Despite the very unique circumstances of this season, athletes and teams have still been able to run some incredible performances so far in the 2020 cross country season. We are going to take a look at those top performers today in Class 4.
Girls
There was a plethora of returning talent on the girls side in Class 4, and there wasn't really a hands down favorite to start the season. Nothing has really changed with that so far, as there are a lot of girls at the top.
Olivia Littleton (Smithville) has probably had the most impressive and consistent season so far in Class 4. She holds a season best of 19:01 which is the second fastest time in Class 4, and hasn't finished worse than third place at a meet this year with all of her losses coming against girls in Class 5. She's already ran low 19's four times, and looked really strong at Gans Creek two weeks ago.
The fastest time of the season though belongs to Brayden Kantola (West Plains) who ran an 18:54 at a very fast Bison XC Invitational in Arkansas a couple weeks ago. She has two other low 19's to her name this season, and will look to keep improving as the season goes on. Her sister Jordan Kantola also comes in with the third fastest time in Class 4 with a 19:02 from the same meet.
Lilian Jackson (St. Charles West) has also had an impressive start to her season. Her season best of 19:17 from Warrenton is the fourth fastest time in Class 4 so far, and she's won three out of four races she ran with her only loss coming to someone in Class 5.
Other athletes who have had good starts to their season include Frances Luna (Cor Jesu) who has ran 19:21, Kayanna Gaines (Fulton) at 19L22, Gracie Jacobs (St. Teresa's) at 19:24, Jayna Gunter (West Plains) at 19:25, and Adrienne Luna (Cor Jesu) at 19:25.
Boys
Riley Simpson (West Plains) entered the season with the fastest time in Class 4, and he still holds that today. His 15:23 from the Bison XC Invitational in Arkansas is currently 30 seconds faster that the next fastest in Class 4. He'll look to maintain his advantage as we make the turn for the postseason.
Nate Pohlsander (Rolla) seems to have taken to Missouri cross country well after moving here from Virginia. His time of 15:54 from Camdenton this weekend currently stands as the second fastest time in Class 4. He'll look to continue to build his season strong and look for place high on the podium in November.
Festus teammates Ian Schram and Cullen Krieg have both had pretty good starts at they look to help their team to their seventh straight state title. Both runners have ran 15:56 in a meet this year, and have been in the front of the pack in each of their meets this year. Don't be surprised to see these boys keep improving and moving up this season.
Other athletes with good start in Class 4 include Jacob Blassingame (St. Charles West) at 15:59, Cale Thiessen (Bolivar) at 16:01, William Kaempfe (DeSoto) at 16:08, Roman Borboa (Webb City) at 16:09, and Nathan Wolk (Festus) at 16:10.