Since 2006, Big River Running Company has been providing the fans and athletes of cross country with a set of XC Rankings that are just for fun that we hope serve to give athletes a little additional motivation as the season moves along.
The rankings are based on a number a factors including the MoMileSplit database and Virtual Meet features. If you feel we missed someone please feel free to comment or email peverett@milesplit.com.
Now on to the rankings...
TEAM RANKINGS
Girls
Ste Genevieve
1. Ste. Genevieve – We think it’s time to finally give these girls the #1 spot in our rankings. Many have said any team with Taylor Werner is basically scoring 4 but the 2-3 girls on this team are really darn good too. Throw in some nice improvements with the rest of the girls and this leads us to believe this is the #1 team in the state right now.
2. Nerinx Hall – The Markers jump over a couple of teams that defeated them earlier in the year based on their dominating performances in Illinois and Kentucky the past few weeks, as well the addition of Erin Smith (Forest Park 3k winner) to the top 5.
3. Lee’s Summit West – The Titans were 2nd at KC Metro where they might have scored a little higher as it appears they were without Kourtney West. This remains a deep team with a coach that has a tradition of peaking teams in November.
4. Francis Howell - A serious contender to repeat as Class 4 Champions. Don’t make the mistake of thinking this team is ranked too high based on recent performances as they have had a key contributor missing at different meets. Once the top 7 is in place this will be a tough team to beat.
5. Rock Bridge – The 4th Class 4 team on our list another team that we would not be surprised to bring home gold in Jefferson City.
6. Eureka - 3rd at Parkway Central but without Hannah Long who was off winning the Great American XC Championship in Cary, NC.
7. Festus - 2nd in a field of 55 teams in Arkansas this Saturday.
8. Lafayette (Wildwood) – 6 in the top 25 at Parkway West was good enough for 2nd.
9. Lee’s Summit North – 3RD at KC Metro just 27 points back of LSW and ahead of our #10.
10. St Teresa’s Academy – The Stars were 4th at KC Metro.
Boys
Lafayette (Wildwood)
1. West Plains – These boys are just rolling – 71 teams at the Chile Pepper and the Zizzers were 71 points better than the 2nd place finishers.
2. Lafayette (Wildwood) - We mentioned before that this is a young team. They have shown nice improvement throughout the year and we think their win at Parkway West over Rock Bridge and a Perrier-less O’Fallon is pretty darn impressive.
3. Liberty - Our nominee for tweet of the week by Coach Frtison: “OCT. 5th: We're not the best team in the state. West Plains is. NOV. 9th: State meet. Only day that matters.” We think this tweet not only reconizes the clear #1 but also reinforces the "only poll that matters" mantra. The Blue Jays were an impressive 2nd in Arkansas.
4. Rock Bridge - 2nd at Parkway West, the Bruins actually had the lowest average time thanks to the 15:46 by Evan Schulte.
5. St. Louis University High - These guys are so deep it’s hard to get a read who will be in the top 7 come November but one thing is clear, the defending Class 4 Champions are legitimate contenders to repeat.
6. Festus – A very close third in Arkansas, giving the Show Me State the top 3 team spots.
7. Raymore-Peculiar – The Panthers bounce back up in the rankings after an impressive win on their home turf at the KC Metro Championships.
8. Rockhurst – 2nd at KC Metro – It’s going to be a real battle for the top 4 spots of Section 4.
9. Glendale – An impressive win at the Capital City Challenge moves Glendale into the top 10 for the first time this season.
10. Potosi – The Trojans appeared to have the week off from racing but hold down the #10 spot.
Top 15 Individuals
Girls
Sophia Racette
1. Taylor Werner, Ste Genevieve – Every week this girl does the impossible – get better. After 16:47 on a fast course at Forest Park and 17:43 on a tough Jefferson Barracks course, Werner ran a blistering 17:25 on the famed Oak Hills Golf Course. Yes, the course has been changed since the days of the greats like Meredith Snow and Emily Sisson. Still, this time is remarkable.
2. Hannah Long, Eureka – Hannah bounced back after an uncharastic performance at Hancock a week ago. Her time of 17:38 won the Race of Champions at the Great American XC Festival, one of the nation’s top meets, by 20 seconds.
3.Sophia Racette , Nerinx Hall – Another out of state winner, Racette won her third race of the season with a first place finish at the Great Louisville Classic. This puts her sixth on the meet performance list which has over 2,600 performances.
4. Jamie Kempfer, Festus – The third out of state winner, Kempfer took home the title at the Chile Pepper XC Festival with a clocking of 18:35.
5. Jill Whitman, Cor Jesu – Whitman was back on the course after a weekend off with a big win at Parkway West over a number of top runners in the state. How good are the girls in Missouri? Each member of our top 5 won this past weekend, all in large meets.
6. Nicole Lee, Clinton Nicole had a third place 19:24 showing at the Chile Pepper Festival in Arkansas.
7. Ann Campbell, St. Teresa’s Academy – KC Metro champ, Campbell beat a combination of quality runners from Missouri and Kansas.
8. Maddy Brown, Parkway West – Only 7 seconds behind Whitman, Brown finished second at her home meet.
9.Mia Jerman, Ste Genevieve – The second half of the 1-2 punch for newly top-ranked Ste. Gen., Jerman came in at 19:07 to finish second behind Werner at Oak Hills.
10 Maddi Leigh , Francis Howell – Did not race this past weekend.
11. Arnica Zitting, Francis Howell – Third at Parkway West behind Whitman and Brown, 13 seconds off of Brown.
12 Tabitha Griffith, Farmington – Tabitha contuned her winning ways, coming in first at the Notre Dame Invitational easily on Saturday.
13 Courtney Rogers, Lutheran St. Charles – Fourth at a Louisville. Course conditions weren’t ideal but she ran 19:07, forty seconds behind Racette.
14 Elizabeth Carpino, Lee’s Summit North– After a win at a smaller Blue Springs Meet back on the 21st of September, Carpino led the charge for LSN with a solid second place finish at KC Metro.
15. Annika Sisson, Lee’s Summit West Sisson led the Titans for the third time this season, placing third at KC Metro in 19:03 - nearly 40 second PR despite poor course conditions.
Honorable Mention: – Katie Anderson (Nerinx Hall), Sam Farmer (Rock Bridge), Grace Klausen (Blue Spings South), Sammy Laurenzo (Liberty North), Sarah Nicholson (Lafayette), Anna West (Lafayette)
Top 15 Individuals
Boys
Evan Schulte
1. Noah Kauppila, Marquette - It appears Noah did not race this week but still sits as our clear #1.
2. Spencer Haik, Glendale - At the Capital City Challenge, Spencer decided to run back down firehouse hill to help a teammate up the hill. Depite the unselfish detour, Haik was 3rd and helped Glendale win the meet.
3 Evan Schulte, Rock Bridge Evan looked strong, winning the Parkway West Invitational and leading the pack by 24 seconds.
4. Stephen Mugeche, Blue Springs - 3rd in a field of 537 in Arkansas.
.5. Cole Rockhold, Truman – Took the week off from racing.
6. Dylan Quinsnberry, Lafayette (Wildwood) - 2nd to Schulte but led his team to first at Parkway West.
7. William Thompson - Strong 2nd place finish at KC Metro.
8. Camden Barrett, West Plains - The Zizzers traveled to Arkansas and were once again led by Barrett.
9. Michael Karls, Festus - Karls was 13th at Chili Pepper and 6 spots back of his teammate Gilliam but checks in here at #9
10. Ryan Way, Republic - Not showing any results for Ryan this past weekend after his win at East Newton the week before.
11. Tyler Gilliam Festus - 7th in Arkansas, just 2/10 back of #8 Barrett.
12. Jason Fambrough, Raymore-Peculiar Jason looked strong at home with a 3rd place finsih, leading his team to a KC Metro Championship,
13. Andrew Moore, Ste Genevieve - Andrew was disappointed with his finish last year in Jefferson City but in the Capital City Classic he came out on top.
14. Clayton Adams, Kearney – Clayton won the Crimson divsion at Rim Rock last weekend.
15 Quinlan Moll, Kickapoo - Quinlan makes his debut in the Top 15 after a 2nd place finish in Jefferson City and winning the previous weekend at Hermitage.
Honorable Mention: Sean Conlin (Ft Zumwalt East), Austin Del Rosso (DeSmet), Austin King (Potosi), Zac Miller (Central, St. Joseph), Matt Reichman-Bennett (Joplin), Ryan Parson (Farmington)
