For the Salina Central girls cross country team, the end of the 2024 season marked a changing of the guard.

Gone is Katelyn Rupe, who has moved on to the University of North Carolina after finishing her remarkable high school career with three straight Class 5A state titles. But don’t count the Mustangs out just yet.

While Rupe is gone, junior Kaylie Shultz is more than ready to emerge from her shadow and perhaps even extend Central’s string of individual championships.

Not only did Shultz finish second to Rupe at state as a freshman in 2023 but took third last year after edging Rupe head-to-head at regionals. And if there were any doubts that she is up for the challenge, she squashed them Saturday with a dominating performance at the Rim Rock Farm Cross Country Classic near Lawrence.

Schultz covered the Rim Rock course — also home to the 5A state meet — in 17 minutes, 52.98 seconds to claim the top Gold division varsity race by more than 30 seconds. She has a pair of impressive victories this season against top competition at Great Bend and Olathe as well.

The Mustangs also return seniors Phoebe Bohrer, Yessi Ingram and Meghan Lewis along with sophomores Deliah McWhorter and Addy Lund. Top newcomers include freshmen Raylin Jensen, Emily Shurts and Callie Van Court.

Central’s Boys, meanwhile, qualified for state as a team for a third straight year last fall and finished 10th. They were led at state by Liam Deniau-Young in 18th place, and he returns as a senior after also winning both conference and regional titles.

Deniau-Young was again the Mustangs’ top finisher Saturday in the loaded field at Rim Rock, placing 26th.

Also back for Central are seniors Tayton Morris and Jerome Conner, juniors Luke Affholder and Jeremiah McWhorter, and sophomores Adrian Deniau-Young, Renner VanZant and Marshal Zuccarelli. Freshmen Zane Hoff and Jaime Navarro also ran with the varsity at Rim Rock.

“We are excited with the start of the season,” said ninth-year Central coach Brad Dix. “Our young runners, both boys and girls, are responding well to training, and we’ve had some strong performances already.

“Kaylie Shultz has started off strong with two meet titles … and she looks to continue to improve and compete for a state championship, and Liam Deniau-Young continues to build on a strong junior campaign and looks to repeat as a league and regional champion. We hope their experience combined with returning six of seven boys from last year and our strong freshmen runners will help Central find continued success.”