This weekend features the 21st annual Forest Park XC Festival, one of the state's biggest and most competitive meets year over year. Some very special athletes and teams will headline the early morning Green division races.
Boys Green Division Top Individuals/Teams to Watch
In the Green (most competitive) division at the FPXC Festival, two of the state's best teams and top Class 5 title contenders will renew their Jesuit school rivalry as SLUH faces off with Rockhurst for the first time in 2026.
Rockhurst is coming off an impressive season opening victory at the Tim Nixon Invitational where they ran a 1-5 average of 15:55 and scored a minuscule 44 points. Jack McGovern led the squad with a 14:56.50 opener, the fastest season debut we have ever seen. Charles Sullivan and Jack Morrison crossed in 15:54 and 15:59, respectively, junior Abram Bland made his career debut with a 16:20.00 mark at #4 and Tyler Bell was the solid 5th man with a massive 77-second personal best of 16:24.80. Originally a team in the chase pack among returning teams, some massive leaps forward from key role players have the Hawklets are now in the driver's seat in the early goings of 2026 and a victory this weekend would truly solidify their standing among the rest of Class 5's contenders.
But the mighty SLUH stands in their way, a team ready to make a major statement of their own in 2026. The host Jr. Bills boast one of the most impressive returning squads we have ever seen led by senior Jackson Miller. Now a state champion in his own right (Class 5 3200), Miller has no fear running with the reigning cross country champion McGovern. He hasn't beaten him in a cross country race since 2024, but had his number in both 3200 meetings this spring.
SLUH won the highly attended Granite City Invitational this past weekend without Miller, Warnicke Beatty, Michael Luna, and Benjamin Yoffie, scoring 60 points in the 25-team field and running a 15:30 1-5 average for 3 miles with John Paul Wildermuth, their sixth fastest returner, as their top man on the day in a 14:53.41 personal best. Three of those holdouts were 9:21 or better for 3200 this spring and Beatty was all-state in the 1600. This is a scary squad who should compete well with their B team, as well. Watch for more names, like Jonah Ebenhoh, Owen Williams, Clarence Nowak, and Phineas Gilbert to continue to pop up this weekend as we expect the Jr. Bills to end their weekend with 15 or more boys under 17:00.
At least one out-of-state team may throw a wrench in the Jesuit schools' plans as Columbus North out of Indiana brings a strong contingent in their own right. The Bulldogs scored 52 points in the 19-team field at their home meet last weekend and dropped a 15:55 1-5 5K average. Justin Reckers leads the way with his 15:28.20 season best and Joseph Day and Graham Pumphrey both bring marks at 15:50 or better.
Kickapoo will be another team to watch after their impressive victory at the massive SWCCCA Richard Clark Invitational. The Blaine brothers finished second and third with 15:32.81 and 15:47.32 marks and led the Chiefs to a 16:16 1-5 average.
Other Individuals to Watch...
Lucas Amador - Parkway Central
Ezekiel Hagen - Lafayette Wildwood
Noah Green - Liberty Wentzville
Other Teams to Watch...
Rock Bridge
Festus
Lincoln College Prep
Webster Groves
The white division will come later in the afternoon and most likely feature races with the sun beating down on the Visitor Center area course. Regardless, there will be a few teams and athletes to watch in this smaller school/less competitive division. Maplewood's Alex Fuoss may be the top-ranked individual here, but Ft. Zumwalt South will bring in some individual title contenders in Caleb Allen and Andrew Durnbaugh. FZS appears to be the team to beat in the White division heading into it, with Branson not too far behind.
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Girls Green Division Top Individuals/Teams to Watch
Bentonville's (AR) girls are making the trip up for the Festival this year and are looking to dominate, it would appear. They have three of the top-ranked individuals heading into this year's race in Flannery O'Daniel, Madysen Hantuba, and Claire Lorimer, but that is just based on current season bests. O'Daniel is coming off of a big victory at the City Auto Memphis Twilight in which she nearly broke the meet record with a 17:36.21 near personal best. Bentonville scored a very low 49 points and won by 49 in the 44-team field.
Cor Jesu Academy is making their season 5K debut and, after a dominant performance at the Fleet Feet Cross Country Classic last Wednesday, appears poised to upset Bentonville's plans potentially. A powerhouse freshman duo of Mary Fitzgerald and Annie Zenker compliments top returners Kaitlyn Loeffelman and Reese Luna very nicely, so much so that it may be one of the most dangerous top fours in the entire state at this point. Lillian Dougherty is a solid #5 for the Chargers and, if she keeps it close on Saturday, could be the key to their victory. It should be a fun battle between these two teams.
Edwardsville (IL), though, will be a team to watch Saturday to break up these team's hopes at the victory. They scored 32 points in the 20-team field at the Granite City Invitational and won easily led by sophomore MacKenna Kerpan in 17:15.36 (3 miles). She is an individual title contender herself after taking a massive step forward already in 2026. She finished last cross country season nearly a minute slower in 18:14.50.
Other Individuals to Watch...
Kodi Smith - Columbus North (IN)
Kelly Archambeault - Lafayette Wildwood
Gabrielle Moresi - Parkway Central
Bella Navarro-Sanchez - Liberty Wentzville
Other Teams to Watch...
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Girls White Division What To Watch
This weekend features the 21st annual Forest Park XC Festival, one of the state's biggest and most competitive meets year over year. Some very special athletes and teams will headline the early morning Green division races.
Boys Green Division Top Individuals/Teams to Watch
In the Green (most competitive) division at the FPXC Festival, two of the state's best teams and top Class 5 title contenders will renew their Jesuit school rivalry as SLUH faces off with Rockhurst for the first time in 2026.