For those of you who have followed our rankings over the past few years you know that these are just for fun and hopefully serve to give athletes a little extra motivation as the season rolls along. We will come out with the rankings every few weeks. For those of you who are new and checking out
the rankings for the first time we hope you enjoy them and if you have anyone or any team that we missed let us know by emailing Ben at ben@bigriverrunning.com
TEAM RANKINGS
TOP 10 GIRLS TEAMS
#1) LEE'S SUMMIT WEST – The Titans spent all of last year at #1 and proved they deserved it week after week with big invitational wins, a national ranking and a State Championship. This year they return four of their top five from State and five from their top seven.
#2) JEFFERSON CITY – The Lady Jays bring back five of seven from a a squad that garnered runner-up honors in 2008 including their top two.
#3) KICKAPOO – In what is becoming a theme the ladies from Springfield also bring back five of seven from last year's State Meet and should certainly be a factor this fall.
#4) RAYMORE PECULIAR – Before you question Ray-Pec at #4 you should know that this was a team on the rise last year and they bring back all seven runners from a very young squad a year ago. In fact, their top four runners at State in 2008 were freshman and sophomores. These ladies are our darkhorse pick to give LSW a run for their money.
#5) WEST PLAINS – The ladies in the candy-striped shorts lose their top two finishers from the 2009 State Meet but make up for it by returning everyone else.
#6) LEE'S SUMMIT NORTH – LSN opens up at number five based mostly on the fact that, like Ray-Pec, they return all seven of their runners from last year's State Meet including third placer Taylor Hynes.
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#7) FESTUS – So how do you deal with losing one of the best runners in the country in Alyssa Allison? Well, for starters you return your next four finishers from a group that finished third in Class 3 in 2008. Plus, your new number one runner is Sadie Darnell and she is pretty darn good in her own right.
#8) STE GENEVIEVE – Always a team to watch...look out for Ste Gen again this year as they bring back six of seven from a tightly packed bunch.
#9) WASHINGTON – This squad had a fantastic season in 2008 and they return a solid 1-2 punch in Rebecca Brown and Lauren Guasto.
#10) NERINX HALL – Grabbing the tenth spot is a team that we think is set to explode in 2009. They bring back all seven runners from last fall's State Meet including a solid 1-2 punch of Colleen Quigley and Renee Goodenough.
.............................................................TOP 10 BOYS TEAMS
#1) LEE'S SUMMIT WEST – LSW put on a clinic at last fall's State Meet scoring a super low 53 points to win the Class 4 title handily. They return defending State champ Kevin Colon but lose their 2-3-4 men to graduation. Still though, the foundation is there and if a couple of guys can step up they should be in contention to defend their title.
#2) SLUH – The Junior Bills spent most of the year last season at #1 in our rankings only to be bested at State by a fantastic LSW squad. The deepest team in the State is back though, returning 4:19/ 9:28 man Caleb Ford as well as Nick Seckfort, the State runner-up at 800 meters.
#3) JEFFERSON CITY - The Jays look mighty tough with one of the best one-two punches of any of the major contenders in cross country All Stater David McAdams and track All Stater Alloch Burton. Did we mention they also return six of their top seven?
#4) LEE'S SUMMIT NORTH – The LSN boys, like their female counterparts, appear ready for a big year. They return five of seven from their Class 4 fifth place squad from 2008. Plus, they are probably the second deepest team in the State and should have plenty more firepower waiting in the wings.
#5) LIBERTY – The Bluejays had a great State Meet a year ago when they finished third in Class 4. They'll bring that momentum into 2009 on the shoulders their four returners, three of whom ran under 17:15 at State.
#6) COLLEGE HEIGHTS CHRISTIAN – We are kind of going out on a limb with this one because this crew lost a lot of seniors but if they can find a decent lineup to support Caleb Hoover and Trenton Morris CHC should be a major force.
#7) WEST PLAINS – Of all the teams in the top ten the Zizzers probably lost the most firepower from a year ago when their top four finishers at the State Meet were all seniors. Still, they are the Zizzers and they will reload. They always do.
#8) LEBANON - Ranking teams six through ten was really tough as eachsquad lost a lot to graduation including Lebanon. The yellow and brown crew has been good a few years in a row so we'll assume they are going to figure out a way to climb back up to the top.
#9) CAPE NOTRE DAME - The boys from Cape had a great season a year ago and showed they belonged with the very best teams in the State regardless of Class. They return number one man Wynn McClellan and it always helps to have a low stick up front.
#10) KICKAPOO - These guys ended up tenth but again, it could have gone a number of ways for these last few spots. They only return one of their one from their top four but that one happens to be Danny Thater which is a good way to start.
INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS
All season long (though maybe not as often as the team rankings) we will try to keep an eye out for the top 15 runners in the State. Again, these are the top 15 regardless of Class. It is a lot easier to miss a runner or two so we apologize if we shorted you or your teammate. Feel free to email Ben at ben@bigriverrunning.com if you know someone who should be on the Big River Top 15. Enjoy!!
TOP 15 GIRLS
#1) Emily Sisson, SR, Parkway Central – There was no easier ranking than this one. Sisson is a three-time Foot Locker finalist, the reigning Nike Outdoor National 5k champ, and the defending Class 4 State champ. In only one full year she already has four Missouri State titles and will look to add to that this fall. She will also look to break Merideth Snow's course record at the State Meet which stands at 17:51.
#2) Diane Robison, SR, Parkway Central – Robison had an off day at the State Meet a year ago although an off day for the Parkway Central senior is still 6th place. She more than made up for it though by placing 10th at the Foot Locker Midwest Meet and qualifying for the Foot Locker Finals in San Diego. Her track season produced several big moments including winning her mile heat at Nike Outdoor Nationals in a blazing 4:55.02.
#3) Megan Yohe, JR, Liberty - Yohe rose to the challenge at the end of last fall's cross country season by grabbing runner-up honors at State and then dropping some jaws with her third place finish at Nike Cross Regionals.The highlight of her track season was probably her duel with #1 Sisson at the Kansas Relays where she ran 10:31 for 3200 and was less than a second back at the tape.
#4) Courtney Wood, JR, Neosho - Wood followed up a very solid cross country season with a track campaign that saw her break 11:00 for 3200, finishing 3rd in Class 4. Wood and teammate Jessica Jackson will lead a strong Neosho squad this fall.
#5) Liga Blyholder, SR, Lee's Summit West- Blyholder goes from non-ranked at the end of last season to #5 pre-season on the merits of a phenomenal track season highlighted by runner-up finishes in the 1600 and 800 at the State Meet. Her 4:54 1600 is an indicator that she could challenge for another runner-up finish in cross country.
#6) Samantha Nightingale, SO, Blue Springs South - The BSS sophomore had a great stretch run last fall, including a fourth place finish at State in 19:03. She ran 5:02 at State track this past spring and there is no reason to think she will not be a major factor this fall.
#7) Taylor Hynes, JR, Lee's Summit North - Hynes did not show up in Districts, Sectionals or State results on the track and we are admittedly not sure where she was. Regardless though, she ran 18:36 on the State course and as long as she runs cross country we expect she will be very good.
#8) Krista Menghini, JR, St. Joseph's Academy - Rumor has it that Menghini is going to run cross country this fall after choosing volleyball her first two years at St. Joe's. If the rumor is true then lookout. Not even running all year round Menghini was All-State in the 1600 and 3200 last spring. Running just over five minutes and just over 11 minutes makes her among the fastest returners on the track and her age group cross country success suggests she'll be just as good over hill and dale.
#9) Colleen Quigley, JR, Nerinx Hall - Quigley was 19th last fall at State and sixth in the 3200 this past spring in 11:09. Rumor has it that she has put in a phenomenal summer and may be ready for a big breakthrough. You heard it here first, look out for Quigley at the Forest Park Cross Country Festival in a few weeks.
#10) Chelsea Phoebus, JR, Lee's Summit West - Phoebus finished an outstanding fifth at last fall's State Meet and was the top finisher for LSW's State Champs. She was eighth in the 3200 at State track in 11:28 and 12th in the 1600.
#11) Liz Reida, JR, Nixa - Reida, who hails from the fictional home of Jason Bourne, is somewhat of an assassin on the track and on the grass as she sports plenty of wins and fast times from her first two years in high school. Last spring she was seventh in the 1600 and tenth in the 3200 in Class 4.
#12) Grace Bridwell, JR, MICDS - After a cross country season that didn't garner much attention Bridwell made a big jump this past track season, earning runner-up honors in the Class 3 3200. More recently she polished off a big summer of training with a 19:01 at the Saint Louis Track Club's Cross Country Kickoff.
#13) Jessica Jackson, JR, Neosho- The second half of the Neosho 1-2 punch showed off her speed at the State Track Meet by finishing 6th in the 800 in 2:16. Combine that speed with the strength she showed last fall and it could be a lethal combination.
#14) Sadie Darnell, JR, Festus - Darnell has spent the last two years in the rather large proverbial shadow of teammate Alyssa Allison but with the latter headed to the University of Arkansas it is the former's turn to shine. An 11:32 3200 at State for third in Class 3 shows she is ready to do just that.
#15) Briana Watson, JR, Jefferson City - Watson can boast being the tenth fastest returner overall from last year's State Cross Country Meet and that is what gives her the last spot over a handful of very worthy contenders including Marshall's Katie Wells, Potosi's Sarah White, Raytown South's Erin Edwards, Washington's Rebecca Brown and Lebanon's Kendra McClure.
TOP 15 BOYS
#1) Kevin Colon, SR, Lee's Summit West– For the first time in two years the number one spot in our pre-season rankings does not belong to Potosi's Jacob Swearingen. The smooth-striding former Trojan is off to college to run for JUCO powerhouse Rend Lake and he leaves some big shoes to fill for Missouri's top harriers in 2009. While there are quite a few who could make a claim for the top spot this year none seems more qualified than last year's Class 4 State Champ Kevin Colon. Despite missing the majority of the track season with a stress fracture Colon proved last November that when he is on he's the man to beat.
#2) Daniel Everett, JR, Westminster – Everett makes the jump all the way to #2 on the merits of an incredible track season that saw the Westminster junior become one of the fastest sophomores in the country with his 4:14.01 1600 at the Missouri State Meet. Look for him to be a force over hill and dale as well after running a very solid 15:54 at the Saint Louis Track Club's Cross Country Kickoff where he was the top high school finisher.
#3) Maksim Korolev, SR, Harrisonville – Korolev climbed his way up our rankings all of 2008 and he'll begin this year at number three. The multiple-time All-Stater from tiny Harrisonville, MO should have a great chance to win his first State Title this fall though he'll have to best #2 Everett to do it.
#4) Danny Thater, SR, Kickapoo – We think this kid has as good a chance as anyone to end up as number one. He is a huge talent who, when on, looks nearly unbeatable. Perhaps his best race last fall came at the Forest Park Cross Country Festival where he gave Swearingen absolutely all he could handle for about 3.05 miles before the Potosi senior finally pulled away over the final few meters.
#5) Caleb Hoover, JR, College Heights Christian- Hoover is on one of our favorite teams, College Heights Christian. He and his teammates have raised the bar incredibly high in Class 1 and 2 and will probably lift it even higher still in 2009. With a 4:15 1600 to his credit last spring Hoover was not far behind Everett as one of the top sophomores in the country and we expect he will continue to impress this fall.
#6) Caleb Ford, SR, SLUH – Ford is one of those guys who seems like he's been around forever. He was on SLUH's runner-up squad back in 2006 and has steadily risen through the Missouri ranks ever since. Last fall he was 13th at the State Meet and this past spring he ran personal bests of 4:19 and 9:28.
#7) Trenton Morris, JR, College Heights Christian– Though his teammate Hoover is ranked higher let's not forget that the defending Class 1Champion is Trenton Morris. The CHC junior then went on to post a solid 4:23 at the Class 2 State Meet and should be a major force this fall. Look for both Morris and Hoover at the Forest Park Cross Country Festival where they will battle most of the guys on this list.
#8) David McAdams, SR, Jefferson City– McAdams gets the nod at #8 as he is the number two returner from last fall's class 4 State Meet. He did not put up the track numbers that some of those above were able to but that's not to say he won't leapfrog back up the ladder as he was very consistent last fall and should be a factor in every race he enters in 2009.
#9) Alloch Burton, SR, Jefferson City– Burton was only 31st at last November's State Meet but improved on the track by finishing eighth in the 3200. If he can parlay that success from the oval onto the grass this fall he should be a factor in Class 4.
#10) Ben Chapman, SR, Glendale – A solid 15th at last fall's State Meet makes the Glendale senior the fifth best returner in Class 4. He missed going to State in the 3200 by just .4 seconds despite running a credible 9:42.
#11) Jake Bast, SO, Oakville – We considered putting the Oakville soph even higher as runners often make a big leap after their freshman year. We'll let him prove it first but considering that he finshed 21st at State in Cross Country and followed that up with a solid track season the top ten better look out if Bast does indeed make that jump.
#12) Kevin Krumrey, SR, Parkway Central– Krumrey grabbed the last All-State spot in Class 4 last fall but seemed to become an even better runner after a hard winter of training and a fantastic track season that culminated in a sixth place finish in the 800.
#13) Wynn McClellan, SR, Cape Notre Dame– It was difficult to rank 8-14 because a guy like McClellan could really have been anywhere in that range. He was 9th in Class 3 last fall in 16:40 and then finished 7th in the 3200 with a 9:38. He could certainly be a lot higher when the next set of rankings come out after the Forest Park Cross Country Festival.
#14) Ethan Lambert, SO, Eureka – You can pretty much take what we said about #11 Bast and apply it to Lambert. The Eureka soph was 49th in Cross Country which is pretty darn good for a freshman and then finished up his track season by placing 10th in the 3200.
#15) Jake Lamke, SR, Parkway West– Lamke gets the nod at 15 over a host of guys including Hickman's Zach Lynn and Festus' Cole Allison based on one thing; potential. This kid was 16th in Class 4 as a sophomore in 2007, running 16:29. He played golf this spring to give his legs a chance to heal after a year of injuries. He is healthy now and could really surprise some folks this fall.
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