Photos courtesy of Huey Counts
Forgive Salina Central junior Kaylie Shultz if it took her a few moments to fully appreciate her accomplishment.
At first, she was glad just to be upright as she crossed the finish line.
“By the end of the race I was seeing stars, so nothing was really clicking in my brain at that point in time,” Shultz said after fighting through illness to capture her first Class 5A state cross country championship Saturday afternoon at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence. “I think as time has progressed it was nice to look back at my race and, and I think it started to sink in a little bit more.
“It was really exciting.”
Shultz went into the race as a prohibitive favorite after posting the state’s best times in all classes this fall. Little did she know how much that final step to a championship would test her both physically and mentally.
“I have actually been trying to get over a little bit of a sickness that came up on Thursday,” said Shultz, who still completed the 3.1-mile course in 17 minutes, 26.30 seconds while maintaining a lead throughout against runner-up Ava Claasen of Kapaun-Mt. Carmel (17:36.80). “I did my shakeout Friday, and I knew it was going to feel tough, so I kind of threw time out the window and was trying to push hard the entire race.”
The fact that her time was almost 50 seconds off her personal best was not an issue. By the first mile, Shultz had an 11-second lead on Claasen, and she maintained the rest of the way.
“Having Ava there really helped push me through,” Shultz said. “My race strategy changed a little bit, but I just kind of went for the win after that.”
It was not the first time Shultz had to battle adversity at the state meet. Last year it was an injury that forced her to fight through a knee injury to finish third behind Central teammate Katelyn Rupe and Topeka Seaman’s Ryin Miller after taking second behind Rupe as a freshman.
“I couldn’t be happier for her,” Central coach Brad Dix said of Shultz’s victory. “I know how much she has wanted to run well at this race and how hard it has been for her to get to this race healthy.
“She has a tendency to push herself to near her limits, and she’s really tough. Having somebody push her a little bit brings out the dog in her and she answers right back. It was really great to see the hard work she’s put in pay off.”
There will be no extended rest period for Shultz to enjoy the state championship. On Nov. 9 she will be right back at it against when she travels to Sioux Falls, South Dakota for the Nike Cross Country Regional.
“I’m kind of glad that my sickness came up this week, so then next week hopefully I’m healthy and ready to go to NXR,” Shultz said of the Nike race.
It was a good day overall for Central, which qualified both its boys and girls teams for state for the first time since 1985. The Mustang girls finished eighth and the boys ninth.
Senior Liam Deniau-Young led the Mustang boys with his second straight 18th-place medal at state in a time of 16:26.75. Luke Affholder was 29th with a 16:42.49 clocking.
“Liam has had a wonderful career, and to see him get on the medal stage again was fantastic,” Dix said. “He battled illness all week, too, so it was special to see him fight through it.
“I was so proud of everybody’s effort today.”
CLASS 5A SALINE COUNTY RESULTS
Boys
Salina Central
18. Liam Deniau-Young 16:27.75; 29 Luke Affholder 16:42.49; 75. Renner Van Zant 18:13.29; 83. Tayton Morris 18:24.86; 85. Zane Holt 18:28.25; 89. Jeremiah McWhorter; 98. Jaime Navarro 20:07.84.
Salina South
41. Elian Moreno 17:10.34.
Girls
Salina Central
1. Kaylie Shultz 17:26.30; 61. Rayline Jensen 21:21.13; 64. Delilah McWhorter 21:23.57; 66. Emily Shurts 21:23 57; 70. Callie Van Court 21:44.40; 88. Addy Lund 22:54.22; 94. Yessi Ingram 24:06.87.
Salina South
58. Alina Arceo 21:16.27.
