in her last 400 meters. The girls’ team was second overall and qualified for state at Wamego.”

All five girls will run at 11:10 a.m. Nov. 2 at the state meet in Wamego.

The boys finished out the meet, running at noon.

“We knew competition would be tough, as most schools in attendance brought full boys teams,” Coonrod said. “But this also presented an opportunity to gain points with almost every pass.”

After leading much of the race, Noah Erichsen finished inside the top 10, in seventh place overall. Hayden Rogers, Logan Erichsen, and Braden Schulte finished just outside the top 10 in 12th, 13th, and 14th, respectively.

“They held off several Hutch Trinity boys that were finishing hard in the last half mile,” Coonrod said.“This was a hard fought regional win, the second year in a row the EHS boy’s team finished first in the region.”

The boys will be running for individual and team state championships at 12:55 p.m. Nov. 2 at Wamego.

“As I said earlier, the individuals on both the boys’ and girls’ teams stepped it up to try to do something special — and they did,” Coonrod said.

2A Regional Cross Country

Girls ( 48 runners total)

• Joni Schroeder finished second, qualified as an individual for state at Wamego; time of 21:46.8.

• Olivia Neuman, 15th; 23:36.7 (PR).

• Brenna Pruitt, 18th; 23:55.3 (8 seconds off PR).

• Kirsten Meier, 22nd; 24:08.3 (8 seconds off PR).

• Cassie Duncan, 46th; 32:25.0.

Boys (79 runners total)

• Noah Erichsen, 7th, qualified as an individual for state at Wamego; time of 18:19.6.

• Hayden Rogers, 12th; 18:57.2.

• Logan Erichsen, 13th; 18:59.2.

• Braden Schulte, 14th; 19:04.5.

• Byron Johnson, 25th; 19:45.5

• Cade Gwinner, 30th; 20:04.9.

• Jonathan Spachek, 35th; 20:23.6.

• All seven boys will run at 12:55 p.m. Nov. 2, at the state meet.