Four Hillsboro High School cross-country runners set new personal records Thursday at Harvey County East Lake.

Josh Richert finished seventh in the boys’ race with a time of 17 minutes, 6.7 seconds. Avery Franz placed 31st with a time of 18:36.8. Jordan Bezdek placed 39th with a time of 18:56.7. Morganne Hamm placed 19th in the junior varsity race with a time of 23:26.2.

“This group ran with that extra measure of determination that it takes to go beyond what you have done before,” coach Stuart Holmes said.

Holmes added that the meet was Hillsboro’s best of the season. Emily Sechrist came from behind to win the girls’ race. She led from the beginning of the race but was passed at about the two-mile mark. She was 15 yards behind the leader going into the final stage of the course. She bested her time at Harvey County East Lake from last season by 30 seconds, 15:30.6

“Emily really showed her competitive spirit,” Holmes said. “Often times when a leader is passed like that, they mentally concede to the other runner, but Emily kept pushing the pace and with a determined outstanding finish won the race in the home stretch.”

Karyn Leihy finished 13th with a time of 17:17.7. The time was her best of the season, and the mark is more impressive considering the sophomore runner tripped on a tree root and fell in the middle of the race.

The cross-country team will travel Thursday to Sterling. On Oct. 11, Hillsboro will compete in the Central Kansas League race in Lindsborg.