Bartlesville cross country to stride out on historic course of champions in Kansas

On Saturday, Bartlesville High School cross country runners are set to raise dust on a trail sanctified by legends.

For the first time in program history, Bartlesville will compete on the iconic Rim Rock Farm course, in Lawrence, Kansas, the home course for the University of Kansas cross country program. Among the greatest pacers of all time that have graced the course are former world middle-distance king Jim Ryun and Olympic gold medalist Billy Mills.

Bartlesville Bruin junior pacer Russell Miller, who has recorded three top-10 finishes to start this season, said he’s looking forward to challenging “a great course.”

“It’s going to be competitive,” Miller said, referring to a field that will include runners from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, Texas and Nebraska. “Hopefully I’ll get a PR (personal record).”

Will Bolding and Miller have consistently been the Bruins’ two fastest runners on this season’s boys’ team.

But, on the girls’ side, Lady Bruin senior lightning bolt Gentry Turner — who is off to the best start by any Bartlesville runner in a decade — if not off to the most successful start ever by a Lady Bruin pacer — could challenge for the girls’ title in Lawrence.

Turner has burst to the girls’ championship in the first three season meets — each one by a significant margin faster than the runner-up. No other Bartlesville runner has matched that in the past many seasons. (Those closest have been Ashley Barnes and Henry Williams in 2015, with both winning two races and finishing second twice while competing for the girls and boys, respectively.)

“I’m really proud of Gentry,” said Bartlesville head cross country coach David Ayres. “She put in a lot miles this summer. Gentry is motivated to be one of the top runners this year and to run in college. She’s getting a lot of calls from different colleges. … She’s excited about how she’s started the season, but she’s not content and not satisfied. … Gentry’s going to push to win the Rim Rock race. That’s going to be an amazing achievement. Some the best girls in the region will be there. I expect her to p.r.”

Bartlesville athletics: Gentry Turner among top Bartlesville athletes at 2023 state track meet

In addition to three straight golden efforts this campaign, Turner also recorded several Top 10 finishes, including one championship, in early races in previous seasons.

Like Bolding and Miller, she should face her toughest test in Lawrence. Emily Lechuga has been Bartlesville’s second-fastest girls’ runner for multiple seasons.

“She’s (Lechuga) so consistent,” Ayres said. “They push each other in practice.”

Ayres also is pleased by the progress of Maryann Alvey, who sat out last year, due to transfer, and his other three fastest talents, Lauren Shoesmith, Kate Manley and Reese Savage.

Emma Perry and K.K. Taylor have been battling for the final (seventh) varsity spot. Taylor won the most recent time trial to earn the opportunity to compete in Lawrence, Ayres said, adding the Lady Bruins will compete in the top level at the event.

The Bruins will compete in the boys’ ‘B’ race. Other than Bolding and Miller, the rest of the boys’ team is working hard to place higher and make the team competitive.

Miller “was up and down last year really,” Ayres said. “But, with Will (who came back to cross country after having devoted himself to tennis), he has kind of found a running partner who are pushing each other.”

Miller began competing in cross country in middle school. In the most recent meet (Holland Hall), Miller galloped to eighth place with a sizzling time of 17:31.35 — improving by more than 26 seconds from his previous race. His next goal is to break the 17-minute barrier.

Bolding and Cade Winter “have been amazing as captains,” Ayres added.

Freshman Preston Shoesmith is closing in on breaking 19 minutes while Ayres credited assistant coach Brett Turowski with pushing for Bartlesville to run in the Rim Rock Farm meet. Turowski had competed on it when he ran for the University of Tulsa.

Only two other Oklahoma schools, Owasso and Bishop Kelley, will be participating.

“Our goal, as far as the girls, is to beat (them),” Ayres said.

But, Ayres also is equally excited his athletes will be able to literally compete in the footsteps of running giants.

“This course has a lot of history,” Ayres said. “A lot of amazing athletes have been on that course.”

In 1964, Ryun became the first high school runner to break the four-minute mile (3:59), while he competed for Wichita (Kan.) East High School. He would run in college for the University of Kansas (competing in home meets at Rim Rock Farm), win an Olympic silver medal and set multiple world records. Billy Mills also competed for Kansas before he stunned the world by coming out of an unheralded status to win the 10,000m gold medal at the 1964 Olympics.

Note: Mills’ achievement in the 1964 Olympics has a Bartlesville tie. At the time, he became just the third Native American to win an Olympic gold medal, joining the elite list of Jim Thorpe and former long-time Bartlesville resident and Phillips 66ers’ superstar Jess “Cab” Renick. Renick was the captain of the victorious U.S. men’s basketball team at the 1948 Olympics.

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Bartlesville High runners to raise dust on KU's Rim Rock Farm course