Milesplit Southwest - Missouri is gearing up for an incredible and historic 2024 Cross Country season! Over the next few days, we will be previewing what to expect this fall from each of the five classifications. We are talking about team and individual title storylines, who might be making a leap after a strong track season, and are there any freshmen/transfers to watch out for this season? 

Take a look at our Class 5 Preview and be on the lookout for the rest of the classes coming soon!

Rockhurst Boys, Tolton Girls: Class 5 Storylines for 2024 XC

Festus, West Plains, Norris: 2024 Class 4 XC Storylines

MORE ON MOMILESPLIT: ARTICLES | CALENDAR | RESULTS | LIVE RESULTS

Five Storylines To Watch In Class 3

St. Charles West Girls Far-and-Away Favorite for Historic Three-Peat

Many of Class 3's top teams and athletes opened up their season over the state's first weekend of allowable competitions and the St. Charles West girls showed at the First Capitol XC Meet that they are ready to own the Class 3 race yet again in 2024 and pull in the three-peat. 

Besides the reigning Class 5 champs Father Tolton, the last girls team to three-peat in Missouri was Fatima, when they won an incredible seven straight state titles in Class 2 from 2013-2019. In fact, only eight girls' programs have ever pulled off a three-peat: Father Tolton ('21-'23), Fatima ('13-'19), Hamilton Penney ('04-'09), Herculaneum twice ('82-'85, '06-09), Kearney ('09-'11), Lee's Summit West ('07-'11), Logan-Rogersville ('98-'00), and West Plains twice ('02-'04, '06-'08). With a Class 3 victory this year, St. Charles West would become program number nine.

The Lady Warriors' 1-5 average among 2024 returners of 19:30.16 is already over a minute ahead of the next closest team, Lutheran St. Charles. They have five returners among the top 22 based on time, with their entire top five at 20:00 or better. Brianna Krueger leads the way with an 18:35.50 personal best - a mark which earned her 3rd at last year's Class 3 State Championships. This spring, she earned all-state medals in the 1600 and 3200, running 5:16.78 and 11:34.12. She debuted this weekend over a minute faster than she did in 2023. Claire Horstmann is next in 19:14.50. She opted for soccer this spring, but still came out of the gate strong this weekend with a 20:45.89 debut. Rounding out the top five are Miley Jackson, Genevieve Wacker, and Melaina Beilsmith. Jackson was close behind Horstmann over the weekend, but Wacker and Beilsmith were a ways behind. If there's one thing we can count on, though, it's these girls regaining their pack shape in time for the postseason.