Class 4 Boys

Driemeier, Festus Are Back In Contention

Every year I have to write the same thing! After a year of flying under the radar at the biggest meets, the calendar turns to November and Festus has somehow someway, through voodoo devil magic or just pure sheer force of will (or more likely the third thing: great coaching and focused athletes) found themselves in position to steal another state championship from the rest of the Class 4. The reigning champions had their historic 8-year winning streak broken in 2022, but are ready to push the new one to 2 in 2024.

Carson Driemeier is their key frontman as his 15:05.90 is 27 seconds clear of the rest of the field. If Driemeier puts the pedal to the metal on Saturday, this one may be over before it's even started. The biggest key to the Tigers' title defense, though, will be what they get out of their fifth man. Much like in the Class 5 girls race, freshmen will play a major role in this race as freshmen Hudson Bates and Lucas DeClue currently sit as the fifth and sixth men on the team, respectively. We see Tate Uding climbing the ranks in an impressive way in the late season, and new three-man Lucas Campbell posted a big personal best of 16:20.50 on Saturday with typical three-man Trevor Bayless well behind, but nevertheless, the Tigers have made what appeared to be a runaway race for Webster Groves in the early goings of the season now too close to call. 

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Webster Groves Eyes Their First Victory

Speaking of historic - the last two seasons for the Webster Groves have been among the best they have seen in their long and storied school's history. In 2023, they picked up their first team trophy at the State meet since 1970, ending a 53-year drought. On Saturday, the team has a chance to do something that has never been done in the school's 135-year history: Win a State Cross Country championship.

The big three of Dominic Buckman, Corbin Cole, and Drew Upperman are ready to bring it home for the Statesmen as all three boys find themselves in position to challenge for the top 10. For these three, the big day came at the Missouri Southern Stampede, but that is not to say they have not strung together impressive team performances elsewhere since. They picked up key wins at the Patriot/Statesmen Classic and Class 4 District 1 meet this year, both slight advantages over Festus. They were only 10 points back of Kirkwood at the STL Suburban Championships with an off-day from five-man Andrew Kuehler. Like Festus, their fate may lie in whomever crosses after Henry Boland, whether that's Kuehler, freshman Brighton Lack, or sophomore Patrick Wilhelm, we will find out Saturday. This truly appears to be the year for Webster Groves to seal the deal on the state title.

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Will West Plains Play Spoilers?

Speaking of historic, have we mentioned that this is the 47th straight trip to the State Championships for West Plains? That's right, the last time West Plains did not have a boys team in attendance at the State meet, Star Wars Episode IV was released, Jimmy Carter was being sworn in as the 39th President, and the first Atari gaming system was introduced to the masses. That was 1977. 

Of course, the last time the Zizzers hoisted the first place trophy was when this writer was a 15-year-old sophomore, running on the Oak Hills Course in frigid, arctic-like temperatures, in 2008. Since then, they have added 9 trophies to the overflowing case, but have yet to capture the top spot. This year, signs are pointing toward the end of the drought. 

It all starts with their 22-second 1-5 split. Their modus operandi over the years has only become even more pronounced as the pack-running juggernauts are one of the tightest crew of five this state has seen in a long time. In fact, through 7, there is only 29 seconds difference. On Saturday, their top 4 runners came across in 2nd through 5th, with the 5 and 6 men coming across 8th and 9th. It was a drubbing as they won with 22 points, 93 ahead of second place Pacific. Any one of Carson King, Kyler Gunter, Hunter Stanley, Trevin Smith, or Joseph Roberson could come across first for the Zizzers on Saturday. In fact, they may have an ace in the hole with their current 6-man being senior Hoyt Stiner, a 16:04 lifetime best who has yet to break 16:20 this season. This is a very dangerous and impressive team that could be ready to put it all together and end the 16-year drought once and for all.

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Class 4 Girls

Norris Versus Everyone

It truly will be Harrisonville's Kayleigh Norris versus everyone else on Saturday as the senior and University of Alabama commit looks to put the cherry on top of her incredible high school cross country career.

Her three losses this year have come at the Olathe Twilight, Nike XC Town Twilight (where her 17:35.78 personal best was run), and Rim Rock Classic Gold Division, three races with some of the top competitors in the Midwest. On Missouri soil, though, she is undefeated and just on Saturday dispatched of her closest competitor, Naomi Hunter (a 17:59 runner), by over a minute and a half. She can run alone, she can out-kick the best, she can do whatever she wants. When it comes to the Class 4 scene, it's Kayleigh Norris's world and we're simply living in it.

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West Plains Eyes Yet Another Victory

The West Plains ladies path to victory on Saturday is much more clear than the boys, whose path is unclear with the two juggernauts also in the race. Led by juniors Emily Ritter and Seri King, as well as senior Addison Sanders the Zizzers are looking to pick up their first state title since 2020, a win that would break their tie with Herculaneum for most in state history - 14. 

The 1-5 spread of 1:12 is much less of an outlier than the boys team's spread, but it highlights a crew of 5 that could very easily all find themselves in the top 30 on the day. If that's the case this is a team coming with fewer than 60 points and should very easily claim the crown. Festus and Nerinx Hall are coming off a dubious battle in District 1, with Parkway Central absolutely handling District 3 and Bolivar providing the biggest challenge in District 2, but West Plains heads into the weekend as the favorite to win it all.

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Hunter Is On The Hunt For An Upset

The biggest upset of the weekend could come if Smithville's Naomi Hunter decides to stay closer to Norris this weekend. A 17:59.70 at the Chile Pepper Festival in September had us turning our heads toward the senior and she has continued to impress with victories at the KC XC Classic and KC Suburban Blue Conference meet. The next closest competitors in Class 4 are a minute or more slower than Norris so Hunter will be the field's best chance at pulling off the upset.

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