Class 4 State Wrap Up


Mugeche Holds Off Riddle in Duel for the Ages

In what many were calling the race of the day, Blue Springs senior Victor Mugeche was able to remain undefeated in 2017 by taking the individual title in the Class 4 Boys race at this year's MSHSAA State Cross Country Championships. Ranked second by MoMileSplit heading into the season, Mugeche consistently proved why those projections were dead wrong and sealed the deal on Saturday with his 8 second victory over Webb City senior and preseason #1 Ryan Riddle. Locked in off the start, Riddle hung on to Mugeche's shoulder throughout the first portion, even as they pulled it through in 2:13 for 800 and 4:40 for 1600. With chase pack around 8 seconds back, those in attendance knew that this was a two-man race and that everyone else was chasing 3rd.  

Boys 1 Mile Video (Twitter)

Boys 1 Mile Results


As they rolled through the halfway point right around 7:30, the fans were being treated to a potential record breaking run from one or both of these boys. Mugeche and Riddle both were not giving an inch until Mugeche began to make his move at the 3K mark. A 4:57 2nd mile followed up his 4:40, but Riddle was just 3 seconds behind looking ready to make a potential move off the top of Firehouse Hill.

Boys 2 Mile Video (Twitter)

Boys 2 Mile Results

Mugeche eventually opened up off the top of the famed hill and started to pull away. His lead stretched to 15 seconds at the 3 mile mark as he rolled through in 14:50. Firehouse Hill had claimed yet another victim as, without that hill in place, we may have seen something closer to 15:00 from the top two boys based on what the flatter first two miles had produced. But alas, Mugeche's wheels fell off as he eyed the finish. As his stride somehow did not shorten, but broke, his legs looking as though they had been turned to stone, the spectators could tell he was happy about his first ever individual state title, but being so close to the state record of 15:22.30 set last year by Austin Hindman was definitely on his mind. Regardless, Mugeche's 15:29.13 will still go down as the sixth fastest time in state history and fifth in Class 4. 



Just behind him was Riddle, though, as in Mugeche's staggering, Riddle had made up a few seconds to close the gap to 8 seconds. His 15:37 was 26 seconds faster than 2016's time as he finished 13 places better. We spoke with Riddle after he received his silver medal:


After Riddle was the two middle linebackers that are West Plains senior Ben Stasney and Hickman junior Chandler Gibbens. Gibbens stayed strong in 3rd throughout the race, coming through the mile mark in 4:47 and went through 2 miles in 9:57. Stasney, on the other hand was through the mile in 4:52 in 11th and moved up into 7th at the 2 mile, pulling through in 10:01. He then leaped 3 more spots in the 3rd mile and overtook Gibbens and Lafayette senior Nassim Oufattole to finish 3rd in 15:46.43. Gibbens took 4th in 15:49.42. Oufattole's stride began to break down much like Mugeche and he was eventually passed for 5th by Rockhurst senior Tom Seitzer. Seitzer would finish in 15:52.45 as Oufattole pulled his legs across the line in 15:55.96. It was the first individual state medal in cross country for Gibbens, Seitzer, and Oufattole.




As it so often is, the Class 4 Boys race was the fastest of the day as the entire top 25 came across under 16:25. In an uncharacteristically slow year, though, the field was not nearly as deep beyond 30 as it was in 2016 as only 38 boys were under 16:40 and 68 under 17:00 whereas 59 boys ran under 16:40 in 2016 and 94 came across under 17:00. Firehouse Hill was exceptionally unforgiving this year as many athletes experienced significant crashes and burns that only the last mile at the course at Oak Hills Golf Center, a third mile that comes after two flat and fast and emotionally taxing miles, can bring about. The finish so often feels 1.1 miles away instead of 0.1 miles away after they cross that 3 mile pad, but it is that uphill finish that decided some of the most important races, not just in this one, but in all 8 races. 



Boys 3 Mile Results

Class 4 Boys Results

Photos

Videos