There is something about CROSS COUNTRY KIDS.
They lace up their shoes and run- mile after mile- when their legs are screaming to stop and their lungs are on fire. They learn to quiet the doubt in their heads. To keep going when everything says quit.
These are the kids who realize they're capable of more than they ever imagined. Who learn that with grit and heart, they can do hard things. That a simple pair of running shoes can carry them farther than they thought possible.
These are the kids who conquer giants in the form of steep hills, long miles, and the idea of I can't. They will themselves to keep going, no matter what. There are no time-outs. No breaks. No benches. And every time, they cross the finish line, even if they know they'll be the last to do it - because finishing is more important than doing it first.
These are the kids who have learned they can. They can keep going. They can get the PR. They can run for miles. They can do what seems impossible. And those lessons are ones they'll carry with them far beyond their time on the team.
There really is something special about CROSS COUNTRY KIDS.
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Meet 1 in Clearwater 9/4
**Coach Shipman summary:
-HWMS participated Thursday, September 4th in the Clearwater Invitational. All the runners competed very well, and we are extremely proud of their effort. We had three of our four runners earn medals, but all four improved their times over their time trial.
-Holly Eason placed 5th and Lily Smith was 37th. As I said before, both girls ran Personal Records, and Lily improved her time by almost three minutes. There were 49 girls and 16 teams in the race.
-Silas Hendrickson placed 4th in his race. This was also a Personal Record for Silas. There were 90 runners and 16 teams represented in the race.
-Paige Porter placed 17th in her race, and once again this was our 4th Personal Record. There were 41 runners and 16 teams in the race.
-Everyone did a great job! As a reminder, this is just our beginning point; the goal is to continue to compete and improve. There were medals given out to the top 25 runners in each race.
Mom summary:
Silas ran a GREAT first cross country race of his 7th grade season! Running a 1 mile cross country race is something that I have not done. There was no middle school cross country when I was in middle school, only high school. At a high school meet girls typically ran a 2 mile race or a 5K, and the boys typically ran a 5K. These are the races that I am the most familiar with and can help him with. I still had race advice and tips for him and his competitive edge all gave him a one up on his competitors. Some of my very BEST high school memories were from my four years on the high school cross country team, the friendships, our fun and hard times during practices together, and the meets every Saturday morning throughout the fall. The support and friendships that come from being a part of a cross country team is unbeatable and amazing. I am happy that Silas has chosen to try this sport and had a wonderful first meet experience. I couldn't stop smiling when I saw him round the corner (in 4th place) on the heels of the boys in front of him...100m left and he began his sprint to the finish. His goal was to get a PR of 6:20 in this meet. He fell just 4 seconds short of this goal. I have no doubt he will reach and beat the goal at his next meet. My goal for him was to be in the top ten finishers for his first meet, and he did it! Way to go, Buddy! Keep those legs flying!
Meet 2 in Prairie Hills 9/9
**Coach Shipman summary:
-HWMS participated Tuesday, September 9 in the Prairie Hills Run at the Ridge meet. The kids competed very well on a much tougher course than Clearwater. We expected it to be wet and muddy, but the course was mostly dried out. We had seven runners compete, and we earned seven Personal Records, we had four runners earn medals: Holly, Silas, Paxton, and Greg, we had a school record set, and another runner moved up to second place on our all-time lists.
-Holly paced the 7th grade girls with a 4th place finish narrowly missing out on third. She also set our 7th grade girls 1.5 mile record with a time of 10:29.9 beating the old school record by 23 seconds. She was followed by Lily running a strong race finishing in 31st place. There were 46 girls and 21 teams in the race.
-Silas once again paced the 7th grade boys by placing 5th. He moved up into second place on our all-time list for the 7th grade boys 1.5 mile, missing out on a school record by 2 seconds in a time of 9:38.3. He was followed by Paxton in 9th place running a very good race for his first of the season. There were 72 runners and 21 teams represented in the race.
-Both girls ran great races for the 8th grade. They were paced by Paige who ran almost a minute Perosn Record to place 18th. She was followed by Valeria running her first race of the season to finish in 35th place. There were 47 runners and 21 teams in the race.
-Our lone 8th grade boy, Greg, ran a great race to finsh in 5th by outsprinting a runner down the final stretch. He ran a very strong consistent race for his first of the season. The race had 58 runners and 21 teams.
-There were medals given out to the top 15 runners.
Mom summary:
Silas ran another good race. This week it was a 1.5 mile race. His pace matched or slightly exceeded his pace from last week leading to an excellent race time for him... 9:38. He missed getting on the leader board in the first place spot by 2 seconds. I know he is motivated to shave those 2 seconds off in the next 1.5 mile race in a couple weeks. It was exciting again to see him run and do well! He did well picking runners off and staying with a lead pack. This course was much hilly-er than last week. Silas and I have talked several times about how to run hills and how to use them to his advantage in a race. Good job, Silas! I love, that you love, running and setting goals for yourself each week and throughout the season.
Silas was recognized for breaking into the top 3 for the 7th grade boys 1.5 mile race, making it onto the leaderboard at his school.
Meet 3 in Goddard 9/16 "Goddard Classic"
**Coach Shipman summary:
-HWMS had a great meet on Tuesday at Goddard. Despite the warmer temperatures, all the runners achieved Personal Records. The 8th graders ran a shorter distance, but the pace they ran would have had them running faster two-mile times. Every runner who participated earned a Personal Record and a medal. This has not happened very often in our program especially not recently, and we are extremely proud of the kids.
-Holly again placed in the top 5 earing 4th. Here placing is even better considering there has only been one other runner from our league beat her so far this year. Lily ran a great race improving her mile time by 46 seconds to place 29th. The girls have yet to have a team score but there were 10 teams and 46 runners in the race.
-Silas ran a strong race for the 7th grade boys to finish 9th. He was followed by Paxton in 17th and Kaynan in 25th. All three boys ran well, and it has been a long time since we have had all three place in the top 25 of any race. There were no team scores listed for this race, but the boys would have placed in the top three based on their individual places, and there were 59 runners and 10 teams in the race.
-Paige and Valeria ran very good races to both earn medals in 18th and 25th places respectively. The girls are working hard and improving each week. There were 44 runners and 10 teams in this race.
-Greg once again ran a strong race for the 8th grade boys. He placed 5th in a very strong field. There were 70 runners in the race and 10 teams.
-There were medals given out to the top 30 runners.
Mom summary:
Silas ran another excellent race today. His goal for himself today was to get a 6:16 in his one mile race. He came a little short of getting his goal, but did get a PR of 6:20, shaving off 4 seconds of his previous PR. We thought he ran well, but he was disappointed in himself. He had a friend, (Carson) who was also running in this race and he had wanted to beat him. Carson runs for Maize and he was fast, very fast, and came in 4th place with a time of 6:04. When I talked to Carson's mom after the boys' race, she told me he had run in his first race last Saturday and had gotten first with a time of 5:56. Way to go, Carson! Each race Silas has improved his time and medaled, coming in and placing in the top 10 in all three races so far in this first cross country season for him...not too shabby! Keep it up, Silas!
We're thankful that Popee could come to today's race and get in on the cheering for Silas and his teammates.
Meet 4 at Home 9/25
Cancelled due to rain and a muddy course. This meet will not be rescheduled. (Big bummer. Silas was super disappointed about this. He was psyched up and ready to run at this meet. He really wanted to top his 1.5 mile PR and claim the 1st place position on the records board at school.)
Meet 5 in Wellington 9/30
**Coach Shipman summary:
-The HWMS cross country team traveled to Wellington on Tuesday, September 30th. In our fourth meet of the year, the kids performed incredibly well. This course is a little intimidating with its 300-meter-long hill in the last part of the race, but the kids were up to the task. We had all seven runners earn medals and five of the seven ran Personal Records.
-Holly was our only 7th grade girl runner, and she continued her streak of finishing in the top five by placing 4th overall. She was in 2nd place for much of the race, and she beat her league competition by four seconds. There were 28 runners in the race.
-Silas again led the 7th grade boys, but his teammates were very close to him. This is good because it will help us when we get to league, and we need everyone to finish close together. Silas finished in 10th place, Paxton finished in 15th, and Kayan in 17th place. There were no team scores kept, but once again, we would have finished in 3rd behind two very strong teams in Maize South and Eisenhower. There were 39 runners in their race.
-The 8th grade girls were led again by Paige in 11th place, and she was followed by Valeria in 20th. Both girls have improved greatly since our time trial. Each of them have improved their times by
over two minutes since that first race. There were 30 runners in the race.
-Greg did a great job in the 8th grade boys race. He has decided that 5 is his favorite number because this is the third time he has finished in 5th place. There were 53 runners in the race.
Mom summary:
This may have been the hardest course yet this season. There were several hills, some small but steep, and another long and gradual. There were a handful of boys in Silas's race that took off fast. I yelled for him to start picking boys off and to speed up as he passed me about halfway through the race. I knew if he didn't make a move at that point he wouldn't have a chance to catch and pass some of the boys in front of him. He was able to keep running hard and pass a few more boys, but the leaders had gotten too far out in front of him at that point. As he came down the final 100 yards he had a couple of boys right with him. He was able to just barely hold them off to place 10th in a time of 6:24. I am looking forward to next week's race. I know he is capable of running faster. He is a strong competitive runner. He just needs to realize that he is fast and he will be running faster times.
They did it again!!! In back to back meets, ALL 7 of our cross country runners earned medals at the Wellington meet last night. Pictured, below, left to right, Silas, Greg, Paige, Valeria, Holly, Paxton, and Kaynan.
Meet 6 in Mulvane 10/7
**Coach Shipman summary:
-The HWMS cross country team traveled to Mulvane on Tuesday, October 7. The team competed extremely well on a tough course for times and competition. We had eight runners compete and five of them ran Personal Records on a traditionally slow course for us. We also had six medals earned by the team narrowly missing out on two more. We are incredibly proud of the kids and their performances. They are doing such a great job that it is hard to express how much we appreciate their hard work daily as well as their effort at meets.
-Holly once again fan a very strong race leading or in second place most of the way. She was narrowly clipped at the line to place 3rd. This was her highest finish of the season, and she was followed by Lily who placed 26th missing a medal by one spot. There were 32 runners and 13 teams in the field.
-Silas once again paced the 7th grade boys running a Personal Record and placing 6th against the same competition from the last few meets where he was placing 9th or 10th. He was followed by Paxton who placed 12th narrowly running a Personal Record by about half a second. Kaynan rounded out the trio with a 21st place finish. All three earned medals, and the boys finished third once again. There were 69 runners and 13 teams in the race.
-Paige again led the 8th grade girls. She earned a Personal Record and medal by placing 13th. She was followed by Valeria who although she didn't get a medal ran a Personal Record time placing 29th. Both girls ran Personal Records that were over a minute faster than the times they ran at Wellington. There were 37 runners in the race and 13 teams.
-Greg ran another very strong race from the gun. He was in second place for much of the race until being just beaten at the tape for 3rd. He also ran a Personal Record that was over a minute faster than his previous best. There were 45 runners and 13 teams in the race.
Below, Carson is in the red jersey. Silas is about 5 runners behind Carson at this point. You can see Silas in the far right of the picture.
Below, coming down the last 100 yards, in front of Carson, and trying to edge out the red-headed kid from Classical School in front of him.
This was a GREAT race for Silas! He had two goals this go round, one was to beat his friend, Carson. And, the second was to get a PR in his mile race. He looked like he got an alright start off the starting line, and then he began to move up, picking off a few runners in front of him. He knew he needed to try to stay with the leaders or just tuck in behind them so that he would be able to make a move towards the end of the race. As you can see in one of the pictures above he was about 5 runners behind Carson when he passed by me a little before halfway through the race. He caught him at about the three fourths mark and started to pass him and make a move on the other leaders. (Coach Shipman and I have been telling Silas that whether you run a 6:10 or a 6:50 or even a 6:00 minute mile it WILL hurt but you won't die. So, go for the 6:10 or even the 600! You are fast. Your brain just has to tell your legs that you can do it and that you are fast.) As he came around a corner into the last 100 yards of the race, I could see that he was in front of Carson and that he needed to speed up to keep this spot and try to outsprint another guy who was barely in front of him. I started yelling (loud) for him to "GO NOW" and he started to GO! He was able to beat his friend Carson by 2 seconds was just barely missed clipping the 5th place running out. WAY TO RUN FAST, SILAS! You did it! You reached both goals you set for yourself for this race. Very Impressive! One of my favorite moments was after the race as Coach Shipman came over to talk to Silas about his race... Silas saw him, gave him a gigantic smile and instead of a high-five or a fist bump, Silas gave Coach Shipman a huge hug. Coach Shipman has been a great Coach for Silas... helping him set and reach realistic running goals, supporting and encouraging him, and helping him believe in himself. Another moment, after the race, that I loved was when Silas looked at Eric, and so genuinely said to him, "Thank you for coming." He was so glad to have his Dad there yelling for him today.
Meet 7 at Eldorado Lake - Bluestem Point LEAGUE MEET 10/14
**Coach Shipman summary:
-The HWMS cross country team competed in the Patriot League North meet on Tuesday, October 14. It was a wonderful day to run with little wind and a fast course, and the kids definitely came to compete. We earned six Personal Records, five All-League runners, a second-place finish for our only full team, the 7th grade boys, and a new runner to add to our record board.
-Holly continued her strong season by placing 5th in the 7th grade girl's race with a twelve second Personal Record. She never placed outside the top five all season, and she earned third place on the 7th grade girls record board with her finish. She is the only runner to have earned a spot in both the 1.5 mile and 1 mile top three for Haysville West. She also improved her mile time by almost thirty seconds from the first race of the year. She was followed by Lily in 22nd place. This was a 31 second Personal Record. Lily improved her overall mile time by over a minute from her first race of the season. There were 30 runners and seven teams in the race.
-The 7th grade boys ran a very strong race. They were led once again by Silas who ran a 30 second Personal Record to place 2nd and break the six-minute mile barrier. He was followed closely by Paxton who ran a 36 second Personal Record to also earn All-League honors with a 6th place finish. He was followed by Kaynan who ran a two second Personal Record to place 19th. The boys finished the season in strong fashion by earning All-League team honors in 2nd place. They were able to edge out a strong Prairie Hills team by four points. All three boys improved their times from the beginning of the season by at least thirty seconds. There were 39 runners and seven teams in the race.
-Paige once again ran a great race. She missed a Personal Record, but she earned All-League honors by placing 8th. Her running partner, Valeria finished the season in great fashion by running a 43 second Personal Record and narrowly missing All-League honors with an 11th place finish. Both girls finished the season by improving their overall two-mile times by over three minutes from the first race of the year. There were 15 runners in the race and seven teams.
-Greg finished off a great season by breaking 13 minutes once again to finish in 7th place and earn All-League honors. Greg finished the season by never placing less than 7th, and he improved his 2-mile time by over a minute from the beginning of the season. There were 29 runners and seven teams in the race.
-This was another great season for HWMS cross country. The team had 42 chances to get Personal Records, and they achieved 35. This is an average of almost five Personal Records for each runner. This shows how their hard work paid off throughout the season. We also had 42 chances to get medals, and we earned 31 of them. This is also a great average. We are incredibly proud of your children. Their effort, attitudes, and unique personalities made everyday fun. Thank you for allowing us to work with them this season.
After the race...all smiles, knowing they all had run their best races of the season!
Mom summary:
This course at Eldorado Lake - Bluestem Point was one of the hardest for spectators to get to places on various spots on the course to cheer for the runners. So, our runners knew from the get-go that cheers and encouragement throughout the race would be limited and they were more on their own than any race this season. As the race began Silas looked strong and pushed hard to establish a position toward the front of the pack. His goal for this race was to medal (medals would only be given to the top 10), and to run a sub six-minute mile (which means completing one mile in less than six minutes), he also knew he needed to beat the "McPherson kid". As he came around the first loop and went past the only place spectators could get close enough to cheer besides the start and finish line, he was holding on to the second-place spot, with another runner close behind him. He looked strong and determined. I knew though if he didn't stay strong and keep the pace he was running, he would fall too far behind the kid in first place and have no chance of catching up with him. I yelled loudly for him to try to stay with that kid and close the gap as he flew past me. I ran towards the finish line and waded back in through some tall weeds and grass to get about 100 yards out from the finish line so I would be ready for him to zoom past me, and I could yell my usual, "GO, GO NOW! SPRINT!" As he got close enough for me to see and begin my whooping and hollering (like the crazy sports mom that I am) I could see that he was still holding on to that second-place spot! Others joined me in yelling for him and motivating him to try to catch the kid ahead of him. HE RAN HIS HEART OUT! He didn't quite catch the kid who claimed the first-place spot, but he held onto his second-place spot the entire race. And ran a PR of 5:43! AMAZING! As I approached him after the race, Eric had already gotten to him to check on him and congratulate him, but again I got to witness his Coach approaching him to congratulate him and instead of a high five or fist bump Silas gave him a huge hug. He had achieved all of his goals for this race, and he was overcome with emotion as he tried to catch his breath and receive praise from teammates, coaches, friends, and family members. WHAT A RACE and FANTASTIC end to GREAT first season of cross country for our boy.
NOTE: Running a "sub six-minute mile" is a significant athletic achievement that requires a combination of speed, stamina, and endurance. For many, it serves as a major milestone in running, and it's a time that is considered elite for most age gender groups. It indicates a high level of fitness and is often a goal for both competitive runners and serious recreational runners, with less than 1% of American adults being able to achieve it.
Below, HWMS medal winners: Holly, Paige, Silas, Greg, Paxton, and Kaynon.
AWARDS Party 10/20/25
The Cross Country awards were given out on Monday, October 20th. Coach Shipman recognized each runner and acknowledged all that they had each accomplished this season. Coach Shipman had some very nice things to say about Silas, him as a person, and his running/athletic abilities. Silas was awarded for being the 7th grade boys second all-time at his school in the 1.5 mile (9:36.3). He was awarded for the most miles ran for the season of the 7th grade boys (99.7 miles total). He was awarded Patriot League all-league honors for placing 2nd in the league meet 1 mile race (5:43). He was also awarded for his 7th grade boys team placing 2nd in the league meet. And finally, he was recognized and awarded his letter for all his accomplishments and a fantastic season representing his cross-country team and his school.
Mom summary:
What an amazing cross-country season from start to finish for Silas and his middle school team! Silas earned a medal in every race he ran in this season and achieved PR after PR! He ended with the league meet at Eldorado Lake, taking second place in his race with a PR in the 1 mile of 5:43! And with his 2nd place finish, he helped his 7th grade boys team claim second place in the Patriot League! What an impressive first cross-country season for our boy! It was exciting and brought me so much joy to see him compete, love it, and do so well in a sport that I loved in high school
Coach Shipman also put together this a book for each runner that had lists of times and places from this season and many seasons prior in our school district. Below are a few pages and lists that I took pictures of to see where Silas fell and compared to others throughout the season and his best times.
