LAWRENCE — A changing of the guard took place Saturday at Rim Rock Farm — and the Manhattan girls made sure it was decisive. 

With a lineup that barely resembled last year’s, the Indians didn’t just rebuild; they reloaded. Behind a mix of talented underclassmen and a standout transfer, Manhattan captured the Class 6A state cross country championship with 61 points, ending Olathe West’s five-year title streak and claiming the program’s first crown since 2015. 

“We had won some premier meets this fall, but there is something especially meaningful about a state championship,” Manhattan coach Susan Melgares said. “They are rare accomplishments, and lots of things need to come together on race day. Our girls worked extremely hard for a long time with this goal in mind—it is wonderful to see their hard work and gritty racing pay off with the title.” 

Junior Gabby Converse, who transferred from Indiana before the season, led the charge for Manhattan with a third-place finish in 18:51.49. She trailed only Shawnee Mission East’s champion Charlotte Hardy and Olathe South’s Ani Allen. 
 

The Indians were dominant throughout, placing four runners in the top 15. Freshman Zara Koehn earned seventh in 19:07.94, followed closely by fellow freshman Isla Speer in ninth at 19:14.77 and sophomore Andie Strathman in 15th at 19:33.30. Junior Scarlett Williams placed 37th (20:09), while freshmen Allison Knopp (52nd, 20:33) and sophomore Valeria Villoria (56th, 20:41) rounded out the scoring pack. 

The victory capped a perfect season for Manhattan, which won every meet it entered. It also highlighted the remarkable chemistry between new and returning runners. 

“It was beautiful to see how all our returners embraced the new runners,” Melgares said. “The girls not only worked extremely hard, but they also had lots of fun together, which made their team honors even more special.” 
 

For Converse, who faced both the challenge of a new school and the pressure of a new state, Saturday’s triumph was especially rewarding. 

“I’m very excited to have won the state title with my team,” Converse said. “We set our minds on the state title and worked hard for it every day. It’s such a blessing to see our hard work pay off and win a state title together. It was cool to win again after a decade.” 

Converse credited her teammates for making the transition from Indiana seamless. 

“It was definitely tough moving here, and I miss my old teammates a lot,” she said. “But the girls here at Manhattan welcomed me in as part of the family from the very start. They are some of the sweetest, most hardworking girls I’ve ever met, and I’m so grateful to be a part of this team.” 
 

Despite battling illness, Converse still managed a podium finish and helped lead one of the most dominant teams in Kansas this fall. 

“I felt a little sick over the weekend, and I’m happy with how I performed through that,” she said. “We’re extremely excited for next year. We want to carry the momentum from this season into the next and keep working hard toward our goals.” 

With three freshmen and a sophomore-heavy lineup, Manhattan’s future looks every bit as bright as its present. 

“Gabby is not only a fast runner, but a very hard worker, tough racer and a caring teammate,” Melgares said. “Those qualities added up to a big positive impact in lots of ways. We are excited for future success for sure—and we want to enjoy the journey along the way.” 
 

Class 6A Girls State Meet 

At Rim Rock Farm 

Team Scores 

Manhattan 61, Shawnee Mission East 81, Blue Valley West 93, Blue Valley 114, Mill Valley 157, Lawrence Free State 161, Washburn Rural 173, Olathe West 200, Olathe East 225, Dodge City 233, Maize 234, Wichita North 267