The Manhattan High Cross Country team swept away the competition on Saturday as they won all four of their divisional races at the Emporia Invitational.  

This is the second first place win for both Varsity teams as well as boys Junior-Varsity and C team. Unlike last week, this is the first time girls JV has won first place, since at their last meet they won third.

“I thought all across the spectrum it was an awesome performance,” Matthew Pickering, junior, said. “I think we all had a great time seeing each other do well and cheering each other on.”

Pickering placed third in boys Varsity with a time of 16:41, contributing to Manhattan’s overall win of 64 points.

Though boys Varsity dominated their race with two runners within the top three, girls Varsity was less fortunate. They felt the absence of two senior leaders, Clara Mayfield and Maddie Purdom, though this allowed for the younger runners to step up and be team leaders.

“It’s a tribute to all of those girls, not only the hard work they’ve put in over the summer and in practices, but also to their courage and determination to do what they needed to do for their team,” Susan Melgares, head coach, said on their website.

Despite the team’s success, the weather caused a minor issue that they were quick to resolve.

According to Pickering, the moist conditions were a bit of a setback.

“People handled the conditions well,” Pickering said. “The mud added an extra challenge to the race but everyone embraced it well by having some fun with it.”

Unlike the team’s last meet at Warner Park, they now have the ability to compare scores and make room for improvements.

“Considering where we are in the season and given that we’re still all in the process of gaining fitness, everyone did what they needed to do in order to succeed for this meet while leaving room for continued improvement for the rest of the season,” Ella Rosenkranz, junior, said.

Rosenkranz pulled through with the girls Varsity race, placing second in a season best time of 20:27, contributing to Manhattan’s 8-point lead in the overall score.

As the team celebrates their second success, they also continue to put forth every effort in practices to ensure future victories. The team hopes to carry on their triumph in Joplin, Missouri, for the Missouri Southern Stampede this Saturday.

“I think that overall we just need to stay focussed on the rest of the season by staying consistent with our training and doing all the little things right,” Pickering said. “When we step up to the line we’ll be confident and can give it all we got.”