Recently the Liberal High School Class of 1985 held their 40th Reunion here in Liberal. One classmate, Hector Rios, tragically passed away just a few months before the reunion was to be held. Hector, an Optometrist in Wichita, was an excellent runner while at LHS and in college, earning All-American honors at Southwestern. Hector was instrumental in bringing Cross Country to Liberal High School.
To honor his legacy , the Class of 1985, held a memorial walk not only in remembrance of Hector, but also to raise funds for the Liberal High School Cross Country team. They all wore bow ties, a fashion accessory that Hector loved, while they walked.
On Monday evening, just prior to the team’s practice, three members of the Class of 1985, Cole Ely, Ann Ruder, and Karen Gokey, presented the current team with a very generous donation in honor of Hector. The team was excited and grateful for the support, and even held a picture Hector throughout the presentation.
The 2025 Cross Country team will compete in Liberal at Willow Tree Golf Course on Thursday at 4:00 pm as they host the WAC Championship with Garden City, Dodge City, Great Bend, and Hays.