Muehler Wins Third Straight State Title
McPherson boys place fifth as a team while Kramer's PR performance earns 10th-place finish
Caleb Muehler cemented his legacy as one of Kansas' premier distance runners Saturday, capturing his third consecutive individual state championship at the Class 4A State Cross Country Meet with a winning time of 15:54.
The McPherson senior's dominant performance highlighted a strong day for the Bullpups, who finished fifth in the boys team standings. Meanwhile, Adeline Kramer delivered a breakout performance in the girls race, slashing 30 seconds off her personal record to place 10th with a time of 20:24 and earn medalist honors.
"Both teams wrapped up their season today with several strong races at the State meet," noted the coaching staff, praising the efforts across both squads.
Muehler's victory marks a rare achievement in Kansas high school cross country, joining an elite group of runners who have won three or more individual state titles. His winning time of 15:54 showcased his continued dominance at the state's highest level of competition.
Supporting Muehler in the team competition, Kayden Friesen (30th, 17:48) and Tripp Pelzel (31st, 17:51) led the scoring for McPherson. Nathan Friesen finished 53rd in 18:37, with Jonas Emery (75th, 19:06), Isaiah Ortiz (76th, 19:11), and Drake Timson (90th, 20:23) rounding out the varsity lineup as the Bullpups secured their fifth-place team trophy.
Kramer's medal-winning performance in the girls race capped an impressive postseason run that saw her qualify individually at regionals before delivering her best race of the season when it mattered most.
With several runners returning next season for both squads, the state meet experience gained Saturday should prove valuable. "The experience of competing at the State meet will be very important next year," the coaches noted, already looking ahead to building on this year's success.
Greg Loving
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