By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
The Southeast of Saline cross country teams wrapped up their seasons in style with a bittersweet 1-2 finish in Wamego.
The girl’s team claimed back-to-back state titles for the first time since 2014-15, led by an individual win by Jentrie Alderson who finished a full 30 seconds ahead of the next fastest runner.
Alderson was followed closely by Abby Commerford, who wrapped up her stellar freshman campaign with a sixth-place finish at state.
Ashley Prochazka finished just outside the top ten in 11th, and the trio of Sadie Franklin, Joni Schroeder and Cali Augustine took home 31st, 32nd, and 33rd respectively.
Brookelyn Adams kept the whole team in the top 50, turning in a 41st place finish to cap off a dominant team win.
SES finished the meet with 46 points, 17 better than West Franklin in 2nd and a full 52 better than Prarie View in third.
The boy’s team had battled Wichita Trinity all season long and got the better of them in regionals, winning that meet by a single point.
The Knights, however, would have the last laugh, edging out the Trojans by 16 points to take home the gold at state.
Southeast secured second by a wide margin, finishing a full 34 points ahead of Smoky Valley in third, thanks in large part to an individual state title by Dylan Sprecker.
Sprecker finished his final race for SES 16 seconds ahead of the next closest runner, ensuring that both individuals on the top step of the podiums would don the purple and white.
Damion Jackson and Levi Allen each turned in top-ten performances finishing eighth and tenth respectively, followed by Joel Kejr in 23rd, and Nakari Morrical-Palmer in 29th.
Cayden Walker and Drake Augustine rounded out the team in 50th and 67th on a still-impressive final day for the Trojans.
Alderson and Sprecker will go out on top, graduating from Southeast of Saline as the fastest runners in Class 3A.
SES will also say goodbye to seniors Joel Kejr and Joni Schroeder, but will return a ton of talent and add a dominant eighth-grade class, hungry to reload and run it back in 2022.