In the hunt
Lady Jackets 3rd at XC regional, qualify for state
![SCOUT SNODGRASS climbs a small hill during the early portions of the Class 4A regional cross country meet held last Saturday at Heritage Hall. The KHS senior placed 13th to medal and led the Lady Jackets to a third place finish. [KT&FP Staff Photo]](https://www.kingfisherpress.net/sites/kingfisherpress.etypegoogle10.com/files/styles/article400/public/3f668a2190_Ar00203004.jpg?itok=4o44Fa7M "SCOUT SNODGRASS climbs a small hill during the early portions of the Class 4A regional cross country meet held last Saturday at Heritage Hall. The KHS senior placed 13th to medal and led the Lady Jackets to a third place finish. [KT&FP Staff Photo]")
SCOUT SNODGRASS climbs a small hill during the early portions of the Class 4A regional cross country meet held last Saturday at Heritage Hall. The KHS senior placed 13th to medal and led the Lady Jackets to a third place finish. [KT&FP Staff Photo]
Stefan Seifried was definitely hoping for a little better and probably expecting it.
But he got what he wanted most out of last Saturday’s Class 4A regional cross country meet: The Kingfisher High School girls are qualified for the state meet.
KHS finished third in the regional held at Heritage Hall School.
The top six teams in each 4A regional automatically advance to state.
“I thought it could have been a little bit better,” said Seifried, Kingfisher’s second-year coach. “But the main thing is, we’re in. Now we have a shot to go compete at state.”
Kingfisher entered the day ranked fourth and was the second-highest ranked team in the regional behind No. 3 Bridge Creek.
KHS had bested Bridge Creek just over a week prior at the same location, but the Bobcats stormed to the regional championship with just 37 points.
Bethany, ranked ninth, was the regional runner-up with 66 points.
KHS notched 88. Also qualifying were Perkins-Tryon (98), Mannford (131) and Cushing (149).
Twelve runners finished before anyone from Kingfisher, but Scout Snodgrass was the first of four straight Lady Jackets to cross the finish line.
The senior was in 13th place in 12:50 on the twomile course.
Fellow senior Harper Evans was 14th in 13:01 as she scooted past junior Addison Price just before the finish line.
All three Lady Jackets earned a medal, which goes to the top 15 individuals at regionals.
Mattie Slezickey, also a junior, placed 16th in 13:07.
Yet another junior, Lily Lunsford, rounded out Kingfisher’s scoring as she came in 30th in 14:00.
Hinsley Brodrick was one spot and two seconds behind Lunsford while Ryann Farrar placd 48th.
Brodrick and Farrar are freshmen.
Races were delayed about two hours do to thunderstorms moving through the area.
“It’s not ideal and it can throw off your mindset, but everyone had to deal with it,” Seifried said.
Multiple team members have been battling illness and/or minor injuries for the past several weeks. Seifried said he hopes that can be put in the rearview mirror for the last race of the season.
“I hope we’re as healthy as we can be and we just go compete,” he said. “That’s about all we can do and I’m confident they’ll step up and do that.”
••• Kingfisher won’t have a contestant in the 4A boys state meet.
The Jackets didn’t have the minimum number of runners to qualify as a full team, meaning only individuals could advance.
Kingfisher’s best shot was Wyatt Long, who finished 51st in the regional.
The top seven runners from non-qualifying teams also advance to state, but Long fell out of that group and missed on a return trip to state.
Running with a heavily- taped ankle due to a recent injury, Long completed the 5,000 meter course in 18:59.
Kurttis Mark was 86th, Vann Burgess 95th and Brantley Johnson 105th for the Jackets.