Class 4
Jared Wilmes, Tolton Catholic
Former North Nodaway and Mizzou running standout Jared Wlimes added two more honors to his coaching resume. The former Mizzou coach and the Tolton Catholic cross country coach since it opened in 2011, has built the Trailblazers into a perennial power. Wilmes got to enjoy one year of coaching his kids Garrett and Elyse together before Garrett Wilmes graduated and moved on to college.
2021 saw Wilmes guide daughter Elyse Wilmes, a freshman, to the Class 3 individual state title and Tolton Catholic to the girls state team title. That victory "Championship Factor'd" Tolton to class 4 this year. Despite facing schools with larger enrollments, the Lady Trailblazers surprised themselves and pulled out a second straight state title.
The Trailblazers didn't move into the lead until the final kilometer. Tolton Catholic put 4 runners in the top-19 and scored 109 points, eking out the win over Rockwood Summit (111) and Clayton (112).
An ankle injury, first suffered last spring in track, slowed and prevented Elyse from matching her phenomenal freshman year, but she managed to run to a 7th-place state finish in 19:20. Fellow sophomore Madison Taylor and freshman Makaylin Viet were close behind, taking 8th and 10th. Senior Olivia Andrews capped her career with an All-State finish, taking 19th, after coming up just short with two previous 27th place finishes.
Wilmes' boys claimed the Class 3 title, earning him two coach of the year honors for 2022.