On weekend of Oct. 20, 2012, the cross country regional meet was held in Wichita, Kansas at the Cessna Activity Center. The meet featured 6A teams to determine who qualified for state.  Senior Brandon Lewis finished first place in the varsity boy’s 5K race, his sixth win of the year. Junior Kaittlin Cabrin placed fifth in the varsity girls 4K race.

For the first time in three years both the boys and girls cross country team made it to state. Seven varsity boys with one alternate and six cross country girls qualified for state. Seniors Blake Clifton, Evan Julius, Nathan Melton, Brandon Lewis, Alexa Ammerman, Alyxis Bowens and Thao Pham, junior Kaittlin Cabrin, sophomores Austin Thrailkil, Terran Brown, Garret Green, Whitney Feltrop and Katherine Dorkeson.

Rim Rock in Lawrence Kansas hosted the 6A state cross country meet on Oct. 27, 2012.

“I was so excited that my first year on varsity I got to go to state and I was so happy to hear it was at Rim Rock because that is my favorite course to run,” senior Blake Clifton said.

The team went to Lawrence on Friday to run the course and prepare for Saturday. The varsity boys ran the 5K at 11:00 a.m. Then, the varsity girls ran the 4K at 12:30 p.m.  The varsity boys placed 8th as a team and the varsity girls placed 11th. Senior Brandon Lewis placed fourth overall in his 5K run. The Derby Panthers cross country team overall had a successful 2012 season.

“This season is different from past years because the team seemed to have more of a desire to win and to push themselves”, senior Brandon Lewis said.

-Marisa Wilbert