Kansas Contingent Small at Footlocker Midwest Regional

Kansas runners were a rare commodity at the Footlocker Cross Country Midwest Regional Meet, held Saturday at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside near Kenosha.


None of the four Kansas runners who competed were able to advance to the national championships, which will take place in San Diego next month.


Blue Valley West junior Kalea Chu was the top Kansas finisher in the boys' and girls' seeded divisions. She placed 68th in a time of 19:17.7 among 234 runners in the girls' seeded race.


Olivia Theis of Lansing, Mich. won the race in 17:13.4, just four seconds ahead of Katelyn Hunt of Glenn Ellyn, Ill., and Emily Covert of Minneapolis, Minn.


Jack Thomas of Scott Community, the Kansas 3A state champion this fall, was the top finisher among Kansas boys who ran at Footlocker this year. He placed 108th in a time of 16:29.6.


Kansas class 4A state champ Lakelin Conrad of Wichita Collegiate was 184th in 17:08.5, and Ian Cropp of Washburn Rural placed 214th in a time of 18:21.2. The boys race was won by Daniel Kilrea of La Grange Park, Ill. in a time of 14:53.3.


There were no Kansas runners entered in the boys or girls junior/senior or freshman/sophomore divisions.


The Footlocker Cross Country Midwest Regional was the last of the postseason races where Kansas athletes could qualify for national competition. There were no Kansas runners able to advance on to either the Nike or Footlocker national meets, which will take place in December.