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There is no clear favorite in either Class 4 race this season, but there are several athletes looking to make their mark.
On the boys side, Riley Simpson (West Plains) holds the fastest time in Class 4 heading into the weekend with a time of 15:23 from a meet in Arkansas back in September. He has consistently been in the high 15's or low 16's all season, and won six of his eight races this season. He'll no doubt be looking to make in seven in nine this weekend.
Ian Schram (Festus) leads a group of Festus runners that will be right up in the front as well. Schram as well as his teammate Cullen Krieg own season bests of 15:56 which currently sits third and fourth in Class 4 respectively. Schram has won four of his six races this season and has been very consistently in the low 16's, and will look to help lead his team to their seventh straight state championship.
The most consistent runner on the girls side this season has been Olivia Littleton (Smithville) she has been in the low 19's regularly, and currently holds the second fastest time in Class 4 with a 19:01. She's won four of her eight races this season, but she has not lost to anyone from Class 4 this year.
Brayden Kantola (West Plains) is the one who owns the fastest time so far this year in Class 4 with her 18:54 from the Bison Invitational in Arkansas. West Plains is also looking to capture the team title on the girls side, and she'll look to be the low score for the Zizzers.
Lilian Jackson (St. Charles West) has also had a very good and consistent season. She owns a season best of 19:11 from last week at Districts and looks ready to have her best race of the season at Gans Creek this week.