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The Wichita Eagle has selected its All-Metro boys and girls cross country teams for the 2026 fall season, recognizing the top runners and coaches from Sedgwick, Butler and Harvey counties.

Selections were based primarily on season-best 5-kilometer times, with state championship finishes, postseason performances and season-long consistency also playing important roles in the evaluation process. Each All-Metro team features the area’s top-7 runners and coach of the year, along with second- and third-team selections.

The girls first team was particularly loaded with championship talent, featuring three individual state champions: Kapaun Mt. Carmel’s Ava Claassen (Class 5A), Mulvane’s Aubrey Teter (4A) and Trinity Academy’s Tylee Coleman (3A).

Claassen earned All-Metro Girls Runner of the Year honors after a record-setting junior season in which she established herself as one of the fastest runners in Kansas history. She recorded a personal-best 16 minutes, 20 seconds for 5 kilometers before dominating the Class 5A state championship, winning by more than a minute.

On the boys side, Kapaun Mt. Carmel junior Jack Sauer was named All-Metro Runner of the Year after recording the area’s fastest 5K time of 15:26 and finishing third at the Class 5A state championship.

Wichita Eagle Boys XC All-Metro team

Dustin Buchanan, Andale senior

Buchanan earned his first All-Metro selection while helping Andale capture the first boys cross country state championship in program history. He won his league championship in a personal-best 16:00, then captured a 4A sub-state title in 16:48. The senior capped his season with a fourth-place finish at state in 16:35, leading Andale to its historic team championship.

Alex Kirk, Trinity Academy sophomore

Kirk emerged as one of the state’s fastest underclassmen while helping Trinity dominate the 3A state championship and capture the team title. His personal-best 15:28 at the Chile Pepper Festival was the second-fastest 5K time among metro runners. Kirk finished second at regionals before taking third at state in 16:16, leading Trinity’s championship performance and earning his first All-Metro selection.

Gavin Lindahl, Trinity Academy senior

Lindahl capped a remarkable four-year career with his first All-Metro selection and a 3A team state title in his lone season at Trinity Academy. A transfer from Buhler, he previously finished seventh, fifth and third at the 4A state meet, helping the Crusaders win a team title in 2023. Lindahl clocked a personal-best 15:45 this fall, won his regional championship and placed fourth at state in 16:23, giving him four consecutive top-7 state finishes and two team championships at different schools.

Simon Martinez, Bishop Carroll senior

Martinez earned his first All-Metro selection with a strong finish to his senior season. After recording a personal-best 15:56 during the regular season, he won his 5A sub-state championship in 16:18, finishing nearly 34 seconds ahead of the runner-up. Martinez followed with a fourth-place finish at state in 16:03, establishing himself among the area’s most accomplished postseason performers.

Jack Sauer, Kapaun Mt. Carmel junior

A two-time All-Metro selection, Sauer recorded the area’s fastest 5K time with a personal-best 15:26 at the Southern Stampede. He followed with an impressive postseason, winning the City League title in 15:58 and his 5A sub-state in 15:59. Sauer capped his junior season with a third-place finish at state in 15:56, consistently delivering sub-16-minute performances against elite competition.

Isaac Steele, Maize junior

Steele saved his fastest race for the 6A state championship, clocking a personal-best 15:58 to finish seventh and earn his first All-Metro selection. The Maize junior had previously finished second at his sub-state in 16:08, then improved by more than nine seconds at state.

Stratton Young, Cheney senior

Young earned his first All-Metro selection after clocking a personal-best 15:45 at the Chile Pepper Festival, one of the area’s fastest times this season. The Cheney senior backed up that speed with a sixth-place finish at the 3A state meet in 16:30, completing an outstanding final high school cross country season.

Matt Goetz, Andale coach

In just his second season as head coach, Goetz guided Andale to the first boys cross country state championship in program history, edging Wamego by three points, 62-65, in a thrilling Class 4A title race. The Indians were dominant throughout the fall, winning the Wamego and Buhler invitationals, placing third against larger-school competition at the Bishop Carroll Invitational and capturing the AV-CTL Division IV championship with just 18 points. Andale followed with a sub-state championship, scoring 22 points, before completing its historic season at state. The championship lineup featured Dustin Buchanan, Cade Brown, Roman Lubbers, Sam Pavelski, William Parks, Levi Schmidt and Rhett Romero.

Wichita Eagle Girls XC All-Metro team

Ava Claassen, Kapaun Mt. Carmel junior

A two-time All-Metro selection, Claassen dominated the Kansas cross country scene with the fastest 5K time in state history, a personal-best 16:20 at the Brown Thrush Invitational. She followed with a City League championship, then won her 5A sub-state in 16:50. Claassen capped her remarkable junior season by winning the 5A individual state championship in 16:59, finishing more than 73 seconds ahead of the runner-up.

Tylee Coleman, Trinity Academy sophomore

Coleman earned her second All-Metro selection after successfully defending her 3A individual state championship in dominant fashion. The Trinity Academy sophomore clocked a season-best 18:24 at the Olathe Twilight meet before winning her regional championship in 18:30, finishing more than two minutes ahead of the runner-up. Coleman completed her championship season with an 18:40 victory at state, establishing herself as one of Kansas’ premier young distance runners.

Alyssa Klingenberg, Remington junior

Klingenberg earned her first All-Metro selection after finishing as the 2A state runner-up in 19:00. The Remington junior recorded a season-best 18:49 at the Heart of America League championship, demonstrating her ability to break 19 minutes. She carried that momentum into the state championship at Wamego, where her second-place finish established her among the top distance runners in the Wichita area.

Reagan Neal, Bluestem junior

A two-time All-Metro selection, Neal continued her impressive championship pedigree with a fourth-place finish at the 2A state meet in 19:45. The Bluestem junior recorded a season-best 19:29 at the Girard Invitational and delivered another top-4 state finish after placing second as a sophomore in 2025. Her consistency at the state level has established her as one of the area’s most accomplished small-school runners.

Reese Quinn, Hesston senior

Quinn earned her first All-Metro selection while helping Hesston capture its third consecutive 3A girls team state championship. The senior saved one of her strongest performances for the state meet, finishing fifth in 19:37 to lead the Swathers’ championship effort. Quinn also clocked a season-best 19:32 earlier in the fall, establishing herself among the area’s fastest runners while playing a key role in extending Hesston’s state championship streak.

Aubrey Teter, Mulvane freshman

Teter delivered one of the state’s most impressive freshman seasons, sweeping the league, regional and state championships to earn her first All-Metro selection. She won her league championship in 18:29, captured a 4A sub-state title in 18:43 and saved her fastest performance for state. Teter clocked a personal-best 18:19 at Wamego to win the 4A individual championship, announcing herself as one of Kansas’ brightest young distance-running stars.

Nora Thome, Bishop Carroll sophomore

Thome earned her first All-Metro selection while leading Carroll to a third-place team finish at the 5A state championship. The sophomore recorded a season-best 18:34 at sub-state, finishing second individually, before taking fifth at state in 18:46. Her ability to deliver consecutive sub-19-minute performances in championship competition helped the Golden Eagles secure a state trophy and established Thome among the area’s premier underclassmen.

Nealee Johnston, Hesston coach

Johnston earned her second All-Metro Coach of the Year award in three seasons after guiding Hesston to its third consecutive 3A state championship. The Swathers dominated the postseason, winning the Central Kansas League title with just 20 points and a 3A sub-state championship with 32 before scoring 69 points at state to defeat runner-up Southeast of Saline by 15. Seniors Reese Quinn and Mary O’Halloran, juniors Avery Larson and Josie Heinrichs, sophomore Brenley Schmidt and freshmen Jenny Roth and Indrayani Patwardhan formed the championship lineup.

Wichita All-Metro boys cross country second team

Hayden Babbitt, Augusta junior

Cade Brown, Andale junior

Asher Carroll, Trinity Academy sophomore

Jackson Coelho, Maize senior

Gannon Edson, East senior

Evan Englert, Bishop Carroll senior

Koelton Erwin, Kapaun Mt. Carmel senior

Avery Flood, Maize sophomore

Roman Lubbers, Andale junior

Nathan Milligan, Kapaun Mt. Carmel sophomore

Zach Patrick, Trinity Academy junior

Ben Perry, Derby senior

Samuel Schwind, Eisenhower sophomore

Nathan Webb, Valley Center senior

Skeeter Rankins, Maize coach

Eric Carroll, Trinity Academy coach

Wichita All-Metro girls cross country second team

Ayvah Banda, Andale sophomore

Abigail Bird, Kapaun Mt. Carmel senior

Sophie Ellis, Valley Center senior

Maddyx Erwin, Kapaun Mt. Carmel sophomore

Clare Fouts, Bishop Carroll junior

Baylee Frost, Maize junior

Josie Heinrichs, Hesston junior

Maggie Kepley, Newton sophomore

Avery Larson, Hesston junior

Emily Melcher, Bishop Carroll senior

Tinley Sims, Andover Central senior

Megan Stephenson, Bishop Carroll sophomore

Brooklyn Treaster, Newton senior

Avery Williams, Valley Center junior

Travis Thayer, Andover Central coach

Lewis Wiebe, Berean Academy coach

Wichita All-Metro boys cross country third team

Mark Adamson, Rose Hill senior

Landon Busenitz, Remington sophomore

Caden Cunningham, Andover Central junior

Tyler Fast, Hesston sophomore

Evan Goebel, Bishop Carroll senior

Will Hocking, Bishop Carroll sophomore

Kolbe Meyer, Kapaun Mt. Carmel junior

Jojo Murrell, Maize sophomore

Michael Nabbout, Collegiate junior

Sam Pavelski, Andale senior

Brayden Pauler, Southeast senior

Grant Pearce, Hesston freshman

Keaton Seal, East sophomore

Braxton Singer, Maize senior

Will Snook, Berean Academy senior

Ethan Smith, Derby junior

Levi Sturm, Central Christian senior

Ethan Tofteland, Trinity Academy freshman

Caleb Tran, Trinity Academy freshman

Cole Zimmerman, Mulvane senior

Denise Schmidt, Augusta coach

Cory Swords, Bishop Carroll coach

Wichita All-Metro girls cross country third team

Brin Bergkamp, Cheney senior

Cadence Black, Bishop Carroll freshman

Abigail Blundell, Cheney senior

Aubrianne Briscoe, Berean Academy senior

Addie Busenitz, Berean Academy junior

Ivy Busenitz, Berean Academy junior

Lola Catlin, Central Christian sophomore

Mila Claassen, Kapaun Mt. Carmel freshman

Anna Dernlan, Classical junior

Kassidy Dickman, Andover Central senior

Landry Ewing, Andover Central sophomore

Mary Larson, Kapaun Mt. Carmel sophomore

Lilly Marietta, Kapaun Mt. Carmel sophomore

Paisley Marsh, Cheney senior

Miriam Mazzarelli, Bishop Carroll junior

Mya McCrea, Rose Hill junior

Mary O’Halloran, Hesston senior

Gwendolyn Sattler, Bishop Carroll senior

Calyn Smith, Andover Central junior

Lily Snyder, Andover Central freshman

Taylor Willour, Remington junior

Gretchen Bina, Kapaun Mt. Carmel coach

Jacob Gerber, Remington coach