With district and state cross country competition approaching for the high school runners, junior high student-athletes were given their opportunity to be represented in a state-like atmosphere.
From Walnut Creek Course on Oct. 11, Papillion LaVista South was the host site for the 2025 Junior High State Cross Country Championships.
Wayne sent 12 girls and four boys during the Class C/D and Open 3k races.
LCC also sent two boys and one girl during the Class C/D divisions.
In the girls championship division, Wayne JH finished fifth (out of 19 teams) with 100 points.
Eighth grader Hadley Dunklau captured an 11th place medal with a time of 12:12.68.
Other JH C/D Blue Devil results came from eighth grader Sarah Kuchta (26th - 12:37.88), seventh grader Kiley Dutcher (37th - 13:01.68), eighth grader Rose Kaup (83rd - 14:12.95), seventh grader Schyler Wiseman (84th - 14:13.06), seventh grader Marissa Brink (90th - 14:23.58), and seventh grader Cora Surber (92nd - 14:29.91).
From the girls Open Race Division, Wayne JH also finished fifth (out of 21 teams) with 121 points.
Results were posted by seventh grader AnaBelle Cook (36th - 14:21.43), eighth grader Molly Allemann (51st - 14:56.42), seventh grader Konstynce Owens-Webb (53rd - 15:01.15), seventh grader Alexis Ptacek (55th - 15:04.27) and eighth grader Pashynce Owens-Webb (82nd - 15:50.53).
During the boys division, Wayne JH totaled 246 points to finish 14th out of 28 teams in Class C/D.
Eighth grader Benjamin Patefield led the Blue Devil junior high boys with 49th place in 11:53.09.
Other Wayne JH results came from seventh grader Calvin Lipp (61st - 12:04.71), eighth grader Owen Wynia (105th - 12:40.49) and seventh grader Tyson Hoffman (190th - 14:04.24).
Laurel-Concord-Coleridge girls eighth grader Ruby Tasler finished 136th (15:48.38).
LCC Bulldog boys were led by eighth grader Jeremiah Kinkaid (185th - 13:57.16) and eighth grader Caden Barnes (210th - 15:07.63).
There were six total divisions featuring 1,290 runners who posted a time.
The Class A/B girls (200 runners) winner was eighth grader Madison Scott from Russell (Omaha), 11:13.27; Class A/B boys (251) was eighth grader Kamden Cupples from St. Wenceslaus (Omaha), 9:48.68; Class C/D girls (163) was eighth grader Mercy Kann from Norfolk Catholic, 11:43.41; Class C/D (227) boys was eighth grader Andrew Goodell from Perkins County (Grant, NE), 10:17.1; Open girls (174) fifth grader Aspen Samuels (unattached), 12:00.43 and Open boys (275) was eighth grader Cameron Gilliand from 402 XC and TRACK (Omaha), 10:46.36.
