Audrey Schmitz

Not one, not two straight but make it back-to-back-to-back state titles in Class 1A cross country action for the Axtell Eagle senior, Audrey Schmitz. She became the first girl in Class 1A to accomplish such a feat. Audrey wrapped up her high school cross country career a few weeks ago with the state title again in Class 1A winning with a time of 15:49.10, 15 seconds better than second place.

Schmitz has dominated the field of cross country throughout her career as an Axtell Eagle and this season was no different, winning just about every meet she competed in this year. After opening the season with a third place finish at the Marysville Invite, Audrey won both the Washington County Invite (17:21.24) and the Onaga Invite (16:48.20). She, also tallied wins at the Riley County Invite (15:34.98) and Centralia Invite (16:14).

But perhaps her most dominating performances came at the Twin Valley League meet and Regionals, were she crushed the competition, leaving them in the dust. In the league meet Audrey cruised to a win of 16:40.27 which was just under 2 minutes and 30 seconds better than that of the second place finisher. Then Audrey translated that performance to a stellar one at Regionals winning by over a minute (16:09.83).

Audrey ends her cross country career as an Axtell Eagle in great fashion capping off the year with her third straight state title in Class 1A. As a junior, she won state with a time with 15:48.99, won state as a sophomore with a time of 15:51.91 and as a freshman placed fifth at state with a time of 16:36.22.

Schmitz will definitely go down in the history books and records of Axtell high school but in the annals and records of the state of Kansas in the sport of cross country as one of the state best runners.