By MAYAN PAZ Photos by PARKER NISBETH
Tiger Media Network
FHSU cross country’s annual Tiger Open tested a new course this year, as teams from across the Midwest ran throughout the grounds near the FHSU track and field facility.
Madelynn Nichols Madelynn Nichols placed 76th with a time of 21:04.5 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Ashlyn Harbaugh, Eva Cortes, Taylor Hoskinson Ashlyn Harbaugh placed 26th (18:49.9), Eva Cortes placed 20th (18:33.1), and Taylor Hoskinson placed 19th (18:31.7) at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Emily McCullough Emily McCullough placed 3rd with a time of 17:16.2 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Emily McCullough Emily McCullough placed 3rd with a time of 17:16.2 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Emma Weiner Emma Weiner placed 17th with a time of 18:29.7 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Eva Cortes, Taylor Hoskinson Eva Cortes placed 20th (18:33.1) and Taylor Hoskinson placed 19th (18:31.7) at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Ashlyn Harbaugh Ashlyn Harbaugh placed 26th with a time of 18:49.9 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Makenzie Premer Makenzie Premer placed 51st with a time of 19:47.0 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Makenzie Premer Makenzie Premer finished 51st with a time of 19:47.0 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Abbye Hudson Abbye Hudson placed 59th with a time of 20:07.5 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Madelynn Nichols Madelynn Nichols placed 76th with a time of 21:04.5 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Andrew Waller Andrew Waller placed 101st with a time of 27:41.7 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Brady Conway Brady Conway placed 99th with a time of 27:34.5 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
FHSU Men’s XC Huddle FHSU Men’s Cross Country huddled before the start of the 8K race at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. The team finished 5th overall. 
FHSU Men’s XC Start FHSU Men’s Cross Country started strong at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS, where the team finished 5th overall. 
Elijah McCullough Elijah McCullough placed 94th with a time of 27:27.1 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Taran Castro Taran Castro placed 103rd with a time of 27:50.3 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Luke Wessel Luke Wessel placed 111th with a time of 28:33.0 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Brady Conway, Taran Castro, Andrew Waller Brady Conway (99th, 27:34.5), Taran Castro (103rd, 27:50.3), and Andrew Waller (101st, 27:41.7) competed for Fort Hays State at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Christian Darrah Christian Darrah placed 8th with a time of 24:23.1 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Brady Conway, Taran Castro Brady Conway (99th, 27:34.5) and Taran Castro (103rd, 27:50.3) competed at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Hans Deaton Hans Deaton placed 114th with a time of 28:56.0 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Christian Darrah Christian Darrah finished 8th overall with a time of 24:23.1 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Noah Morenz Noah Morenz placed 30th with a time of 25:09.9 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Cate Wiese Cate Wiese placed 36th with a time of 19:21.2 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Ashlyn Harbaugh Ashlyn Harbaugh placed 26th with a time of 18:49.9 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
FHSU Women’s XC Huddle FHSU Women’s Cross Country huddled before the start of the 5K at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. The team finished 3rd overall. 
Madelynn Nichols, Margaret Browning Madelynn Nichols placed 76th (21:04.5) and Margaret Browning placed 46th (19:37.7) at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Emily McCullough Emily McCullough placed 3rd with a time of 17:16.2 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Janae Fugitt Janae Fugitt placed 33rd with a time of 19:14.6 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Abbye Hudson Abbye Hudson placed 59th with a time of 20:07.5 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Emily McCullough Emily McCullough placed 3rd with a time of 17:16.2 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Emma Weiner Emma Weiner placed 17th with a time of 18:29.7 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Esther Clark-Pavlovich, Ashlyn Harbaugh Esther Clark-Pavlovich placed 34th (19:14.9) and Ashlyn Harbaugh placed 26th (18:49.9) at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS. 
Abbye Hudson Abbye Hudson finished 59th with a time of 20:07.5 at the FHSU Tiger Open in Hays, KS.
The event began on Friday morning with the men’s 8K race, where 144 competitors took to the course.
FHSU senior Christian Darrah held on to the first group of runners finishing 8th overall. Iowa Western’s Geofrey Ronoh won the event. Noah Morenz was the next best for FHSU, with a 30th-place finish, and the team finished 5th out of 14 participating teams.
Darrah said that the home course gave the Tigers an opportunity to clock fast times and to boost the athletes’ confidence on a course where the team trains on every day.
“I think it was an exciting meet [and] it was a great turnout,” he said. “I noticed a lot of the guys ran some of their season bests, and I think it was a good confidence booster before we go into the postseason conference in two weeks. So I think overall good success and just another one of those building moments that we’re trying to get as we get to the conference meet.”
At the conclusion of the men’s race, the women’s 5K race went on, and all eyes were on 2024 national qualifier Emily McCullough. Facing fierce competition from the Junior College level, McCullough had the lead after the first lap of the course but was overtaken by two runners toward the end of the race and finished 3rd overall, as Iowa Western’s Juliana Sakat took first place. The team, ranked No. 26 in the nation prior to this meet, finished 3rd overall, with five runners finishing in the top 30.
FHSU Head Coach Jason McCullough was pleased with the team’s performance and how well the event went.
“There was some really good competition here. So we have some very good top runners, and they got to see the best competition around. So that was great,” he said. “I think we competed well. We probably went out a little bit too fast, maybe got a little bit too excited because it was our home course. I think that kind of hurt us a little bit. But the girls finishing third to a couple of really good teams is outstanding, and the guys were fifth. And pretty much everyone in the top 10 was ranked, whether it was junior college or NCAA Division II.”
The next race for the Tigers will be the MIAA conference championship race at Pittsburg State on October 25th.