THEY WON

The No. 1 ranked Buster Men Cross Country team pulled out all the tricks Oct. 31 and won the Region VI Championship.

"It was a total team performance," Head Coach Dan Delgado said.

Delgado said the sophomore runners had stepped up despite almost slipping up last year with training, school and their personal lives.

"Being ranked first, we knew we had the potential to win it. But rankings don't win championships, result do" Michael Wolf, Holcomb, said. "We knew it would be tough but the opportunity showed itself so we took it."

Amos Bowen finished fourth in the individual race as the top nine runners in the race were all from the Jayhawk West conference. In addition to Bowen, whose time was 26:50, Michael Wolf (27:02) and Chris Ramsgard (27:04) had top 10 finishes as they placed eighth and ninth respectively. Leandro Santillan (14th, 27:20) and Nick Baca (17th, 27:29) finished out the team score for Garden City.

Those results added up to 52 points which was 15 points better than second place Johnson County Community College. The next three teams that rounded out the top five were Colby Community College (73 points), Butler Community College (99 points), and Allen County Community College (145 points).

"I thought I was going to do better. I really wasn't that strong in the run. Hussein Ibrahim, Maine, said.

College officials arranged to have buses transport students and college employees between the college and the Buffalo Dunes golf course, where the competition took place.

Cole Wasinger, head golf professional at Buffalo Dunes and also the Buster Men's Assistant Golf Coach, assisted with setting up the course for the cross country meet.

"He understands athletics and competition," Swender said. "He got things set up today very nicely. He and Coach Delgado laid out the course."

The Lady Buster's team finished sixth, led by Geschwentner (20:04) who finished an outstanding individual season for Garden City. She has been the top runner for the Busters all year and turned in another strong performance with her fourth place finish as she ran the 5K course.

"I am happy about it. My goal was the top five, kind of wanted the top three, but I am content with what I did definitely," Geschwentner said.

Assistant Athletic Director Jake Ripple said he thought the ladies did a very nice job.

The other four runners that put together the team score for GCCC were Heather Kochivar (30th), Shantel Pangburn (50th), Caimen Bussen (51st), and KaLea Barlow (54th). Johnson County won the women's Region VI race, followed by Cowley College, Butler Community College, Coffeyville Community College, and Hutchinson Community College.

The win qualifies the Buster men's team to compete in the NJCAA National Cross Country meet, in Hobbs, N.M., Nov. 12. For the women, Geschwentner will represent the women in the individual competition.