JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Herculaneum did it again.
The Blackcats doubled up with both the boys and girls Class 2 state cross country titles Saturday at the Oak Hills Golf Center course, marking the fifth time the school has accomplished the feat. Herculaneum last won both races in 2007 and 2008. The Blackcats also did it in 1982 and ’83.
When the boys finished their race, the runners stormed through the chute with a mixture of anger and disappointment. At first blush, the Blackcats thought they had missed securing another title. The first three scoring runners had placed near expectations, but there was a gap before the Nos. 4 and 5 crossed the line.
It wasn’t long though before frustration was replaced with smiles as the Blackcats learned they had scored 123 points to beat St. Piux X and Fatima, who each tallied 143.
“Our fourth and fifth guy, I thought they were so far back that we didn’t quite win today, but I guess we pulled it off,” senior Ryan Jackson said. “That’s what matters. We did it; we won. No matter how we did it, we’re first place.”
Jackson said he let Scott City’s Brandon Shemonia go in the first mile knowing that his position was more important than an individual title. Jackson secured his runner-up finish in 16:54 for those two vital points.
“I know every kid’s dream is to go out there and be a state champion, but honestly I was here more for the team aspect of it,” Jackson said. “I told myself a second place, if that’s what’s going to make us win, then I’ll run for second place. I don’t want to kill myself too much in that first half and then that third mile really kill me off and me fall back.”
Senior Jacob Coffman wasn’t far behind in fourth (17:11), and junior Drake Smelser grabbed the last All-State spot at 25th (18:01). Junior Adam Maxwell slipped back to 64th, and there was another gap before junior Austin Haas came through in 99th. Those gaps gave the impression that the Blackcats had missed their shot at another title, but the adjusted team scores told a different story.
It was another repeat title for the Blackcats and their fourth in five years.
“Going into the state meet we thought we were going to have the best race of the season,” Herculaneum coach Ryun Kasten said. “So right off the bat they were disappointed with that. It’s like the quote from coach Clark Wille, ‘The sign of a true champion is when you’re great, you’re great, and when you’re bad, you’re still pretty darn good.’
“It was an off day with a win, so you really can’t describe it as an off day.”
For Shemonia, a senior, it was the breakthrough moment he’s been anticipating for three years. He finally won his title with a 16:20 after back-to-back runner-up finishes. Shemonia said he paced himself with the lead pack through the first mile in a 5:03, but it was his second mile that blew open the race.
“I felt good and came back with a 5:05 second mile, which kind of broke everybody. That was my big goal,” said Shemonia, who was also second in the 3,200-meter run last spring. “It’s huge. I’ve had three seconds and two thirds in my career. Nobody remembers the second-best guy, so it’s nice to finally win one and bring it home for Scott City.”
The Herculaneum girls won their fifth title out of the last eight tries to go with three runner-up finishes since 2004. The Blackcats scored 95 points to beat defending champion Springfield Catholic (125).
Junior Kaitlyn Fischer led the charge with a runner-up finish (19:47) behind race champion Saga Barzowski of Arcadia Valley, who won in 19:37. Fischer and Barzowski sat behind Courtney Rogers of Lutheran-St. Charles as the leaders worked their way up Firehouse Hill. At the top, Fischer and Barzowski used the downhill to slide past the defending champion and create some separation.
“I think the mistake I made during the course was not staying behind them,” Fischer said. “It was pretty bad windy conditions, and near the end when there was no one around me, it was just so hard to push.
“I think I had a little doubt in myself, and that’s one of the things I’ve got to fix. She just outkicked me at the end.”
Rogers would settle into third place in 20:06, more than 30 seconds ahead of fourth.
The victories also move Herculaneum closer to the record for wins held by West Plains. The boys sit one behind the Zizzers with 12, while the girls’ 10th victory trails West Plains by two. Kasten said the Blackcats got there this time by growing and maturing as individual competitors. Junior Mary Moloney took ninth for the third consecutive year, senior Cheyenne McArthur grabbed 18th, sophomore Sara Cook rebounded from her freshman campaign to take 32nd, and Brittany Bishop overcame an asthma attack to advance nearly 20 spots after the first mile to take 67th.
“Weird thing is we thought the girls’ finish would be how the boys finished,” said Kasten, who said the team was concerned with Springfield Catholic entering the race. “Our girls got up and ran, and they ran really well. They had looks of determination every time they ran by me.”
Barzowski, who finished runner-up last year as a sophomore, also won the race her freshman season.
“It was really windy so I wanted to stay in a group because I figured if I can draft, I can save energy to kick it the last hill,” said Barzowski, who was joined by her team at state for the first time in her three years. “This was the first time in school history the team made it state, and it just made the pre-race more fun with everyone there.”
St. James senior Emily Perona, who was forced to miss last season after being injured in a bus accident on I-44, was able to return to the state meet. She was overjoyed just to be back on the state course, and her 31st-place finish was just a bonus.
“I couldn’t quit smiling the first mile,” Perona said. “It felt great to be back.”
Perona will not have any time to rest or soak in her accomplishments as she said basketball starts Monday morning.
FULL COVERAGE OF THE 2011 MSHSAA XC CHAMPIONSHIP
