They made it to Class 6A state as a team.
But on Saturday, as the Dodge City High School girls cross country team steps on to the course, they'll switch their focus to running the best individual races of their season.
"For us, state is going to be stiff competition," DCHS coach Brian Lenz said. "We aren't worried about other teams, we are focusing on each individual instead."
The Demons will compete on the Rim Rock Ranch course outside of Lawrence. Rim Rock is the course that the University of Kansas cross country team competes on.
The course is not the toughest the Demons have run on, but it does slightly compare to Mariah Hills.
"Rim Rock is a fairly hilly course," Lenz said. "But it's different from Mariah Hills in that the hills are on the last part of the course instead of the first."
Lenz said that Mariah Hills is tougher because it wears the runner out earlier in the race.
Lenz is no stranger to state competition. He has taken a team to state nine out of his 11 years of coaching.
"For us, it feels like what should happen," Lenz said. "It's always our expectation and plan for the season now."
Although he has never had a state champion, Lenz still enjoys going to state every year.
Rosie Botello, who finished ninth at regionals, is happy with her season so far but has some apprehensions about state.
"It's exciting to make it to state," Botello said. "I feel like we are prepared as a team for state, but yet again, I'm nervous."
Jasmine Estrada is also nervous, but mostly thinking about what she has to look forward to.
"I feel really good about it, I'm kind of sad that it's over, but I'm already excited about next year," Estrada said. "From what I've heard it's a really cool course. We're really young and only one of us has been to state so far so it's pretty nerve racking."
The top 20 at state earn a medal, and on Saturday, the Red Demons will hope to calm their nerves and run their best individual races of their season.
Reach Susie Van Heule at (620) 408-9913 or e-mail her at susie.vanheule@dodgeglobe.com
DODGE CITY —
