CHAMPIONSHIP FORM

Coach Kerri Lafferty hardly thought she could be prouder of Chesni Newkirk than she was Oct. 10.

It was on that day the Kingfisher High School freshman set a personal record during the cross country meet hosted by Oklahoma Bible Academy and Chisholm in Enid.

Then last Saturday happened.

Newkirk shattered that PR with yet another and helped KHS win a cross country regional for just the third time in the program’s history.

The girls’ championship plus the KHS boys’ automatic qualification for this week’s state meet with their sixth-place finish made it a successful day on the course.

“I was extremely excited for both teams,” Lafferty said. “I think almost everyone ran a PR for us.”

That includes Newkirk who cruised across the finish line in 13:20.5 two weeks prior to set her 3,200 meter PR.

On Saturday, though, she was much better.

Newkirk finished in 13:00.65 to place 11th overall.

“She stepped up this week and ran incredibly well,” Lafferty said. “She continues to drop major time.”

The Lady Jackets easily won the 4A regional meet with just 37 team points.

Weatherford was the runner-up with 62 and Community Christian third with 82.

Junior Katon Lunsford shaved three seconds off her PR with a 12:34.77 that placed her fourth.

Teammate Zoey Evans was one spot back in a time of 12:43.40. Emmy Lunsford, anoth

Emmy Lunsford, another freshman, and senior Andrea Becerra also set PRs.

They were eighth and ninth, respectively.

Becerra broke the 13:00 barrier for the first time as she crossed in 12:54.09, six seconds faster than her previous best.

Although their finishes didn’t count toward the team totals, sophomore Jacee Mueggenborg was 22nd and freshman Zaylynn Lopez 26th.

KHS last won a regional in 2018 when it followed that up with the program’s only state championship.

The Lady Jackets also claimed regional gold in 2009. This year’s state meet

This year’s state meet will be run at Edmond Santa Fe High School.

KHS enters the meet ranked third in Class 4A behind No. 1 Plainview and Byng.

The Lady Jackets were fourth behind those two teams and Lincoln Christian at the Pre-State Meet on Sept. 26.

Lincoln Christian is now ranked one spot behind KHS.

After the Pre-State meet, Lafferty said KHS runners should start seeing their times improving.

“We are heading into the part of our season where we really start to focus on speed and endurance,” she said.

“These workouts should significantly help drop our times.”

Her runners have since backed her up.

“State is going to be tough, but all the kids are fired up and ready for the challenge,” Lafferty said. “This is what we have trained for all season.”

Lafferty has long preached that her top runners will provide valuable low placings for the team, but it’s the fourth and fifth runners’ performances that could be the difference in making it to the medal stand.

Newkirk is one such valuable piece for KHS. “Her placement could be the difference maker at state,” Lafferty said. “We are really counting on her.”

Boys back at state

Senior Jayden Newkirk also set a PR as he got the KHS boys back to the state meet. Newkirk was seventh

Newkirk was seventh in the boys’ 5K race in 17:15.21. His previous best was 17:38 on the same course two weeks prior.

“He is such a competitor and had an amazing race,” Lafferty said.

Junior Connor Hine was 19th in 17:56.28

Braden Burns was 42nd, Xavier Ridenour 43rd and Coleman Gilles 62nd for KHS.

The team had 173 points. Community Christian won the meet with 42 points, four better than Oklahoma Christian School.

In one sense or another, both KHS teams go into state as underdogs.

“Basically, both teams need to run their best this weekend in order to take home the championship,” Lafferty said.

“But anything can happen on race day.”