Going the Distance
The 2022 season was one for the record books in boys distance running. Week after week meets seemingly featured what must have been the most talent and best resumes ever in regular season races, helping to produce great individual and mass performances. That continued at the state meet, among all classes, and especially in Class 5.
History happened in a big way on day one, Friday at 5:30. After Connor Burns and Daelen Ackley in Class 3, and Jacob Meyers, Nathanael Pohlsander and others in Class 4, had put on a show in their respective Class 3200s, the guys in Class 5 capped the final track event final on Friday with fireworks.
Rock Bridge's Weston Jokerst led the field thru the first three laps, clicking off splits of 62, 67, and 71-seconds. Teammate Ian Kemey led at the half-way point, going thru 1600-meters in 4:32.20, with 10 others 2 seconds or less right behind him. The third Rock Bridge Bruin in the race, Andrew Hauser moved to the lead. Things picked up at 2,000-meters, with a 69-second lap after two 70+ seconds laps.
A group of five had pulled ahead of the field with two laps to go. Timberland senior Tyler Freiner (Mizzou signee) was ahead of Ladue senior Charlie Krasnoff (Tulsa commit), Hauser, Staley senior Andrew Atkins, and Kemey. The first four put a few seconds on Kemey on lap #7. At the bell, it was Freiner, Krasnoff, Hauser, and Atkins, after a 68-second lap. The drama and noise from the stands cranked up. Ladue's Krasnoff had a breakout season, exploding from a high tier of excellence to the next of exceptional.
Week after week
Krasnoff posted personal records (PR) and event titles. In fact, entering the
state meet, Krasnoff had won all 12 of his individual races on the season and earned
PRs of 1:57.06 (in 2 attempts), 4:11.54 for 1600, and 9:10.55 for 3200-meters. His 1600 PR may have dropped even further if he was in Kirkwood Dale Collier meet 1600 with Kentucky 800-meter sensation Cade Flatt, who has since become the 2nd-fastest high schooler ever in the 2-lap race.
Krasnoff and Freiner put some distance on Hauser and Atkins, and down the homestretch, Krasnoff was a stride or two up on Freiner. With his long legs and strides, Krasnoff powered home. He raised his arms and said something as he crossed the line, appearing to be in disbelief that he'd just won a state title.
Krasnoff hadn't just won a state title. He had won the state title in the greatest the 3,200-meter race in state meet history. The 2017 Class 4 race previously held that distinction. Ryan Riddle of Webb City edged Kearney's Clayton Adams, 9:06.07 to 9:07.12. Eighth place, the final All-State medal earner, ran 9:19.49.
Krasnoff just missed joining the Sub-9-minute 3200-meter club, finishing in 9:01.13. Freiner was a second back in 9:02.13, taking the silver medal and improving his PR after a 9:05 clocking in April at the Arcadia Invitational in California.
Hauser held on for third in 9:05.11 to improve his PR 5-seconds. Atkins was 4th with a 14-second PR, 9:05.39. Kemey was 5th in 9:10.36 while teammate Weston Jokerst was right behind in 6th in 9:12.00. The other half of the Ladue super duo, senior Andrew Smock (Mizzou commit), was 7th in 9:13.70. Kickapoo junior Tyler Harris earned the final spot on the awards podium, taking 8th in 9:14.96. Ozark's Gabe Bauer and Kirkwood's Patrick Lee were 9th and 10th in 9:23 and 9:26
The Class 5 and overall state meet record set by Lafayette Wildwood's Austin Hindman in 2017 in 8:54.92, until Connor Burms took the overall record down in the Class 3 race 20-minutes prior.
The performances were even more impressive considering the conditions. While overcast conditions were enjoyed earlier in the day, the cloud cover had disappeared and the sun pummeled down for the four hours preceding and during the 3200s, to go with high temperatures and humidity.
Krasnoff is the first state champion for Ladue since Jehu Chesson II, a former University of Michigan and Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver, who won two titles in 2012, the 100-meter dash and 300-hurdles.
A day later, many of the same athletes lined up for the 1600. Rock Bridge's trio of Andrew Hauser, Ian Kemey, and Weston Jokerst again all toed the line. Hauser went thru 400 in first in 1:01.59.
Hauser pushed hard down the final half of the homestretch on lap #2. He recorded a 63-second split, for 2:05.35 at the half-way point, giving him a 10-meter gap on the field, just over a second over teammate Kemey in second. The lead grew to 15-meters as he hit the backstretch, Tyler Freiner tried to stay in touch, moving to 2nd.
Hauser's lead had shrunk to about 7-8-meters at the bell with Joplin's Hobbs Campbell, Freiner, and Ladue's Krasnoff following in single file. It had been a 65-second lap for Hauser, putting him at 3:10.36.
Hauser came off the final bend in lane #2 with Campbell charging hard from the inside while Krasnoff did the same from the outside. Hauser held strong though and after a couple of looks back to gauge Campbell, he raised his arm, and an index finger in victory momentarily then crossed the finish to win another race and earn his first state track title. The sophomore had a track title to go with his Class 5 cross country title from the fall.
Rock Bridge's Andrew Hauser (#2360) took the 1600-meter title.
Winning races is what Andrew and his older brother Matthew have done a lot of the last few years. Big brother Matthew graduated from Rock Bridge last year, having led the Bruins to state cross country and track team titles. Andrew still has two years of high school left and many more races to win and changes to make in the record book.
Hauser finished in 4:11.72 with Campbell right behind in 4:12.19, both closing with 61-second final splits. Krasnoff dipped under 61-seconds for the final 400-meters, taking 3rd in 4:12.63 with Freiner and Kemey in 4:14.08 and 4:15.41.