Hillsboro took a page out of the book its rival used last year to
celebrate a state championship - coming to the state finals with
t-shirts ready to hand out as soon as possible.
The Hawks' boys cross country team accomplished a pair of historic wins during the Class 4 finals held Nov. 4 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course.
Hillsboro had a team score of 35 and knocked off Festus, which had 78 points, and ended Festus' reign of eight straight state titles.
In the district meet last week, the Hawks beat Festus head-to-head and had white t-shirts with state champs printed on them and were handed out following the race.
Last year, Festus did the same thing, handing out t-shirts to showcase its eighth straight championship.
The win by the Hawks became the first-ever state championship, in boys or girls, for the school. Incidentally, the MSHSAA trophy is the seventh overall in all sports for Hillsboro.