Wilhite Uses Huge Third Mile to Run Away in Class 3 Boys
If we asked you ran the fastest 3rd mile of the day on Saturday, who would you choose? Maybe Victor Mugeche? Ryan Riddle? How about Max McDaniel or Stephen Kielhofner? If you selected any of those boys, you would be wrong as the fastest 3rd mile of the day belonged to Warrensburg senior Marquette Wilhite and he used that to pull off a major upset.
It was a modest pace through the first mile compared to what had happened earlier in the Class 4 boys race. A group of seven boys came through the first mile between 4:56-4:58 led by Mexico senior Alex Dukes, Wilhite, Festus junior and #1 ranked runner heading into it Max McDaniel, and Springfield Catholic senior and reigning champion Stephen Kielhofner. The top 25 were all at 5:10 or better in this one whereas the top 25 were all under 4:58 in the Class 4 race. Regardless, the more modest pace that kicked off this race would not result in slow times as many of the boys were able to maintain throughout the race.
It was McDaniel and Wilhite neck and neck through the 2 mile as both boys had gained some slight separation on the rest of the field. Dukes was close behind, but the rest of the field was at least 8 seconds back now of the leaders now. They rolled through in 10:02 and with McDaniel's finishing speed and Wilhite's 1:56 800 speed, it looked like it would be a throwdown in the last mile.
It was. But it was the 1:56 speed from Wilhite off the top of Firehouse Hill that would key his 5:09 3rd mile - the fastest 3rd mile on the day of anyone - and eventual 4 second victory over McDaniel. For Wilhite, it was not only his third all-state in cross country, but his first top 10 finish. As noted, he has been a middle distance fiend on the track the past two seasons, and has had success in the fall, but this 15:42.27 was a personal best, 3 seconds faster than his only other sub-16:00 - a 15:45.30 at the District 7 race. We spoke to Wilhite after his victory as he spoke about being the underdog fueled his fire to come out and prove us wrong:
McDaniel held on for 2nd in this one as both boys had put solid distance on the rest of the field in their final mile. McDaniel was picked to win this one after learning that Kielhofner had been dealing with some lingering injuries, and he made it close all the way through. His 15:46.57 was 10 seconds off of his lifetime best from the historically fast Chile Pepper Festival in 2016, but 27 seconds faster than last year's 4th place finish. McDaniel has now finished top 4 three times in Class 3 and may be joining the elite "Boys Four Times All-State" list soon. He is the heavy favorite to gain the Class 3 title next season. We spoke to him after he received his medal:
Third place belonged to Dukes as the dual-sport soccer/cross country athlete came across just over 16:00 (16:00.29) to secure the first bronze medal. He had separated himself from the rest of the pack, but could not track down the first two boys as the Mexico senior came across 14 seconds behind McDaniel, but 17 seconds ahead of Warrensburg junior Colton Palmer. Incredibly, this was Dukes's first loss of the season as he had already dispatched most everyone else in Class 3 before this. After a 9:35 3200 on the track last spring, we expect big things from Dukes in 2018. We spoke to him as well:
Helias Catholic sophomore Jack Crull was the fastest sophomore on the day as his 16:22.15 got him 5th, just ahead of another District 5 - Fulton senior Mason Gaines (16:30.33).