KHS XC sends early message with win

Despite it being the first meet of the season, the Kingfisher girls cross country team sent a strong message.

It’s a group with which to be reckoned in 2020.

The Lady Jackets won the Watonga Cross Country Invitational last Saturday, beating a field that included the defending 2A champ and runner-up and a team with two individual state champs.

All five of Kingfisher’s placers - and even the next two - placed among the top-30 as the Lady Jackets netted 64 points.

That was eight points better than Watonga, which won last year’s Class 2A state title.

Weatherford - which has two of the top runners in the state - was third with 78 points.

“This was a huge meet for us,” said coach Kerri Lafferty. “All the girls stepped up and competed.”

Lafferty was confident what she’d get out of her toptwo runners and she wasn’t let down.

Junior Katon Lunsford placed fifth as she ran the 2,500 meter course in 10:12.56. Senior Zoey Evans was two spots behind her, though her placing counted sixth toward the team standings.

“They’ve both been such great leaders for our team and ran really well,” Lafferty said.

What Lafferty was unsure of heading into the race was how the next three placers would fare.

“We were anxious to see how our 3, 4 and 5 would run,” she said. “We weren’t even sure who would be our top-seven. This is such a competitive group of girls.”

And compete they did. Andrea Becerra was 15th

Andrea Becerra was 15th (12th) in 10:27.78. Freshman Emmy Lunsford took 20th (15th) and was less than seven seconds behind Becerra.

That’s where Kingfisher got its lead on Watonga as its third and fourth runners combined for 39 points.

Hannah Francis helped seal the win with a 31st

place finish that was 26th in the team standings. Chesni Newkirk was right on her heels. Both are freshmen.

“This was huge as far as scoring goes,” Lafferty said.

Jacee Mueggenborg, Dani Rios-Ramirez and Alli Kate Themer all ran sub-11:40 and were among the top-third of more than 150 runners.

“They all had great races as well,” Lafferty said.

Weatherford senior Kennadi Price won the meet in 9:33.75. She was the 4A state champ in 2017 and 2018.

She took a fall in last year’s state meet and dropped to 15th, but teammate Jordan Hoffman won the title.

Hoffman was second Saturday, but nearly 15 seconds behind Price.

Watonga’s Riley Coleman took third in 9:55.15.

The KHS boys were seventh in their team standings.

The Jackets scored 162 points and were paced by senior Jayden Newkirk’s fifth-place finish.

Newkirk ran the 4,000 meters in 14:24.59.

“He’s running with such confidence,” Lafferty said. Connor Hine was 18th

Connor Hine was 18th (15th) in 15:00.34.

“We are expecting big things from these boys,” Lafferty added.

Weatherford won the boys title with 66 points. The OKC Knights and Hooker tied for second with 81.

KMS girls take 1st in team standings

Apparently not only is the Kingfisher girls present promising, but the future is as well.

The Kingfisher girls captured the middle school team race too.

KMS had just 56 points to handily beat runner-up Alva’s 72.

Scout Snodgrass took second overall while Liberty Starr and Lily Lunsford were also among the top-10 in the team standings.

Natalie Garrett and Terry Ann McCully gave KMS five placers among the top-22 in the team standings.

Will Neuman led the KMS boys team with a 13thplace finish.