Class 5
Our projection for Class 5's break of 985 is not far off last year's 981, which we think may have been dropped slightly to accommodate a district site host. This year, the 985 number will accommodate some of the top talents and teams in the State, as Ladue's boys and girls will move up as a result of the additional 43 students they reported on their enrollment number this year. That is a massive development as not only will their girls' team bring in some of the top athletes in the state regardless of class, but they will most likely will end up in the same district as back-to-back-to-back-to-back Class 5 champion Cardinal Ritter.
Other teams moving in are: North Point, Jefferson City, Farmington, and Capital City, with the Cavaliers forming up the bottom of the class. There are 78 boys' teams and 77 girls' teams in Class 5 based on our projection.
The following private schools are projected to be included in Class 5 based on the Championship Factor: Westminster Christian (boys and girls), Cardinal Ritter (girls), and St. Teresa's Academy.
--
District 1
District 1 spans from South St. Louis County, through Jefferson County, all the way down to Poplar Bluff. Webster Groves and Nerinx Hall move out as they are heading back to Class 4 and SLUH pushes into District 2 with Farmington entering the fray. Top athletes in this district include: Barrett Reagan, Blayne Reagan, Bryson Logan, Warren Eanes, Kent Sheridan, Spencer Nunn, Mason Turley, Brysen Wessell, Annika Barks, Hazel Perret, Brooklyn Williams, Olivia Rea, and Clarah Wilkins.
| Boys | Girls |
--
District 2
.jpeg)
We are thinking that the West STL County schools who have found themselves in District 5 over the past couple of years are moving back into the mix with the rest of their nearby schools. Ladue moving into Class 5 obviously is a major development that has pushed the North County schools out, while Farmington's move into District 1 pushes SLUH to District 2 with fellow private schools Cardinal Ritter, CBC, and Westminster Christian. An undeniably stacked district, top athletes include: Austin Tillman, Amar'e Hendricks, Jude Leicht, Graham Stevener, Jackson Miller, Mitchell Barth, Alexander Bendana, Carllion King, Khalani Barry, Jacob Poole, Jaeger Funk, Baron James, Thomas Preckel, Jackson Lange, Delaney Brinker, Kyndall Spain, Aaliyah Rogers, Maleah Eggers, Karina Griffin, Daphne Bishop, Naila Kerr, Laila Murray, Maya Witherspoon, Bella Jones, Chloe Tabb, Takia Tiller, Ayla Bishop, Sabra Fink, Cami Costello, Riley Mulligan, and Sydney Berger.
| Boys | Girls |
--
District 3
District 3 should feature teams from North STL County and eastern St. Charles County exclusively with all three Hazelwoods and all three Howells joining Ritenour, Pattonville, and Riverview Gardens in the 9-team district. Last year, it was two Hazelwood and Pattonville with several St. Charles County schools, but movement in and out may be fixing some geographical head-scratchers for good. But more on that in District 4. Top athletes here include: Jayden Atkins, Melvin Sledge, Deontea Anthony, Reid Williams, Shayn Bishop, Tomas Foreman, Curtiss Witt, Cameron Cason, Mitchell Weisenborn, Catherine Williams, TaMari Allen, Amelia Ward, Addyson Brown, and Adelle Metz.
| Boys | Girls |
--
District 4
This year is the year we get back to normalcy in District 4. Over the last few years, we have seen a district that spans from Troy to Blue Springs, but with movements in and out of the Classes in both St. Charles County and the Kansas City area, it seems that this year has to be the year that Districts 3, 4, 5, and 7 go back to what we were used to seeing, especially with more and more schools volunteering to host in both of the afore-mentioned regions. St. Charles County and Troy will still have to combine with the Columbias and Smith-Cotton, but they may not see Blue Springs and Co. until the State meet now. We will find out soon, though. Top athletes in this predicted district include: Langston Thomas, John Moss, Riley Rolwing, Carter Atkinson, Justin Giles, Ayden Taylor, Cale Eldredge, Adam Baehr, Luke Sievers, Maxwell Hogan, Matthew Kim, Cook Hudson, Hunter Stahl, Vernell Holt, Donivan Taylor, Kaileb Rhen, Jaxon Kindle, Zavier Winton, Wyatt Caldwell, Alexa Adams, Lakira Briscoe, Alyssa Anderson, Bella Navaro-Sanchez, Jocelyn Haynes, Mae Walker, Athena Peterson, and Claire Maland.
| Boys | Girls |
--
District 5
We are projecting that both Jefferson City and Capital City are moving up to Class 5 this season, with Capital City being the lowest enrollment school and last one in. Washington appears to be moving back into Class 4, as well. With those movement in and out, and other movements affecting the St. Louis and Southeastern Missouri districts, we think that pushes Eureka, Northwest Cedar Hill, and Lafayette out to District 2 and makes this a more geographically-sensical district again. Rolla and the Jefferson City schools make up the north-central-eastern border in this district that stretches down to the Springfield public schools and Willard in the west. Unlike last year, it appears there will be no line down the middle of Springfield separating District 5 and 6 schools. Top athletes in this group include: Cameron Martensen, Levi Casey, Luke Mosley, Brooks Horton, Morgan Nicholls, Tyrica Sterrett, Elise Murray, Abigail Tague, Addyson Rebmann, Gabrielle Pitts, Lillian Davis, Stevenette Samuels, Morgan Durbin, Hannah Gardner, and Kaylee Redcay.
| Boys | Girls |
--
District 6
District 6 is heavy in Southwest Missouri with a couple of southern Kansas City metro schools sprinkled in that are often included with these schools during cross country and had been in the mix several years ago. Ozark and Branson form up the eastern border of this district that spans to Joplin, Neosho, and Webb City in the west, and pull Raymore-Peculiar and Belton back in after a few years in District 7. Top athletes include: Noah Soriano, Kannon Williams, Aaron Ashley, Henry Laytham, Gabriel Voelker, Chance Tindall, Carter Younger, Reyes Martinez, Jaren Davis, Trenton Yates, Jackson Cantwell, Hayden Mays, Eric Lathan, Neil Barstow, Louden Bolinger, Kynah Simmons, Amaya Hill, Brooke Hedger, Gracie Troester, Bria Wright, Olivia Reed, Rylee Eng, Chase Stilley, Sayzjah Hudson, Eva Williams, Sarai Clark, Chasity Straw, Jaeli Rutledge, Avery Muniz, Saniyah Kearney, Amelia White, Bella Scherfenberg, and Rhyenne Jones.
| Boys | Girls |
--
District 7
As we said before, and even said last year, this year appears to be the year that the geography resets and District 7 includes the Kansas City schools that had previously found themselves in a District and Sectional with GAC schools. The Blue Springs', Lee's Summits, and Independence schools could join Rockhurst, St. Teresa's, and Grain Valley for District 7 this year. Another stacked district, top athletes include: Tayveon Simms, Jadon Young, Andrew Davis, William Hayes, Henry Acorn, Hunter Deleeuw, Devan Mathis, Amari Perkins, Kynston Sipes, DJ Childs, Asa Keim, Elijah Bertz, Anthony Thompson, Blayden Pruett, Vance Herring, Isaac Woodward, Jaimy Birmingham, Jasmine Ross, Paige Stuart, Madison Gleason, Adee Broesder, Layla Redding, Ella Rew, Bailey Baier, Katelyn Wink, Izzie Salsman, Alexa Binkley, Jayden Herl, Alyssa Carver, Miller Wood, Megan Prestia, Madison Rust, A'mya Criglar, Ramiyah Petty-Calhoun, Chloe Hernandez, and Rayana Petty-Calhoun.
| Boys | Girls |
--
District 8
District 8 is usually fairly stable as the district which includes all of the schools north of the Missouri River in the northwest corner of the state. This year should be no exception. Top athletes include: Robert Collins Jr, Oluwatobi Falubi, Breck Brown, Thomas Garrett, Connor Nicholson, Jaeger Hicks, Todd Yeates, Braylon Agee, Kurt Wallace, Chase Granberg, Lawson Miner, Orryn Wright, Mia Couch, Ella Brown, Lily Hurt, Madilynn Conklin, LaNicia Parker, Ava Park, D'marihanna Newton, D'Mya Newton, Reminyss Grant, Audrey Steitz, Ansley Drake, Lauren Smith, Malia Cabuyaban, Kelly Bullano, Alyssah Price, and Addyson Schlake.
| Boys | Girls |