Sievers Favorite to Repeat, Rock Bridge Still Loaded
Now to talk about the returning Class 5 Champions and reigning individual champion: Rock Bridge and rising junior Luke Sievers.
Rock Bridge junior Luke Sievers looks to defend his individual state title and lead the Bruins to a 2nd straight team title
The last kilometer of the 2024 Class 5 State Cross Country Championship will go down as quite possibly the most entertaining 3 minutes of cross country racing in state history, culminating in the Gans Creek Course record of 14:51.90 from pre-race sleeper pick Sievers. In the last 1000 meters, Sievers passed up teammate Andrew Hauser and battled it out with Kirkwood's Levi Rowan all the way to the line before using one final surge to get across his home course first overall. Hauser would come across in 14:58.40 in third and with three more teammates in the top forty-five, the Bruins secured their third team championship in school history and twelfth trophy in the last fifteen years.
Sievers is the only returner in the state who has run under 15:00 in his career, now, 16 seconds ahead of the next closest athlete. His Bruins squad returns four of the five scorers from last year's championship team and is picking up a cavalcade of incoming freshmen, headlined by Hayden Jokerst. Matthew Kim and Cook Hudson joined Hauser and Sievers this past spring at the Class 5 District 4 meet, as all four boys ran under 9:31 in the 3200. Ethan Hockman was their fifth fastest 3200 runner in 9:47.77. In fact, seven boys ran 10:00 or faster last spring, with Colton Hulen and Noah Canlas showing that they may be ready to make a difference for their team in 2024. They have also added a transfer from Michigan in Samuel Shatto, a 9:54 3200 runner in his own right.
Rockhurst is looking at a historic season, but Rock Bridge may still come out ahead of them when it's all said and done. It should be an interesting battle between the two Rocks this fall.
Note: Other teams to keep an eye on this fall in the Central and Western parts of the state include Liberty, led by Connor Nicholson and Todd Yeates; Nixa's contingent with a top 5 contender in Aaron Ashley and sub-16 man Reyes Martinez; and Lee's Summit West, who have already posted a 2 Mile Time Trial showing that Kaden Deain and the Williams duo mean business this season.
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SLUH, Kirkwood, Eureka, Liberty (Wentzville) Battle for STL Area Supremacy
Kansas City and Columbia have been sweeping up many of the distance running headlines across the state over the last few years, but the eastern part of the state appears poised to rejoin the conversation in a big way this season. Four St. Louis area teams in particular appear ready to duke it out for Gateway City supremacy.
Last fall, SLUH picked up a third place trophy behind freshman phenom Jackson Miller, their fifth trophy in the last six years. They had an impressive track season in the 3200, putting a whopping eight boys under 9:56 in the 3200 and stacking four boys in the Class 5 District 1. Only two made it to State, but they still return three of that crew - Alexander Bendana and August Talleur - not to mention last year's sixth man, George Donahue, and four more guys with personal bests under 17:00. They are adding at least one strong freshman to the group - Warnicke Beatty - but are sure to find a few more talented boys on their roster of 120+.
SLUH sophomore Jackson Miller will race to improve on a 6th place state finish
Kirkwood's boys are looking strong on paper heading into this season, the kind of group that could challenge for top 8 again and be a team to watch at every meet during the regular season. Losing Levi Rowan is a tough blow, but fear not, Pioneer fans, because reinforcements are on the way. One such reinforcement is the Class 5 1600 runner-up and 800 bronze medalist Graham Stevener. After three years on the pitch, Stevener has hung up the cleats and immediately becomes one of the top newcomers to watch this fall with track personal bests of 1:53.14, 4:07.80, and 9:27.42. Peyton Ferkel is the top returner and only boy under 16:00, even though Joseph Harrison has run 16:00.20, but he leads a tight squad of boys into the 2024 season. Toss in freshman Andrew Bain and a wide pool of over 50 boys to choose from, once again, and the Pioneers are looking like a podium contender in 2024.
Graham Stevener and now college Fr. Levi Rowan led Kirkwood to a runner-up finish at the Class 5 State Track & Field Meet
Eureka and Liberty (Wentzville) are two up-and-coming teams looking to make a splash in 2024. The Eagles made their first trip to the State meet in their 10 year history last fall, finishing 11th with a 16:22 1-5 average, led by Ayden Taylor. Taylor had a huge track season, pulling in medals in the 4x800, 1600, and 3200 with impressive 4:11.96 and 9:16.03 bests. He has cemented himself as a frontrunner heading into this season. Cale Eldredge and Landon Jones are two strong members of the supporting cast and, should they see improvements from juniors Nate Wietbrock and Nathan Miller, the Eagles become a team for which to watch out.
In his first season of XC, Ayden Taylor ran to a 16th State XC finish before 4:11 and 9:16 PRs
Eureka's strength this fall will be their pack-running abilities. Heading into the 2024 season, they have five boys within 53 seconds of each other and six within 64 seconds. Logan Ghormley, Joseph Rauls, and Mitchell Barth lead the way for a team that returns all seven boys after making it out of the tough District 1 field.
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Who's The Girls Individual Favorite?
We have already presented the favorite for the Girls title just based on time - Tolton's Elyse Wilmes. In fact, Cottone and the rest of her teammates all could be considered individual victory favorites. Here are a few more who should challenge for the win this November:
Mary McKenzie - Cor Jesu - The junior continues to rise among the ranks of the state's best. She posted an eye-popping 17:40.90 personal best for third at last year's State Championships and followed it up with personal bests of 5:10.64 and 11:27.73 on the track, pulling in medals in both the Class 4 1600 and 3200.
Gracie Troester - Republic - Gracie Troester is one of only three girls to ever earn all-state honors in her school's history. This season, she has a chance to become her school's first state champion. Last fall, she ran 18:12.80 and picked up a seventh place medal at the Class 5 State meet. She followed that up with a stellar track season in which she posted bests of 2:17.59, 4:57.51, and 11:03.31 (SB), earning third place medals in the 1600 and 3200 at the Class 5 meet.
Ella Rew - Blue Springs South - As previously mentioned, the Jaguars once again put it all together when it mattered most and secured a runner-up finish in 2023, just 14 points off the Father Tolton juggernaut. It was their seventh trophy in a row - a historic feat in its own right. Rew led the way for that 2023 squad and is their top returner in 2024. She ran 18:19.00 on the Gans course last fall and is looking strong after running 5:06.36 and 11:08.36 this past spring.
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Athletes Who Made a Spring Jump
Several athletes took a big step forward this spring and should be firmly on the radar heading into the season. These are athletes who are outside of the top 50 returner ranks, but could be set up for a strong season based on the 2023 track and field season.
Hunter Stahl and Mitchell Lerner - North Point - These two boys provided a strong 1-2 punch this spring, running 9:38.21 and 9:41.76 in the 3200, respectively. Stahl won 5 3200s, including the GAC North, Class 4 District 3, and Class 4 Sectional 2 races before succumbing to a chest cramp at the State meet. Lerner, however, powered to a sixth place medal in the race. North Point will surely be moving up to Class 5 this fall and these two should find themselves in the mix.
Katie Klein - Kirkwood - Klein was a part of the surprise fourth place squad in 2024, as the Lady Pioneers just outlasted the preseason favorite Raymore-Peculiar, as well as juggernauts Cor Jesu, Liberty, and Rock Bridge. She finished 50th overall as her team's No. 3. This spring, she ran 11:26.92 and picked up an impressive 8th in the Class 5 3200. Watch for the senior to carry that success into this fall as she looks to keep Coach Woodard's squad in the trophy spot.
George Willoughby - Central St. Joseph - Another one to watch will be Central St. Joseph senior George Willoughby. After finishing 66th at last year's Class 5 Championships, Willoughby posted a 9:45.99 this spring, nearly a full minute faster than his 2023 best.
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Juniors Garrett, Martensen, and Voelker All Look to Make a Splash
Three more boys to keep an eye on this fall are Thomas Garrett, Cameron Martensen, and Gabriel Voelker.
Garrett continues to climb the ranks each season and thoroughly impressed this past spring. Though he was unable to earn a state medal, he still finished his season with incredible marks of 1:57.43, 4:14.78, and 9:15.95 in the 800, 1600, and 3200, respectively, as all three of those marks came in meets after the MSHSAA season had ended. He ran 15:40.10 for 20th last fall and should be much closer to the front in his junior campaign.
Martensen is absolutely living up to the hype he brought into his high school career as the Rolla junior added to his trophy case once again this spring. Though Rolla may fall into Class 4 this season based on enrollment - we will have a better idea on the 30th as we anticipate the official release of classes and districts on September 13th - wherever he lands, he should compete for individual glory with marks of 4:16.45 and 9:17.39 to his credit.
Voelker headlines a strong 1-2 punch for his Raymore-Peculiar squad heading into the 2024 season. Voelker and teammate Carter Younger both earned top 15 finishes last November, with Voelker picking up a 10th place medal with his 15:32.00 best. He posted personal bests of 4:19.62 and 9:15.26 in the 1600 and 3200, with the latter earning him 5th place in Class 5 this past May.
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Freshmen/Transfers to Note
There are a few freshmen/transfers that we have yet to mention heading into this season. Keep an eye on how they impact the individual and team rankings!
St. Teresa's Academy is picking up a huge freshman class, headlined by Ella Messner and Taylor Bealmear. Caroline Bowen and Ellery Ridenour are both potential difference makers, as well.
Claire McKinnon - Eureka has run sub-16:00 in the 4k twice and broke 6:00 in the 1600 at the Hoka Festival of Miles as a 7th grader.
Jack Tittle, formerly of St. Michael the Archangel, has transferred to Lee's Summit High School, making him the second big Class 3 runner to transfer to Lee's Summit in the last two seasons (Hunter Deleeuw).
Winslow Lear - Hickman has run 2:03.19 for 800, 4:29.19 for 1500 (4:48 1600 conversion), and 9:44.25 for 3000 (10:27 3200 conversion).
Ezekial Hagen - Lafayette (Wildwood). Hagen comes to the Lancers from the St. Louis Blue Knights. He ran 2:07.67 and 4:27.50 as an 8th grader, as well as 13:19.80 in the 4k and 17:44.42 in the 5k.