For any high school cross country runner, the one race you spend your season preparing for is your state championships meet. Last weekend on November 3rd and 4th, the Missouri State Meet was held at the Gans Creek 5k cross-country course in Columbia, Missouri. There were lots of great performances individually and team-wise, and I will be talking about all ten races across three parts (all are out now), boys and girls, classes one through five, and I will break down each race, also stay tuned for the final Kewpie Kooldown of the season, in part three. 

In this part I will talk about the races in class three and four, boy’s and girl’s. The first race I will talk about is the boy’s class three race.

Class Three

As you may know, last year this race was won by the fastest Missouri miler ever and current Oregon runner, Connor Burns. But, even with his absence, this race was still fast. During the first two kilometers, it was made apparent it would be this way as the top four runners all went under six minutes, on pace for a sub 15 performance. Ben Chance, a senior from Bowling Green High School who placed second here last year was leading the race, and he was followed closely by fellow seniors Chase Sorrell of East Newton High School and Sam Vaughn of Herculaneum High School. Those three created a gap from the rest of the field and Chance would later lengthen his lead and win by 7 seconds in 15:25. 

In the team race, there was a very close finish between St. Michael the Archangel High School from Lee's Summit, Missouri, and El Dorado Springs High School from El Dorado Springs, Missouri. The result came down to only two points when St. Michael the Archangel won with a score of 112 compared to El Dorado Spring's 114. 

The girl's race like the boy's race was also one dominated by a few runners. Through the first few kilometers, it appeared that the top six or so were quickening the pace and beginning a battle for the win. It wasn't until the fourth kilometer that we saw glimpse of who would win, because Alexandra Volkart of Southern Boone, the senior and reigning champion had opened a lead of 9 seconds between her and another senior Lauren Eftink of Notre Dame High School in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. But, Eftink wasn't out of it because she closed well over the last kilometer and closed the gap, however, it was too late because Volkart won by two seconds in a time of 18:27.

In the team race, it wasn't even close as St. Charles West High School from St. Charles, Missouri ran away with it, beating the second place team, Westminster Christian Academy, in Chesterfield, Missouri by 87 points with a score of 55. 

Class Four

In the class four boy's race, it was once again a tale of two fast runners. In this case, it was two seniors Isaac Rivera, who has been undefeated this year, and Andrew Johnson, from Lincoln College Prep Academy and Platte County High School respectively. Through all stages of this race, it was made apparent that it would be a fast race, so fast that the two went through the first kilometer in under 2:48, through the rest of the race it was respectfully close until Rivera pulled ahead to win by 17 seconds in a time of 14:54. 

The team race in this one was also close as Festus High School from Festus, Missouri won by only nine points over Platte County High School from Platte City, Missouri, with a score of 91.

In the girl's race the results weren't even close as the junior from Harrisonville High School, Kayleigh Norris won by 20 seconds in a time of 18:07. However, Norris didn't lead the whole thing, senior Emily Mayfield from Fulton High School led the first two kilometers until Norris put the hammer down and ran away with it. 

In the team race St. Joseph's Academy from St. Louis, Missouri won by 23 points over West Plains High School from West Plains, Missouri, with a score of 110.

Across all ten races, every athlete performed well and this whole season has been great to watch. It will be interesting to see how the top performers perform next year and in this upcoming track season. Stay tuned for more on that.