NEBRASKA STATE MEET

North Star's Liem Chot Wins Third Nebraska Class A Title

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Lincoln North Star senior Liem Chot, a former refugee from war-torn South Sudan, cemented his status as one of the most successful prep cross country runners in Nebraka history on Friday with his third consecutive Class A state title in Kearney.

Chot ran 15:37.9 to complete an undefeated season in Nebraka and won the race by six seconds. Junior Gabriel Hinrichs of Elkhorn South finished second in 15:43.7.

Fremont put three runners in the top 11 and won the team title with 58 points.

Freshman Stella Miner of Omaha Marian finished third in her first high school cross country meet back on Aug. 29 and was 30 seconds behind the winner that day.

On Friday in Kearney, Miner showed how far she has come, outkicking Lincoln Southwest junior Brianna Rinn to win the Class A girls championship race in a personal best time of 18:11, eclipsing Jeralyn Poe's meet record.

Miner and her family moved to Nebraska from New Jersey last spring during the initial months of the pandemic. 

Omaha Marian is a private Catholic school that competed in sports this fall while the public schools in Omaha canceled the season. 

Lincoln East put all five scorers in the top 18 and won the girls A title with 65 points. Fremont was second with 88.. 

Sophomore Carson Noecker from Hartington laid down a time of 15:22.1 to claim the Class C title with the fastest time of the day, which earns the prize of "all-class gold." He beat Pierce senior Mason Sindelar by 31 sconds. Milford's 64-second compression on its top four was enough to get the team title with 87 points. The top five teams were separated by 17 points. 

Pierce junior Alexus Sindelar won the girls C race in 19:18.1. Boone Central claimed the team championship with 70 points.

Freshmen claimed three of the top four spots and Jordyn Arens made a bold introduction to the Nebraska state meet by claiming the Class D title. 

Arens ran 19:06.6 and beat the 2019 champion, Alayna Vargas of St. Cecilia, by 43 seconds. Arens built an 18-second advantage on Vargas by the 2-mile mark. Vargas held on for second, with freshmen Katherine Kerrigan of Ainsworth (19:50.9) and Hannah Swanson of Nebraska Christian (19:59.3) taking third and fourth.

McCool Junction edged defending champion Ainsworth by one point, 41-42 (scoring three out of five). 

The Aquinas Catholic boys won a close battle with Norfolk Catholic, 14-19 for the Class D boys title. Senior Payton Davis led Aquinas as he repeated as the individual medalist, finishing in 16:41.1.

In Class B, Isaac Richards and Ryan Zavadil went 1-2 to lead Omaha Skutt Catholic to the boys team championship. Richards ran 16:22.0 and beat his teammate by 16 seconds. 

Gering sophomore Madison Seiler won the girls B final in 18:55.8. Seward won the matchup at No. 2 and 3 to edge Elkhorn by two points, 55 to 57.

Team Champions - 

Class A - Fremont boys 58 points, Lincoln East girls 65 points - RESULTS

Class B - Omaha Skutt Catholic boys 27 points, Seward girls 55 points (scoring four) - RESULTS

Class C - Milford boys 87 points, Boone Central girls 70 points (scoring four) - RESULTS

Class D - Aquinas Catholic boys 14 points, McCool Junction girls 41 points (scoring three) - RESULTS