Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

State X-C: Sibling similarities bode well for East girls

The last time Tony Bozarth headed to the Kansas 6A state tournament with talented siblings, who were running possibly their final race together, among his top runners, it worked out pretty well for Olathe East.

The Hawks won the program’s first and only state title in 2006 led by Amanda Miller, who was a senior and nows runs at Kansas, and Darci Miller, then a freshman.

Now a senior, Darci remains one of East’s top runners along with freshman Brenna McDannold. But perhaps the best omen signaling another Hawks’ crown is the presence of Brenda Ellis, a senior, and her sister Brooklyn, a sophomore.

“I hope history will repeat itself, but the similarities don’t end there,” Bozarth said. “Both sets of sisters are real intelligent and both are real tough. All four of those girls have great leadership skills and you see how that helps the program year in and year out.”

The Ellis sisters train together throughout the summer and are one another’s biggest fans on race day.

“We are really close,” Brenda said, laughing. “We combine our closets and just get along really well. It’s a cool bond to run together.”

With Brenda, who medaled in 19th place last year at state, off to college next fall, it’s a bond that will changing at the end of the summer.

“That’s a sad thought, because I run with her every day. I look up to her a lot. You’re going to make me cry,” Brooklyn said, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. “I wouldn’t have even done cross country if she didn’t. I didn’t even know about it.”

Looking too far into the future might make Brooklyn, who was eighth at state as a freshman, a touch sad, but Saturday at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence could be one of the happiest days the girls have shared together if the Hawks can out-kick a tough field for the 6A crown.

“This would be a good year to win state,” said Brooklyn, who was dressed as Tinker Bell in honor of Halloween for East’s final practice of the season. “I still have two more years, but it would be cool if my sister could win state in her last race.”

For Brenda, who borrowed shorts from Brooklyn to complete her Minnie Mouse look, ending her high school career with no regrets will be the order of the day at state.

“I’m excited,” said Brenda, who hopes to run in college but hasn’t yet picked a school. “I’ve always wanted to go to state with Brooklyn, and if we could win that would be awesome. It’s kind of sad (that it’s our last race), but it’s also exciting because I can leave everything out there.”

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