Success in distance running is rarely linear. There are so many variables that can impact whether one is successful or not in training and racing. There are few if any sports that tax the body and mind like distance running and racing. Those are facts that make running both thrilling and frustrating.
Andrew Hauser has experienced some extremely high highs and experienced plenty of disappointment. He discussed pressure and expectations. He talked about not focusing on rankings and performances, but rather enjoying running and enjoying the process of training and trying to get better.
Some of Andrew Hauser's Cross Country Highlights
As a freshman in 2020, Hauser placed 12th behind brother and champion Matthew to help the Bruins claim the Class 5 state title.
Hauser's sophomore campaign was one for the history books. Hauser won the Class 5 state title in a Gans Creek course record of 14:52.7, leading the Bruins to a runner-up finish. He followed that with a win at the scaled-down NXR Midwest Team Championships in Terre Haute. With the national meet canceled for a second year in a row because of COVID-19 and health and safety protocols and concerns, there weren't trips to Oregon for nationals at stake.
Hauser didn't need the motivation of a free to trip to nationals. He raced around the LaVern Gibson course, crossing the finish in 15:44 for a 4-second victory and leading Rock Bridge to a 7th-place team finish in the Championship race. While the number of athletes and teams making the trip to Indiana was down, that doesn't take away from Hauser's performance and earning the Nike trophy.
He beat fellow Midwest superstars like eventual 2022 champion Hunter Jones, and Connor Ackley, Declan Tunney (current Mizzou sophomore), and Daniel Watke, among others.
Two weeks later, Hauser placed 12th at the Eastbay (formerly Footlocker, now Champs Sports) Midwest Regional in Wisconsin. His time of 15:18.10 left him just two places and less than 8 seconds from a top -10 finish and trip to nationals.
Hauser capped his amazing 2021 season with a Missouri record. At the 2nd RunningLane Cross Country Championships in Huntsville, Alabama, Hauser and the rest of the field rode the energy and excitement of the race to blazing times.
California's Newbury Park left jaws hanging open and secured their claim as the best US high school team ever, going 1-2-3-6-42 with three going under 14:06 and a 4th clocking 14:14.
Hauser placed 25th, running faster than any Missouri prep ever had over 5-kilometers. He crossed the finish in 14:38, leading Rock Bridge to a 19th place finish in the Boys Gold championship race of 31 teams.
Hauser's junior season in 2022 saw some ups and downs for the Columbia native. At the XC Town Twilight meet at LaVern Gibson course in Indiana, he ran to a runner-up finish in 14:56. Hauser bested superstars like Cameron Todd of Indiana and Daniel Watke of Illinois with Indiana's Kole Mathison the only one ahead of him, by just 4 seconds.
Hauser and Rock Bridge were disappointed with a 4th individual and 2nd place team finish in Class 5 at state behind Liberty North. They scored 89 points and had three All-Staters, going 2-4-19-33 for their top four, while their freshman trio placed 52-60-102. Any disappointed did show for very long. They rebounded a week later and cemented themselves as an All-Time Great Missouri squad.
At the 2022 NXR Team Midwest Championships, Hauser placed 17th and Ian Kemey placed 22nd to lead the Bruins to a 4th place finish, tying the best finish for a Show-Me State team at an NXR meet.
Hauser opened his senior campaign by winning the gigantic Memphis Twilight XC Classic. He won under the lights in Tennessee in 15:16 and led the Bruins to the team title in a field of 470 athletes and 61 scoring teams.
A week later he placed 2nd at the Olathe Twilight in Kansas in 14:48, six seconds back of eventual Class 3A Sunflower State champ Clay Shively. The Bruins claimed their 2nd straight twilight title in the field of 28.
Hauser placed 3rd at the Gans Creek Classic Gold race, leading Rock Bridge to dominating win, scoring just 144 points to win by more than 50 points over Nixa and Rockhurst. Rock Bridge then headed to Terre Haute, Indiana to compete in the XC Town Twilight for the second straight year. Hauser placed 7th in 15:05 as the Bruins placed 4th behind Indiana's Carmel High School, Illinois' Plainfield South, and Louisiana's Jesuit in the field of 421 runners and 44 teams.
At the Central Missouri Activities Conference meet at Jefferson City's Cole County Park, Hauser blazed over the brutally hilly course, finishing in a jaw-dropping 15:20. Teammate Luke Sievers was 2nd in 16:00 with Capital City's Keion Grieve 3rd in 16:25. Rock Bridge placed 1-2-4-5-7-8 for their top six and scored just 19 points in the seven team battle.
At the MSHSAA Class 5 District 3 meet at St. Vincent Park in St.Louis County, Hauser cruised to the win in cold and windy conditions in 15:36 for a nearly 9-second victory. St. Louis University edged Rock Bridge 38-41 for the title during a season when the two schools were seen by some as co-favorites for the Class 5 state team title.
