Gans Creek Classic Growing + High School Previews

Sep 27, 2024

Some of the country's best collegiate runners have gotten to experience it recently at the 2021 SEC and 2022 NCAA Division I Midwest Regional Championships and many more will soon with the 2024 NAIA and 2025 NCAA National Championships. More than 1,3000 collegians experienced it this morning -- Gans Creek Cross Country Course. Tonight, for the first time, high school athletes outside of Missouri will race on the world-class course in Columbia, Missouri.

The 6th edition of the Gans Creek Classic kicked off with four college races this morning. For the first time since the Inaugural meet in 2019, the college and high school meets are being held on the same weekend, with the college meet moving back up a week on the calendar.

Tonight is a step of growth and development for the meet as a section of Elite Twilight High School races will be held under temporary lights on Columbia's south side before the normal full slate of races on Saturday at the gorgeous facility. A handful of out-of-state teams have made the trip to compete Friday or Saturday. The meet's atmosphere will also get a boost with vendors at a festival area in the parking lot by the permanent concessions and restroom building to the northeast of the course.

Gans Creek Classic High School meet co-director Neal Blackburn, the Rock Bridge head coach and 2023 Missouri Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame Inductee, discussed the thoughts behind expanding the meet:

"I think people have had a chance to get on the Gans one one way or another, and we felt like with, with us being a year away from NCAAs, this is a time when eyes are starting to come upon the course. We can say that because the collegiate race is going to be Friday morning, you're going to see the likes of schools that have probably never even stepped foot in Missouri before. You're going to see Stanford out there and you're going to see some of some of the powerhouse programs. So we thought, you know, what would be really cool is, most people aren't going to be able to get out to the course until later on that day if they come down the night before, or they don't come in until Saturday morning. But if we have some of the best teams in Missouri, and maybe we get a sprinkling from outside of the state this year, that's the hope, and then build it up over time."

"But, wouldn't it be cool to get some of these Missouri schools committed, and maybe the get and take the opportunity to go watch Stanford and others race, as well as some of the homegrown folks. Our Missouri kids don't often get an opportunity to see the top talent in the country race, so we thought that by creating an elite division Friday night, those teams might just come in just a little bit earlier, and get a chance to see a bunch of nationally ranked teams run. And the hope is that some of those teams will want to stick around and watch some of the best high school talent in Missouri and in some of our border states run that evening. So, (hopefully, it's) kind of reciprocated for both the collegiate and high school levels"

Meet co-director Joey Wilmes of Columbia Parks and Recreation added, " Our hope this year is to create a festival-type atmosphere outside of the great competition that happens on the cross country course. Adding the Elite Division and the Friday night race will help grow the event as a nationwide competition and allow more athletes, coaches, and fans from around the region to enjoy what the Gans Creek Recreation Area has to offer. Our focus is to create a fun and competitive atmosphere at the park that showcases one of the premier running facilities in the country."

Wilmes mentioned some of the things that make the Gans Creek Classic so special, "Spectators have the ability to easily see athletes at multiple spots throughout the race course and support amenities, such as restrooms, concession facilities and seating areas, are in place for downtime between races. The finish line berm and Greg Hall Champions Plaza allow spectators to create an unforgettable finish for the athletes and attend awards ceremonies all in one location. The experience is enhanced for athletes, coaches, and spectators by coordinating professional race timing, an experienced announcer who has been with us since the course opened, convenient parking, and no entry fees to the facility."

When asked about the endless praise that Rock Bridge's Blackburn and Mizzou head coach cross country coach Kyle Levermore offers for Columbia Parks and Recreation staff, Wilmes mentioned how they see the sentiment, " While the coaches provide us praise, our staff views it as doing our job as parks and recreation professionals to make recreational and competitive sports a fixture in our community. We have built a cross country facility that has been designed to create a memorable experience for athletes, coaches, and spectators. The course has been designed to handle a variety of weather conditions, and facility staff are committed to adapting to any situation that may arise during events!

Cross Country coaches and fans can be certain of several things. Gans Creek Course will only get better and the Gans Creek Classic will be a destination meet for years to come.

Elite Twilight Girls

The ladies kick off the varsity races Friday with the starter's pistol set to go off at about 7:30 p.m. Led by freshman Ella Messner, St. Teresa's Academy will try to claim a race title three years after a dominant Gold Race win. Lee's Summit West had two alums race in the Division I race this morning in Madison Hulsey of Ole Miss and Ella Cronhardt. The Lady Titans may have their strongest team in 3-4 years and will try to keep their Kansas City foe STA from the 1st-place trophy. The race may be the closest of the weekend with just a few 40-50 points separating 2nd or 3rd from 10th.

St. Charles West sophomore Brianna Krueger (above) looks like the favorite after her big Forest Park XC Festival win and Missouri Southern Stampede 4th place finish, behind only Harrisonville's Kayleigh Norris and Owasso, Oklahoma stars. Krueger should be battling a lead pack that includes St. Teresa's Messner, Liberty-Wentzville sophomore Bella Navaro-Sanchez (below), who was 9th in the gold race at MO. Southern.

Kansas City ladies could rule the Greg Hall Champions Plaza awards podium tonight, with Liberty's Lily Hurt and Ella Brown, Liberty North freshman sensation Lucinda Wright, Park Hill's Madilynn Conklin, and the other St. Teresa's star frosh Caroline Bowen. Francis Howell Central senior Reese McDevitt will try to keep Lee's Summit West's Eva Garlich and other Kansas Citians from dominating the top 10. Two-Time defending Class 3 Champions St. Charles West will try to break up the Class 4 and 5 party.
Timnath, Colorado, is the first out-of-state team to race at Gans Creek. The ladies from just outside Fort Collins are led by sophomore Izzy Schimmelpfennig, who earned a big PR of 17:44.5 on a road course two weeks ago.

Check back as this article is being updated.

Elite Twilight Boys

The Rockhurst A squad returns to action two weeks after a good but not great race at the Forest Park XC Festival. The reigning Class 5 State Runners-up entered the meet ranked 20th nationally, but the SLUH Junior Billikens were unbeatable.
Senior stars Henry Acorn and Andrew Davis will try to lead the Hawklets back to a meet title with the best 1-2 punch in the state. While some of their veterans try to work their way back into last year's stellar form, Rockhurst has been buoyed by the top freshman in the state in Jack McGovern. McGovern blazed his way around a new Forest Park course in an eye-popping 16:01.

Acorn right, and Davis back left

Rockhurst will have to hold off the Liberty Blue Jays if they want to earn the title Friday night. All-Stater Peyton Willbanks has graduated but got to see his team this morning. The Kansas State freshman raced this morning in front of the 2024 Blue Jays, with Liberty coaches and 2024 squad making the trip early this morning to watch the collegiate action. Liberty is led by the trio of Todd Yeates, Patrick Cleary, and Connor Nicholson.

The Webster Groves Statesmen have staked their claim as the Class 4 State favorite. They've impressed at the Fort Zumwalt North Twilight, Forest Park, and at Missouri Southern. They are led by seniors Dominic Buckman and Corbin Cole, who should figure in the battle for a top 5-10 finish.
Rock Bridge will look to bounce back from what was likely a disappointing finish on a warm day last Saturday at the Griak Invitational in Minnesota. Expect defending Class 5 state champion Luke Sievers to have a say in who wins individual gold and lead the Bruins back to contention for a top-2 team trophy.
Lee's Summit West, Park Hill South, Lee's Summit, Liberty North, Nixa, Lincoln College Prep, Parkway Central and Liberty-Wentzville could all battle for 5-7th. Lee's Summit West, Lee's Summit, Lincoln College Prep, and Parkway Central all have solid top-3 individuals. Liberty-Wentzville is looking to get that mix with #2 Cale Eldredge is cleared tor all-out racing for the 2nd week after a summer of crossing training due to a stress fracture.
Eldredge's teammate Ayden Taylor is coming off a blazing win at Missouri Southern and will be in the mix for the title, battling Rockhurst's Henry Acorn and Rock Bridge's Luke Sievers.
North Point's standout duo of Hunter Stahl and Mitchell Lerner join Ft. Zumwalt West's William Doyle as individuals racing without a team Friday night in the Elite Twilight race. Stahl already posted an impressive performance at Gans Creek with a 15:47 victory at the Tolton Catholic Invite.

The Burns brothers lead the only Class 3 team in tonight's race. Junior Brian Burns placed 2nd to Stahl at Gans at the Tolton Invite in 16:01, while freshman Sean Burns was 4th two weeks ago, running 16:13.