District 1
Location: Cape Girardeau, MO (Notre Dame XC Course)
Teams: Advance, Bismarck, Crystal City, Delta, Ellington, Leopold, Marquand-Zion, Meadow Heights, Oak Ridge, Richland (Essex), South Iron, St. Paul Lutheran (Farmington), Zalma
2017 Team Qualifiers: Boys - Oak Ridge (28), Crystal City (64); Girls - Crystal City (27), Valle Catholic (30)
Top Returners (2017 Place): Gabriel Ayers - St. Paul Lutheran (2nd); Taylor Sloan - Crystal City (1st)
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After finishing second in 2017, St. Paul Lutheran's Gabriel Ayers enters the 2018 District 1 race as the favorite with his 17:43.34 personal best. The senior turned in this time at the Farmington Invitational and has been in the mid 18:00s two other times this year. Delta's Josh Statler will provide the biggest challenge to Ayers as he enters the meet 9 seconds behind Ayers with his 17:52.42 from the same meet.
Crystal City was hit hard by graduation and falls as a result and Delta appears ready to make their first state berth in school history. Oak Ridge appears to be the clear favorite in this race, though, as they boast the only team average under 19:00 and only 1-5 spread under 60 seconds. They have a great shot at earning their 11th state meet berth and third in a row.
On the girls side, Ellington freshman Grace Lloyd enters as the only competitor under 22:00 this season, but reigning District champion and 2017 all-state honoree Taylor Sloan is still looming. She has yet to break 23:30 this season, but has been turning her senior campaign around the last few meets and was 23rd at state last year. Sloan should challenge for the title, but so too will Delta's Kendall Holweg. Her 22:13 season best has her as the only girl within a minute of Lloyd.
The team title was tight between Crystal City and Valle Catholic last season, but Crystal City has not fielded five runners this season and Valle is on to District 2 so it appears that the district title will be a battle between Ellington and Oak Ridge, with Meadow Heights not too far behind. Ellington has never qualified a girls team for state and Oak Ridge is looking to make their first trip since 2011.