By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
The Southeast of Saline cross country teams split their squads to run in two meets over the weekend, with half the group running at Rim Rock in Lawrence, and the other half taking on the Republic County Invitational.
Overall, the teams performed well, with the group in Lawrence taking on not only the course all classifications run on at the state meet, but also a loaded field featuring a swarm of 5 and 6A competition.
In their first-ever appearance at the Rim Rock Invitational, the Lady Trojans pulled off a seventh-place finish amidst a field of 24 teams, and the Trojans finished 16th in a field of 38.
On the girls’ side, Piper Brown (21st), Anna Jackson (27th), and Regan Duran (35th) all finished inside the top 40, while Brayden Walker (19th) led the boys with their lone top-50 finish.
Meanwhile, in Belleville, the Southeast boys dominated, winning the meet 40 points clear of their next closest competition.
Joseph Bircher (4th), Tyler Kempke (13th), Andrew Knopf (15th), Isaiah Kejr (18th), Miguel Ortega (22nd), and Thomas Willis (24th) all finished inside the top 25 at a meet that featured most of the NCAA.
The Trojans and Lady Trojans will run at Halstead next on Thursday, October 2.