Collegiate’s Lakelin Conrad wins third cross country title
Last week, Collegiate senior Lakelin Conrad conquered the wind and won his Class 4A cross country regional.
Saturday at the state meet, he faced running in sub-freezing temperatures.
No problem.
Conrad capped his high school cross country career with his third title in four years, cruising to victory on the 5-kilometer course at Wamego Country Club in 16 minutes, 19.46 seconds – nearly four seconds better than his closest competitor.
He handled the conditions and added a championship to go with those he won as a freshman and junior.
“I feel like I usually run better when it’s really hot,” Conrad said. “But I felt really confident about hills and my ability to handle them.”
Conditions don’t faze Conrad, Collegiate coach Clark Ensz said.
“He seems to adapt really well,” Ensz said. “He’s a very smart runner, and that’s the key.”
Additionally, he said he had a good race strategy.
“I ran very smart and didn’t go too hard in times when I didn’t need to and really pushed at the end when I needed it,” Conrad said.
Conrad credits more training outside last winter as helping him in nastier conditions.
“I feel like that helped (Saturday) and got my body used to running in the cold weather,” he said.
There has been a variety in his championships. Conrad ran in Class 3A as a freshman in 2014 at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence. The past two titles have been at Wamego.
“My freshman year, the regionals were 90 degrees out, and then it dropped to about 30 degrees for the state meet,” he said. “I had won the regional meet by quite a bit, but I barely edged the guy out (at state) when it was really cold.
“So I was really nervous about the cold weather this year.”
Despite the cold conditions, Conrad said he was still comfortable because of a lack of wind.
“This season has been all over the place with weather,” he said. “There have been some really wet meets where the ground is going to slow you down because it’s so soft. We’ve also had some really windy meets, too.”
The one state race he didn’t win – as a sophomore in 2015 when Winfield senior Riley Osen clocked a 15:44.90 and Conrad finished third – has provided incentive for the past two years, Conrad said.
“That really motivated me and still motivates me to this day, to always try to improve, no matter how I’m doing in the state meets,” he said. “I can always be faster.”
In the 4A team standings, Circle added a state title to last week’s regional title – the first in school history and the Thunderbirds’ third state title in any sport, coach Gary Wartick said.
Wartick said he thought this team could do some special things this season.
“I had an idea, but everything has to fall right,” he said. “We knew it was between (Circle), Andover Central and Hugoton, and if anyone had a bad day, we were going to have a bad day.”
Circle’s lone senior, Avery Stuever, sparked the victory with a fourth-place finish in 16:37.90, heading a group of five sophomores and a freshman.
Class 4A
Boys
Team scores: 1. Circle, 54; 2. Andover Central, 59; 3. Hugoton, 83; 4. El Dorado, 123; 5. Girard, 154; 6. Smoky Valley, 163; 7. Baldwin, 174; 8. Wamego, 193; 9. Tonganoxie, 209; 10. Ottawa, 223; 11. Topeka Hayden, 248; 12. Iola, 269.
Individuals: 1. Conrad, Collegiate, 16:19.46; 2. Aguirre, Hugoton, 16:23.07; 3. Carson, El Dorado, 16:30.00; 4. Stuever, Circle, 16:37.90; 5. Modrow, Chapman, 16:39.94; 6. Wilson, Baldwin, 16:52.18; 7. Oglesby, Galena, 16:52.54; 8. E. Keller, Circle, 16:58.73; 9. Maki, Andover Central, 16:59.09; 10. Flores, Andover Central, 17:00.50.
Girls
Team scores: 1. Baldwin, 61; 2. Andover Central, 92; 3. Fort Scott, 110; 4. Basehor-Linwood, 130; 5. Bishop Miege, 136; 6. Buhler, 143. 7. Trinity Academy, 146; 8. Chapman, 214; 9. Circle, 218; 10. Louisburg, 225; 11. Anderson Coutnty, 232; 12. Hugoton, 257.
Individuals: 1. Brkggs, Chapman, 18:46.31; 2. Trout, Independence, 18:59.67; 3. Davis, Clearwater, 19:18.57; 4. Stewart, Baldwin, 19:45.16; 5. Moore, Louisburg, 19:47.15; 6. Dierks, KC Sumner Academy, 19:50.26; 7. Honeyman, Santa Fe Trail, 19:57.05; 8. Beiter, Baldwin, 20:01.89; 9. Lieb, Trinity Academy, 20:08.00; 10. Allen, Bishop Miege, 20:11.02;
Class 2A
Boys
Team scores: 1. Yates Center, 61; 2. Bennington, 76; 3. Stanton County, 118; 4. Kansas City Christian, 135; 5. Wabaunsee, 157; 6.West Elk, 182; 7. Ell-Saline, 187; 8. Wichita County, 188; 9. Pratt-Skyline, 195; 10. Trego Community, 198; 11. Oakley, 228; 12. Meade, 262.
Individuals: 1. Splechter, Yates Center, 16:05.06; 2. Thompson, Meade, 16:18.72; 3. Mumford, KC Christian, 16:57.83; 4. Nelson, Bishop Seabury, 17:08.63; 5. Marlisko, Inman, 17:22.99; 6. Bedell, Yates Center, 17:28.04; 7. Smith, Yates Center, 17:38.06; 8. Browning, KC Christian, 17:38.74; 9. Barrera, Stanton County, 17:39.88; 10. Aita, Bennington, 17:52.34.
Girls
Team scores: 1. Bennington, 76; 2. Ellinwood, 121; 3. Berean Academy, 122; 4. Sacred Heart, 148; 5. Kiowa Countty, 150; 6. Trego Community, 176; 7. Stanton County, 183; 8. Pittsburg St. Mary’s-Colgan, 186; 9. Kansas City Christian, 194; 10. Bishop Seabury, 196; 11. Lyndon, 207; 12. Syracuse, 227.
Individuals: 1. H. Johnson, Bennington, 19:14.1; 2. Vath, Lincoln, 19:40.7; 3. H. Giefer, Trego Community, 19:43.2; 4. Piepho, Bennington, 20:23.7; 5. Topham, Berean Academy, 20:27.7; 6. Stanley, Bennington, 20:36.5; 7. Hilbert, Bennington, 20:43.6; 8. Klepper, Ellinwood, 20:48.1; 9. S. Giefer, Trego Community, 20:52.2; 10. K. Johnson, Bennington, 20:56.9.
Class 1A
Boys
Team scores: 1. St. John’s-Beloit, 19; 2. St. John, 44; 3. Wallace County, 53; 4. Frankfort, 85; 5. Greeley County, 103; 6. Axtell, 110; 7. Centralia, 127; 8. South Gray, 138; 9. Victoria, 146; 10. Central Christian, 148; 11. South Central, 192; 12. Stafford, 196.
Individuals: 1. Lutgen, St. John’s-Beloit, 16:22.8; 2. Shirley, Frankfort, 17:02.2; 3. Oswalt, Central Christian, 17:05.7; 4. Fischer, Wallace County, 17:08.2; 5. Eiler, St. John’s-Beloit, 17:22.8; 6. A. Bates, St. John’s-Beloit, 17:23.2; 7. Reeves, Pike Valley, 17:34.0; 8. B. Bates, St. John’s-Beloit, 17:39.5; 9. Kistner, Waverly, 17:45.2; 10. Miller, St. John, 17:47.6.
Girls
Team scores: 1. Greeley County, 33; 2. Ingalls, 51; 3. Wallace County, 65; 4. South Central, 66; 5. Lakeside, 100 (won tiebreaker); 6. Caldwell, 100; 7. Tescott, 127; 8. Pretty Prairie, 131; 9. Lebo, 139; 10. Centralia, 159; 11. Frankfort, 170; 12. Otis-Bison, 188.
Individuals: 1. Princ, Sylvan-Lucas, 18:37.03; 2. Selzer, Wallace County, 20:10.01; 3. Harris, Ashland, 20:53.52; 4. Tarn, South Gray, 21:02.12; 5. Kuckelman, Axtell, 21:23.60; 6. Granados, Fowler, 22:04.39; 7. Simon, Ingalls, 22:11.42; 8. Melugin, Flinthills, 22:15.90; 9. Crotinger, Greeley County, 22:17.15; 10. Batman, South Gray, 22:20.01
CLASS 6A
Girls
Teams: SM North 76, BV North 79, Olathe North 84, Manhattan 109, BV West 116, Washburn Rural 157, Free State 215, SM South 216, Dodge City 227, SM West 231, Garden City 262, Wichita East 264..
Top 10: Beach, BV NW 18:25.70; Mayfield, Manhattan, 18:30.83; Call, BVW 18:44.35; Chu, BVW 18:57.73; Kasunic, SMN 18:59.94; Scott, BVN 19:10.04; Schillinger, ON, 19:13.14; Fuhlhage, ON, 19:13.15; Ochana, OE, 19:13.82; Whitaker, ON, 19:16.11.
Boys
Teams: Olathe North 45, Manhattan 57, Olathe East 102, SM North 117, Olathe Sotuh 139, SM NW 159, Washburn Rural 182, Garden City 197, Wichita North 200, Dodge City 215, SM West 300, Wichita West 356.
Top 10: Cocharan, Gardner, 15:49.94; Beach, ON, 15:56.12; Caldwell, ON, 16:04.62; Jiskra, SMN, 16:08.98; Jones, Derby, 16:09.72; Schroeder, Manhattan, 16:13.06; Harkins, Manhattan, 16:17.39; Cervantes, GC, 16:19.50; Shryock, OS, 16:21.85; Kahnk, OE, 16:23.34; Clayton, Wichita East, 16:23.56; Iyali, Wichita North, 16:25.38.
CLASS 5A
Girls
Teams: St. James 40, Mill Valley 45, Aquinas 85, Maize South 92, Carroll 126, Maize 151, Leavenworth 228, Emporia 250, Shawnee Heights 253, Lansing and Valley Center 268, Salina South 286. Note: Lansing won tie-breaker for 10th place.
Top 10: Sovereign, Aquinas, 18:36.50; Murrow, SJ, 18:49.48; Moore, SJ, 19:01.03; Oconnor, SJ, 19:05.89; Kemp, MV, 19:09.43; Stewart, Emporioa, 19:15.85; Rios, MS, 19:17.80; Koca, MV, 19:24.91; Wilks, Pittsburg, 19:25.63; Ricker, MV, 19:28.27.
Boys
Teams: Aquinas 61, Mill Valley 72, Andover 108, Carroll 115, Great Bend 122, Maize South 131, BV SW 156, Leavenworth 199, Seaman 244, Newton 249, Lansing 257, Emporia 330.
Top 10: Marshall, Aquinas, 15:38.02; Depenbusch, GB, 15:41.20; Moore, St. James, 15:46.93; Jones, Maize, 15:54.18; Jones, Aquinas, 16:01.79; Moen, Andover, 16:02.59; Miller, BV SW, 16:04.44; Griffith, GB, 16:05.75; Bohnemann, Leavenworth, 16:06.98; Haynes, MV, 16:09.36.
CLASS 3A
Girls
Teams: Hiawatha 67, Scott City 76, Thomas More 98; Beloit 109, Douglass 132, Cimarron 161, Sedgwick 170, Sabetha 172, St. Marys 175, Fredonia 208, Council Grove, 262, Osage Ctiy 291.
Top 10: Han. Burks, Belit, 19:10.29; Hay. Burks, Beloit, 20:07.72; Giles, Minneapolis, 20:26.35; Kats, Norton, 20:27.90, Stevens, SC, 20:29.06; White, Lakin, 20:31.92; Clinesmith, Cimarron, 20:35.48; Schmidt, Remington, 20:37.66; Rossman, West Franklin, 20:38.41; Kettler, Hiawatha, 20:48.47.
Boys
Teams: Halstead 102, Central Heights 104, Scott City 113, Norton 134, Kingman 156, Hiawatha 158, West Franklin 174, Council Grove 183; SE-Saline 187, Riley County 199, Hesston 219, Sabetha 220.
Top 10: Thomas, SC, 16:04.87; Flanagan, Kingman, 16:15.45; Kulp, RC, 16:26.20; Pearce, Kingman, 16:30.82; Hodge, Hiawatha, 16:39.42; Bailey, WF, 16:48.20; Dodson, Douglass, 16:51.25; Oatney, Pleasant Ridge, 17:00.95; Hall, Norton, 17:05.62; Haner, WF, 17:05.63.
This story was originally published October 28, 2017 at 5:13 PM with the headline "Collegiate’s Lakelin Conrad wins third cross country title."