District 2
Location: St. Charles, MO (McNair Park)
Teams: Barat Academy, Chamois, Clopton, Columbia Independent, Community (g), Harrisburg (g), Higbee, Marion County, MO School for the Deaf (b), New Franklin, Prairie Home, Silex, The Fulton School, Wellsville
2017 Team Qualifiers: Boys - New Haven (21), Clopton (76); Girls - New Haven (25), Calvary Lutheran (54)
Top Returners (2017 Place): Donovan Denslow - Clopton (2nd); Katie Keilholz - Chamois (3rd)
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There are a couple of pretty clear favorites in the individual races in District 2.
On the boys side, Donovan Denslow comes in as the top returner and the fastest runner in the field this season by 38 seconds. The Clopton senior had a big state meet last season, finishing 8th and taking his first trip to the medal stand in three tries. This year, after a solid track season and the departure of the New Haven juggernaut, Denslow appears ready to make a jump into the top five and should make his first move toward that feat by securing a District 2 title. Columbia Independent's Rowan Musick, a two-time all-stater in his own right, is the top contender along with The Fulton School's Jace Cavness.
New Haven has moved on to Class 2 so the team title is up for grabs this year. Clopton and Wellsville are locked in a virtual tie heading into it with New Franklin a mere 3 points behind. It's anyone's guess as to who will come out on top and in second as all three teams are eerily similar to each other, with Clopton getting the slight edge with their 1-point scorer Denslow. Clopton is trying to make their third straight trip to the state meet and sixth overall while Wellsville has not been to state since 2012 and New Franklin has never been as a team.
The girls race appeared to belong to Katie Keilholz heading into the season, but the arrival of Marion County's Delaney Straus has turned that assumption on its head. Straus is one of only four girls under 20:00 in Class 1 this season and is an easy top five contender at the state meet. She should cruise to victory in this one as her 19:54 sits 69 seconds ahead of Keilholz's lifetime best and 2:41 ahead of her season best.
In the team race, it will be another nail biter between three teams as Marion County and Harrisburg come in locked in a virtual tie with 39 points between them and Clopton looms not far behind with 45. Whoever takes the top two spots, it will be a complete change from last year. Clopton and Marion County would both be making their ninth trip to state, with Clopton not having been since 2002 and Marion County's last trip coming in 2011. Harrisburg, meanwhile, would be making their first trip in school history.
