It's been an exciting season of cross country here in Missouri, and now its time to wrap it up with the 2021 Missouri Class 5 State Championships at Gans Creek Championship Cross Country Course in Columbia this Friday.
The race for the individual title in the boys championship race looks to be as wide open as its been in several years. With five boys all below 15:30 already this season, it looks like we are in for a treat. The fastest time heading into the weekend belongs to Sage Wilde (Liberty North) with a 15:12 he ran at Chile Pepper back on October 2nd. He has two victories this season including the District 4 title last week, and has only lost to one Class 5 runner this season, Luke Voelker (Raymore-Peculiar) who beat him at conference.
Rock Bridge also has a duo of Andrew Hauser and Ian Kemey who will be challenging for the title as well. Hauser has the faster season best with a 15:12 to Kemey's 15:28, but Kemey just secured the District 3 title this past weekend. Hauser has picked up two wins this season, one a Parkway West and the other in Kentucky at Daviess County. Also from District 3 is Tyler Freiner (Timberland) who has had a great season with a PR of 15:25 and victories at Forest Park, Tim Nixon, and the GAC combined conference meet. Tyler Harris (Kickapoo) also comes in fresh off of a three straight wins including a District 2 victory and with a PR of 15:20.
In the race for the team title it looks like Rock Bridge, Kickapoo, and Liberty North will be the ones duking it out for the top spot on the podium. The only match up between these teams featured Rock Bridge and Kickapoo at Gans Creek where Rock Bridge finished second and Kickapoo third. The virtual meet shows Rock Bridge winning with 79 points, Liberty North second with 97.5 points, and Kickapoo third with 111 points. That leaves Blue Springs South , Joplin, Lafayette, SLUH, and Kirkwood all facing off for the final trophy position.
The girls race has all kinds of firepower competing for the individual title as well. Amelia Arrieta (St. Teresa's) has the course record and fastest time this season from her last trip to Gans Creek with a 17:24. She's only lost one race to a Missourian this year, and that was last week at districts to 2019 State Runenr Up Mya Trober (Blue Springs South) who has ran the seventh fastest time in Class 5 this season with an 18:25.
Also in this race is defending Class 5 State Champion and former course record holder Ally Kruger (Liberty - Wentzville) who holds a season best of 17:55. If one former state champion wasn't enough, we have three more for you. Carolyn Ford (Rock Bridge) was the 2019 Class 4 State Champion and has a season best time of 18:01. Julia Ray (MICDS) was the 2019 Class 3 State Champion and she enters the race with a season best of 17:52. Grace Tyson (Lafayette - Wildwood) won the 2021 Class 5 3200m this spring, and owns a season best of 18:02 this season.
The team title looks to be a four way race. St. Teresa's Academy, Rock Bridge, Blue Springs South, and Cor Jesu all look poised to make a run for the top of the podium this weekend. The virtual meet has St. Teresa's winning with 98 points, Rock Bridge second with 114 points, Blue Springs South third with 128 points, and Cor Jesu fourth with 137 points. Lafayette (Wildwood), Raymore-Peculiar, Eureka, and Kirkwood could also be dark horses look for a team trophy this weekend.