BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
LAKE BARTON — Great Bend's Decorah Schroeter has the heart of a champion.
Schroeter bettered her time (18:57.0) from last year (19:30.55) by 33 seconds at Thursday's Lake Barton cross country invitational.
Runners faced brutally tough weather conditions on a challenging winding course. Southwesterly winds blew 20 to 30 mph with temperatures in the low 80s for a 9 a.m. start.
"My goal was to place second behind Kaylie Schulz," Schroeter said. "I feel really good for my first race of the year. It felt good to run a faster time than last year. My first mile was my best mile. I might have fell off in my last mile a little. I definitely enjoy running this race early in the day because of the lower temperatures.
Reigning 5A state champion Shultz (18:18.93) outdistanced Schroeter by 38 seconds.
Hoisington's Tristin Compton improved her Lake Barton time with a 14th-place finish (21:04.32) from 2025 (23:21.36). Compton plans to rebound with a big senior season after a 52nd-place 3A state finish as a sophomore.
"I ran more than two minutes faster, much faster than last year," Compton said. "I had a stronger mental attitude this year. I started off faster, much faster than I predicted. I held onto my pace really good, and was a few seconds off my timing goal of 21 minutes. I'm really pleased with my start this year."
Wichita Carroll (53) won the team title ahead of Southeast of Saline (119).
Great Bend (144) placed third. Only Schroeter bettered last year's Lake Barton time. The Panthers featured 19th-place Bella Long (21:31.64), 24th Sydney Stein (21:46.3), 38th Samanatha Negaard (22:32.15) and 78th Alyssa Prendergast (24:33.77).
GIRLS TEAM SCORES—1—Wichita Carroll 53; 2—SE Saline 119; 3—Great Bend 144; 4—Salina Central 145; 5—Dodge City 154; 6—Buhler 156
TOP 10 MEDALISTS—1—Shultz, SC, 18:18.93; 2—Schroeter, GB, 18:56.21; 3—Starkweather, Buhler, 19:03.62; 4—Thome, WC, 19:17.48; 5—Miller, Lakin, 19:29.5; 6—Yarmer, Hays, 19:53.7; 7—Fouts, Maize, 20:16.2; 8—Frost, Maize, 20:37.22; 9—Springer, DC, 20:38.78; 10—Brown, SE, 20:43.24
GREAT BEND—19—Long, 21:31.64; 24—Stein, 21:46.3; 38—Negaard, 22:321.5; 78—Prendergast, 24;33.77; 79—James, 24:34.83—107—Gwin, 27:04.6
HOISINGTON—16—Compton; 36—Williams, 22:19.49
CENTRAL PLAINS—111—Kaymi Zink, 27:31.57
