WARRENTON, Mo. – St. Charles knows the state course after qualifying the girls team for the Class 3 meet last year. Most of the St. Dominic team wasn’t even in high school yet.
St. Charles and St. Dominic will represent Class 3 District 4 at Saturday’s state meet at Oak Hills Golf Course in Jefferson City. St. Charles earned the returned trip with a district low 48 points.
The Pirates got their low score with the help of freshman Camryn Green up front. Green was in a mix of girls that swapped spots throughout the last mile before Green established her lead spot and won in 20:59.
“On the third mile we were back and forth. It wasn’t like I took the lead, it was just we were working together to help each other finish,” Green said. “I was nervous, but it just made me push harder because I wanted to get to state.”
Just a couple strides behind Green, Christian’s Madi Stiegemeier and Liberty (Wentzville) freshman Lexi Kayser were locked in a photo-finish duel. Stiegemeier got second place with a lean.
“I was a little more nervous because there was so much on the line but I just left it all out there,” Kayser said. “I wanted to go out with the lead pack but hold back a little bit and then go catch them at the end.
“It was everything I had left. With about 200 meters left I started kicking.”
St. Dominic earned the second state qualifying bid with 67 points with a team comprised of five freshmen and two sophomores.
“The young girls don’t know what they’re getting in for most of the time,” St. Dominic coach Phillip Yates said. “They’ve ran as a pack all year; we just had to get the pack in the right spot today.”
Yates said he is keeping his expectations in check for this first trip to the state meet, but he is hopeful the girls are open to learning and returning to put that knowledge to use.
“This year I just want them to learn,” Yates said. “I don’t expect a real high finish, but you never know, they could always crank one out. It would be nice if we could keep them all out for the remaining three or four years and hopefully make some moves later on.
“I just want them to learn and see the state course for the first time and learn a little bit about what it takes to finish up high at that course, at that meet.”
Sophomore Ashley Cook led the team in seventh (21:51) after running as the team’s No. 2 or 3 most of the year. Yates said she’s capable of being up front, but she has to learn how to race up there and gain the confidence to do it.
Even though the team is young, Yates isn’t worried about them being intimidated. But he does realize it’s a daunting task for such an inexperienced group tackle such a big course on a big stage.
“We’ve dealt with the intimidation a little bit already,” Yates said. “We’ve had races where the young girls haven’t run as well because of the nerves. We try to keep them calmed down and take a deep breath before and just let it happen. They’re more than capable; we just have to channel it the right way.”