While seniors were at the top of the standings, most of the top 10 were dominated by underclassmen.
Julia Donnelly from Washington took second place, ahead of Abi Street from Webb City, who became her school's highest-ever placer. Both of them were seniors.
Washington senior and All-State wrestler Julia Donnelly placed 4th in 2021 and 2nd in Class 4 in 2022 in 18:52.
Webb City senior Abigail Street took 3rd in 19:06 to lead the Cardinals to an 8th-place team finish.
Spots four to 10 featured six underclassmen and one other senior.
Sophomore Rockwood Summit's Caterina Rossomanno finished a tenth of a second ahead of sophomore Brooke Beck from Pleasant Hill.
Rockwood Summit sophomore Caterina Rosaasomanno (left) runs to the finish taking 4th to lead the Lady Falcons to a 2nd-place team finish with 111-points behind Tolton Catholic and their winning total of 109 points. Clayton's Sophia Pelligreen is barely visible behind Rossomanno, and took 6th to lead the Greyhounds to a 3rd-place finish with 112 points.
Senior Sophia Pelligreen from Clayton broke up the underclassmen run by taking sixth. Then sophomores Elyse Wilmes and Madison Taylor , both from Father Tolton, finished seventh and eighth. Harrisonville's Kayleigh Norris, another sophomore, was ninth, while a third Tolton runner, freshman Makaylin Viet, was 10th.
Tolton Catholic sophomore Elyse Wilmes has battled an ankle injury since May, but led a 7-8-10 finish by the Trailblazers, with Madison Taylor, and Makaylin Viet following behind Harrisonville's Kayleigh Norris 30-meters from the finish. Tolton scored 109 poiints to edge Rockwood Summit (111 points), Clayton (112), and Kearney (124) to win the Class 4 team title a year after winning the Class 3 title.
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The team championship went to the school across the road from the course - Father Tolton Regional Catholic - behind the three runners in the top 10. The Trailblazers had 109 points, two points better than Rockwood Summit.
Olivia Andrews (19th) all secured all-state status for Tolton - last year's Class 3 champions.
"It is kind of surprising," Tolton coach Jared Wilmes said. "We really didn't anticipate that. Our goal was to be on the podium. I wasn't sure where we were health-wise. I didn't know (we won), my son told me we won. I knew it was tight and I was yelling at our fifth (runner) the last 300 meters 'you got to go, you got to go.'"
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Clayton had 112 points, one behind Rockwood Summit, and achieved the school's first-ever trophy. Kearney was fourth, one spot behind where the Bulldogs were last year. Liela Murphy was Kearney's top finisher in 26th place.
Clayton's Sophia Pelligreen leads Rockwood Summit's Caterina Rossomanno (left) and Ella Their (#1363). Westminster Christian's Lydia Bailey trails closely, while Tolton Catholic's Madison Taylor and Olivia Andrews (in blue) follow further back.
The team battle in the Class 4 girls race was close from start to
finish, with the final margin separating Tolton Catholic, Rockwood
Summit, Clayton, and Kearney just 15 points. Rolla's Isabella Frost (left) races next to Summit's Reese Martin with Tolton's Makaylin Viet (#1270)and Olivia Andrews behind. A Kearney runner (in purple), races next to Sullivan's Emily Wilman (#1396)and Clayton's Lauren Van Rhein (right/orange).
The trophy for
Rockwood Summit was the fourth and second in a row, after taking
fourth last year. Kearney took home its ninth trophy in school
history and the first one that was fourth place.