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Each year we all anxiously await district assignments from MSHSAA, each year hoping that this will be the year that they get it right and all districts are relatively equal.
I have yet to see pigs flying, so that means that this year like most years there are a few districts that standout as being tougher than the others. I found three specifically that jumped out as being super stacked.
Class 5 District 8 Boys
This the one I hear talked about the most, and rightfully so. Three of the top 6 teams, all of which are trophy contenders, in Class 5 all reside in District 8. Central (St. Joseph), Liberty North, and Liberty come into this week ranked third, fifth, and sixth in Class 5 respectively.
Last year this wouldn't have been as big of a deal, as four teams from each district moved to sectionals, and four teams from there moved to state in the highest class. However, this year only the top two teams move on to the state meet which means District 8 will see a state trophy contender being left at home.
Individually this district also has the fastest 15th ranked runner of any district in the state (15 individuals qualify for state), and has 24 runners who have broken 17:00 which is also the most of any district in the state.
Class 5 District 2 Girls
The District 2 girls race in Class 5 also very stacked. Four teams in the top eight in Class 5 call district 2 home. Lafayette (Wildwood), Eureka, Parkway West, and Nerinx Hall find themselves ranked first, second, fifth, and eighth respectively. This means another potential trophy winner will be left at home from this meet.
Individually this district is also loaded, with the final qualifying spot being a 19:53 and there being fifteen girls sub 20:00. Five more than the next closest district.
Class 4 District 3 Boys
Like the girls in Class 5 District 2, the Class 4 District 3 Boys have four of the top ten teams in Class 4. Chaminade, St. Charles West, Parkway Central, and Clayton come into the week ranked fifth, seventh, eighth, and ninth in the state in Class 4. This is also a bizarre district in the fact that Clayton is ranked the last of the four teams in state rankings, but is ranked second in the district due to the smaller meet size and thus would move on to the state meet.