Girls

5 Top Contenders

Julia Ray - MICDS

The first of two huge names to move into this classification, Julia Ray makes the trip back down to the second largest class after two years battling it out in Class 5. She was the Class 3 champion as a freshman, as well as 5th and 4th in Class 5 in 2020 and 2021. It was a track season in which she didn't improve upon her 5:01.57 and 10:41.12 personal bests, but after finally breaking the 18:00 barrier in 2021 with a 17:52.80 in Indiana, she's looking to go out with a bang this year. 

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Elyse Wilmes - Father Tolton Regional Catholic

Moving up this fall after a team state title, Father Tolton's Elyse Wilmes had quite the freshman campaign as she went undefeated on her way to a Class 3 State Championship and left her first season with a 17:55.78 personal best on the fair Bowling Green course. On the track, she went undefeated in the 800 before taking 3rd at the Festival of Miles in a freshman state record. She almost went undefeated in the 1600, if it hadn't have been for the rail at Jefferson City High School. She did end with impressive bests of 56.96 in the open 400, 2:08.99 in the 800, and 5:01.17 in the 1600. Her range is unparalleled, but Julia Ray is a seasoned veteran. Don't forget the popcorn on November 4th! 

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Alexandra Kinstler - Kearney

Kearney's Alex Kinstler is a dual sport spring soccer player/track runner who tears up the cross country course in the fall. As the second fastest lady Bulldog in the school's illustrious history, Kinstler is shaping up to build off a stellar freshman campaign. She ran a huge personal best at the Class 4 state meet of 18:36.80 to finish 3rd overall and then followed that up with an 11:53.07 3200 this spring. Even though there were two seniors ahead of her last fall, two of the state's best are coming in to challenge her for a state championship. But don't count her out as she's one of the state's best, as well, and could win it all, too! 

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Abigail Street - Webb City

Webb City's Abi Street enters with the 3rd fastest Class 4 mark among returners of 18:44.60 and is looking to improve upon a 5th place finish at last year's state meet. She gets a slight bump in our preview after running personal bests of 5:23.41 in the 1600 and 11:33.88 in the 3200 this spring and is a solid bet to find herself near the top of the state ranks once again in 2022. 

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Julia Donnelly - Washington

Julia Donnelly is the newest Washington Blue Jay to take off on the cross country course. She entered her junior year with a 19:17.80 best from her freshman year, but ended with an 18:38.20 for 4th at the state meet. She finished no worse than 4th last cross country season, adding a district championship on her home Big Driver course. After an all-state wrestling season, she wasn't able to improve upon her track bests (2:29.85, 5:17.84, 11:47.04), but she should be right back in the mix this fall and competing for another top 5 finish at state. 

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Next 5 Up

Reese Martin - Rockwood Summit

Rising sophomore Reese Martin is coming off a narrow sub-19 miss in 2021. She finished 9th in Class 4 on her first try and ran 19:00.70. Not only that, but she won the ever-competitive Class 4 District 1 title in 19:48.84 and finished top 10 at the Suburban Conference Championship. An injury cut her track season short, but not before she ran 2:28, 5:29, and 11:49 in the 800, 1600, and 3200 early on. She's healthy now and ready to challenge for a top 5 finish this year. 

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Madison Taylor - Father Tolton Regional Catholic

After a 4th place finish in Class 3 in her freshman campaign, Madison Taylor will have a few more superstars to compete with this fall if she hopes to get into the top 5 in Class 4. Her best of 19:04.30 has her among the top returners in this classification. She was a middle distance specialist and ran a leg on the Class 3 state champion 4x800 relay this spring and should be a strong No. 2 for the highly ranked Tolton Trailblazers. 

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Isabella Frost - Rolla

Rolla's Isabella Frost has a had strong career up to this point and is coming off another solid track season this spring. Even though she snagged an 8th place state medal in the 3200, she was unable to improve upon her 11:25.73 best from 2021. She did however, drop under 5:20 in the 1600 for the second time, running 5:16.33 and earning a state berth in that event, too. She will return with a 19:02.40 5K mark, which earned her 10th in Class 4 last season, with her sights set on a top 5 spot in her senior campaign.

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Sisely Mitchell - Platte County

In her first career cross country season, Platte County's Sisely Mitchell burst onto the scene with a 19:12.10 personal best, good enough for 11th at the Class 4 state meet. After exclusively running the 400 and 800 in 2021, she parlayed that cross country success into three stellar 800, 1600, and 3200 marks on the track - 2:26.32, 5:22.09, and 11:36.97. The rising junior has to be brimming with confidence and should be on everyone's radar as she pushes for a top 10 finish this November. 

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Ella Thier - Rockwood Summit

Rockwood Summit's Ella Thier made a huge jump between her 2019 and 2020 season, going from 65th at the Class 4 Sectional 2 meet to 10th at the Class 4 State meet in a mere 12 months time. Even though she was leapfrogged by Reese Martin in 2021, she still finished 14th in a personal best time of 19:18.60. After posting two more personal bests in the 1600 and 3200 this spring, she now has a shot at sub-19:00 and provides senior leadership and valuable experience to a squad which will contend for a team championship. 

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Dark Horse to Watch

Julia Jump - Bolivar

Bolivar's Julia Jump crossed the line at last year's Class 4 state meet like she had just come back from war. She was 33 seconds off her 20:25.65 personal best and placed 91st. This spring, she dropped 50 seconds in the 3200, running the 9th fastest time among Class 4 returners (11:49.75). This year, we're looking at Jump to take a major leap forward, be a strong #1 for Bolivar, and contend for a top 20 finish this November. 

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Incoming Freshmen to Watch

Alexa Scott - Thomas Jefferson (Capital City)

Personal Bests: XC - 9:48.00 (2400m), 12:44.00 (3000m), 13:17.36 (3200); Track - 2:38.87 (800m), 5:45.51 (1600m)

Olivia Cole - Festus

Personal Bests: XC - 13:12.30 (3000m), 12:43.00 (2 Mile); Track - 2:42.50 (800m), 5:47.52 (1600m), 13:20.60 (3200m)

Emma Howes - Bolivar

Personal Bests: XC - 12:59.60 (3200m); Track - 5:53.10 (1600m)

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5 Team Title Contenders

They were seventh last year, but with graduation doing a massive number on West Plains and barely touching Kearney, the Bulldogs from just to the Northeast of KC return as the favorite to win the Class 4 team title this fall. Led by individual title contender Alexandra Kinstler and a really solid 2-6 contingent, the Bulldogs have a shot at their first cross country team championship since they won three in a row from 2009-2011 in Class 3. 

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Father Tolton has completed the two class jump as they are in Class 4 for the 2022 season. Even with the big leap, they should still be able to contend for the Class 4 crown on their home turf. Elyse Wilmes and Madison Taylor are a stellar 1-2 punch who went 1-4 in Class 3 last fall and will score very low in Class 4 this fall, but where they will need help is the 5-6-7 range. Regardless, Tolton has the chops to find themselves on the podium, and even challenge for the win, after winning it all in Class 3 last season. 

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Rockwood Summit had been steadily climbing over the last few years and the arrival of Reese Martin last fall really accelerated that ascent. Martin, profiled above, is ready for a major breakout this fall and could help pull the Falcons all the way to the top. They finished fourth last year and return four of those girls. This year, they'll compete for the win, but they'll need some help from the 5-6-7 range, much like Tolton. 

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Last fall, the Festus Lady Tigers almost pulled off the rare feat of earning a state trophy without having any all-state individuals. With a miniscule 26-second 1-5 split, they finished 5th overall, well behind Rockwood Summit in 4th, but still 5th among the 16 qualifying teams. This fall, they will return their entire top 5 from that state team and should be getting some help from their middle school program. With all that said, and considering the school's illustrious history, this Festus team could absolutely compete not just for a top 4 finish, but a state title.  

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Anna McAndrew and Sophia Peligreen could have both been included in the "Next 5 Up" section, but are profiled here as part of a dynamic 1-2 punch for the Greyhounds of Clayton. After finishing 15th and 17th in Class 4, respectively, last November, they're back to help Clayton earn their first state trophy in their school's long history. Isabel Erdmann is a solid number 3, but they'll need to add some depth to help fortify the #4 and 5 spots because a 3:00 1-5 spread is going to be hard to overcome at state. 

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Dark Horse Team to Watch

Bolivar

It was a young Bolivar squad who qualified for state in 2021. They finished 14th overall with their highest finisher being the afore-mentioned Julia Jump, but they are returning their entire top 7 for 2022. They have a strong 2-3-4 pack within 5 seconds of each other and should be getting some help from incoming freshmen. Bolivar should be on the radar as a potential district champion and top 4 podium team in November. 

Preseason Pick: Who will win the MSHSAA Class 4 girls cross country team title this fall?

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Preseason Pick: Who will win the MSHSAA Class 4 girls XC team title this fall?

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