Class 1 Girls

Top Returners

Rock Port's Ella Meyerkorth is a back-to-back silver medalist in the 100m Hurdles and, according to preseason returner ranks, is poised to bring home this gold this spring. She's already seen the top of the podium in the 300m Hurdles in her career. She is tops among Class 1 returners with her 15.17 personal best.

Valley's Daisy Kearns is the only other returner under 16 seconds with a 15.31 (+2.3) personal best. She enjoyed a breakthrough junior campaign, putting it all together when it mattered the most in May and clearing 16 seconds in all four of her final attempts. Her personal best time was good enough for third at last year's State meet. These two from complete opposite sides of the State (a whopping 400 miles away from each other) will surely be the top two to watch throughout the season atop the Class 1 ranks.

The Chase Pack

Three girls head into the 2026 season with 2025 State medals to their names: Sheldon's Wynsdae Connelly, St. Paul Lutheran (Farmington)'s Carly Kilma, and Lutheran (Kansas City)'s Avery Harman. Expect Harman to be in Class 2 this season, but Klima and Connelly are among the upset candidates in Class 1 this spring. Connelly's 16.41 (+2.3) earned her the sixth place medal last May and Klima's 16.59 (+2.3) mark was good enough to earn her a second straight seventh place medal. Drexel's Grace Francis has a shot at picking up significant points for her team once again this spring with her 16.53 personal best from 2024. Last year's State meet was successful, but didn't go her way in the 100m Hurdles. She was 15th in prelims after a stumble.

Incoming Freshman to Watch

We talked about St. Elizabeth's Abby Herx in the 100m Dash deep dive, but she is worth mentioning here, as well. She ran 16.46 as an eighth grader which puts her right in the chase pack mix already in 2026.