High School Nationals x 3 Weekend!

Tolton Catholic senior and KU commit Garrett Wilmes joins Burns as one of the 35 boys to get spots in the 800-meter Championship races. It was only a matter of time and opportunity until Wilmes showed he was an elite high school half-miler. Wilmes led the Trailblazers to the 2020 Class 2 state cross country title and the 2021 Class 2 state track and field title. Wilmes was 8th at the 2020 Class 2 state cross champs and anchored the Tolton 4x800 and 4x400 to victory while placing 2nd in the 800 at the one-day Class 2 2021 state track meet.

This year, Wilmes placed 12th in the Class 3 state cross country race. At the Class 3 state track meet in May, Wilmes nearly captured his first individual state title. Wilmes took a spill a few strides from the finish while battling El Dorado Springs' Daelen Ackley. Ackley won in 1:53.52. Wilmes hopped up to take 2nd in 1:56.39.


Less than a week later, Wilmes went sub 1:53 with a 4th-place HOKA Festival of Miles 1:52.31 finish. The next week, Wilmes ripped off a 1:51.96 clocking, taking 3rd at the Music City Track Festival in Nashville, behind guys from New York and Florida.

Garrett will be joined by sister Elyse at the meet. The freshman phenom captured three individual state titles this year. Elyse Wilmes won the Class 3 state cross country crown, helping the Trailblazers to the team title as big brother had done the previous year with the boys in Class 2. At the state track meet, Wilmes was winning the Class 3 1600-meters before almost taking a spill of her own on the backstretch of the last lap. She hit the rail, re-irritating a sore foot, and didn't finish.

Despite the foot injury, Wilmes toed the line a few hours later to win her first state track title in the 800 in 2:14.48. On day 2 at state, the foot was well enough to go after the warm-up for the 4x800. She split 2:13.32 to anchor Tolton Catholic to the 4x800 title. The foot was too aggravated though and kept her from running the 4x400 final. Wilmes earned a 1600-meter PR of 5:01.17 in early May. Like big brother, Elyse dropped a big 800-meter PR at Festival of Miles. Wilmes took 3rd in the race with a 2:08.99.


The Wilmeses have good genes to go with their work ethic and competitive drive. Mom and dad, Rebecca and Jared were high school standouts before All-American running and coaching careers at Mizzou. Rebecca was a Class 4A state champion for her dad, Missouri Track and Cross Country Coaches Association (MTCCCA) Hall of Famer Ray Davis, at Parkway West.

Jared was a standout at what was then North Nodaway, where he racked up lots of 1A state medals and state titles. Jared is the Tolton head cross country coach, while Rebecca coaches cross county in the Fall at the Columbia middle school she teaches at, before being an assistant track coach in the Spring at Tolton.