By CONOR NICHOLL

cnicholl@dailynews.net

Before he entered Hays High School, Josh Munsch set multiple records for the Felten Middle School track and field team. In addition, Munsch had played football since fourth grade and participated in soccer.

"We knew that he was a stud, but we also knew that he was a kid that could play soccer and play football," Indian co-cross country coach Jerold Harris said.

Munsch, who called the choice "kind of hard" because he loved football, talked with several Hays High runners, including Brogan Miller and Cory Befort, before he decided to run.

"They kind of made me realize that I probably have a better opportunity going to college and running than playing football," Munsch said.

Four years later, Munsch has delivered the best resume of any Indian runner in the 5-kilometer era (since 1985). He has two top-six finishes at state, has won 18 career races; including six apiece in 2008 and '09; placed at the Rim Rock regional run, and earned three straight Western Athletic Conference titles. Since 1985, Munsch has the highest winning percentage among any Hays High runner. On Saturday, Munsch, now a senior, and all-state senior Kylie Gaughan will cap their careers at the Class 5A season finale. Munsch will run NCAA Division I next season, while Gaughan will likely race at Fort Hays State University.

"He has just been so good to have around," Harris said. "Kylie Gaughan, she has not been a vocal leader, but she leads by example."

Race time is 10:30 a.m. for the boys, 11:30 for the girls. Munsch is considered, along with Hutchinson's Cameron Sprague and McPherson's Adam Porter, one of the favorites for the title.

"I just kind of have to leave it all out there," Munsch said. "This is my last shot."

Gaughan, who has earned back-to-back ninth-place finishes, will look for another top-10 showing. Gaughan is considered one of the top-five runners in school history on the girls' side.

"It's kind of cool," Gaughan said. "It makes you feel special in a way that you are good at something."

At the Bishop Carroll regional last Saturday, Hays High narrowly missed qualifying both teams to state. The Indians, ranked No. 8 in Class 5A in the coaches' poll on both the boys' and girls' side, fell one point shy on the boys' side, three points on the girls' of qualifying. All-state sophomore Madeline Kasra qualified individually, while juniors Seth Tophoj and Eli Fort and senior Vincent Bizzell will join Munsch.

"The best 12 teams aren't at the state meet," Harris said. "I told coach, 'I would wager my paycheck that we would be top eight and probably top six.' That is how tough our regional is."

Munsch and Gaughan picked up all-regional honors for the fourth straight year and continued their terrific careers. In 2006, Munsch entered the program as HHS' No. 1 runner and won the Hutchinson Invitational, the season's second meet. Gaughan, who had no trouble picking cross country, was the Indians' top runner her first three seasons.

"I have tried volleyball and basketball," she said. "It's not my favorite. Sometimes (running) just helps me to clear my mind and I can think about a lot of stuff. I can just relieve some stress."

Gaughan is a four-time all-WAC runner, four time all-region runner and three-time all-state runner who set the school record last season at the Hays High Invitational. This fall, she has continued to run well and be a leader despite losing her No. 1 status to Kasra this fall.

"Kylie has just been an awesome teammate," Keltner said. "No drama, classy kid, great family."

Munsch, known for a work ethic that Harris calls "second to none," has ran 50 to 60 miles per week in the summer. During the school year, he'll run 3 miles in the morning or after practice several days a week. During practices, Harris will sometimes consult Munsch on his workout plan and Munsch will often run two more miles than the rest of the squad. Before regionals, Munsch led the team in a pre-race speech and is considered HHS' leader.

He is strong in the classroom; the artistic Munsch designed the WAC T-shirts. In addition, Munsch was Homecoming King.

"At first, it was cool winning Homecoming, but I didn't think it was that big of a deal," he said. "When people I like tell me that I deserved it, that is what makes me feel good. It's nice when they say that to me."

"Josh has just been a treat to watch and coach," Keltner said.

And on Saturday, Munsch and Gaughan will look to add one more line on two brilliant careers.

"It will be tough," Harris said. "Thinking this will be the last time I will get to see Josh, this is the last time I will get to see Kylie."