Werner writes memorable final chapter

Meyrer, West help Lafayette sweep Class 4 titles for first time

By Erik Boal, DyeStatCAL Editor

After putting the finishing touches on the most decorated state championship career of any Missouri female prep cross country runner, including lowering her own course record and winning a fourth individual title, Ste. Genevieve senior Taylor Werner chose to focus on the magnitude of her team’s accomplishment Saturday in Jefferson City.

Led by a victory from Werner and second-place finish from Mia Jerman, the Dragons captured a third Missouri State High School Activities Association Class 3 state title in four years with a 52-91 victory over Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School.

The victory was even sweeter for Werner and fellow seniors Amy Huck, Mallory Koller, Nicole Upchurch and the Toledo-bound Jerman, especially after Ste. Genevieve lost to Festus last year on a sixth-runner tiebreaker after the teams battled to a 72-72 result.

The championship also allowed the Dragons to send veteran coach Brian Jett out in style. Jett, who has guided the Ste. Genevieve program to five state championships since 1995, announced his retirement from coaching after this year.

“The biggest accomplishment during the state meet, in my opinion, would have to be gaining a third team state championship. Very few teams can say they’ve won a state championship, let alone three,” Werner said. “We had five seniors race, including myself, and all five of us have been together since we were freshmen. Over the last four years, we’ve become inseparable sisters who would do anything for each other. To race with them for the last time, along with all our amazing underclassmen, and gain another state championship was an overwhelming experience that we were overjoyed to have. We all raced with heart for the team, and for our head coach Brian Jett.”

Werner clocked 17:14.22 to eclipse her own standard on the 5-kilometer course at Oak Hills Golf Center, improving on her sophomore mark of 17:31.30, with Jerman finishing in 18:33.54, nearly 45 seconds ahead of the next competitor. Freshman Sarah Moore placed eighth in 19:38.57 and Huck was 11^th in 19:46.36 for Ste. Genevieve.

Werner, an Arkansas commit, became the second Missouri high school female standout to win four individual state cross country titles, joining Stoutland’s Jamie Vest, who achieved the feat in Class 1 from 2001-04. Vest, who went on to run at Missouri State, never experienced winning a team championship.

“It feels very rewarding. Ever since I was in elementary school, I’ve dreamt about being considered one of the top runners in the state. So to gain four cross country titles, I can't even begin to describe the emotions I feel when I reflect on it all,” Werner said. “I’ve been incredibly blessed over the past four years, and I can’t thank God enough for allowing me to gain these titles.”

Werner, who also has eight individual state track titles on her resume, would have been the No. 4 runner for the Ste. Genevieve boys team and placed in the top 30 overall of the Class 3 final.

“Saturday’s race was a dream,” Werner said. “I knew if I kept my focus and followed my game plan, I could go sub 17:20, and I managed to do that.”

Lafayette’s titles twice as nice

Not only did Lafayette win Class 4 boys and girls team championships for the first time in program history, but the Lancers swept the top two spots in both genders, including individual state titles for Baylor-bound seniors Devin Meyrer and Anna West.

Lafayette repeated as boys champion with a 38-131 victory over Rockhurst, led by Meyrer clocking 15:25.42, junior Austin Hindman taking runner-up in 15:40.77, Oklahoma State-bound senior Alec Haines placing fifth in 16:00 and senior Dylan Quisenberry, a Missouri commit, finishing 11^th in 16:19.67.

“Obviously it feels pretty good to be a state champ, but I can’t help but give credit to my guys on my team. If it weren’t for them pushing the race and pushing me every day to here, I would not amount to nearly as much,” Meyrer said. “All of the guys on our team had an equal shot at that state title, I think I just happened to have that ‘senior year’ luck and drive pushing me for the title. Coming from seventh last year to now, I never would have imagined it by any means, but it all comes back to my team and my coach for pushing me and working together to not only have an individual capture a state title, but the team make history once again.”

Lafayette, which had the same four athletes in the top 10 last season, benefited from the return of Hindman and Quisenberry after they didn’t race Oct. 31 at the Lancers’ sectional meet to allow time to recover from minor injuries. Lafayette, led by the third-fastest time in state finals history from Meyrer, lowered its school-record team time at Oak Hills by six seconds to 80:10.

“I thought they were great. It’s never easy to have your routine disrupted due to injury, or any other reason for that matter, and then have one of the biggest races of the year the following week. Both raced tough and were a big part of winning our second straight state title,” Lafayette boys coach Sean O’Connell said. “I’m very encouraged. It’s pretty impressive when a third of the top 12 guys are from the same school. No concern with the rest of the pack. They did what we needed them to do in order to win and I know they will be ready to go for next week at NXR.”

Junior Thomas Laarman was Lafayette’s fifth scorer in 32nd place in 16:44.29, improving from 36^th last season.

“I think it was actually good that (Austin and Dylan) got a weekend of rest to really allow them to come to state fresh and ready to roll, especially with hopefully a longer season ahead of us,” Meyrer said. “Last year we were able to put four in the top 10, and I think to put four in the top 11 again the year after really speaks volumes as to who we are as a program and a team. As for the rest of the pack, there is no concern at all. We know that a lot of pressure is passed on to our fifth through seventh guys to hold up the ends of our team, so how they all did this weekend was really all we could ask for.”

The Lancers captured their first girls state title since 1988 with a 55-117 win over Raymore-Peculiar, with West winning in 17:46.72 and fellow senior Sarah Nicholson, a Northwestern commit, placing second in 18:01.56.

“I’m so happy with how Sarah and I did. We told each other last year that this was our goal and we worked hard every day in practice for it,” West said. “Personally, I wasn't feeling outstanding during the race, but I pushed myself and was happy with the outcome.  It wasn't one of my best races, but it taught me a lot about mental strength when you're chasing a car instead of another runner.”

Lafayette, which took runner-up to Nerinx Hall last season by an 82-103 margin, lowered its team time by nearly two minutes to capture its second championship. Senior Grace Breiten supported West and Nicholson by clocking 19:10.46 to place 11^th.

“After coming so close to a state title last year, my teammates and I knew what we wanted to accomplish this year. Also, this was the first time our coach has ever coached a state winning team, so it was an amazing experience for everyone.  We went out there and gave it our all,” West said. “I was so proud of Sarah for finishing in second and Grace in 11th and am not at all disappointed by our Nos. 4, 5, and 6 in the low 30s. We have a lot of depth on our team and I know those three girls are really working hard to move their way up. Everyone from our first to seventh runner had great races and should feel very proud of how they did.”

Fatima finishes off another championship

Led by sophomore Brianna Haller (18:49.37) and junior Anna Massman (19:05.21) taking the top two spots, Fatima captured a third consecutive Class 2 girls title with a 37-44 victory over Herculaneum, the last Class 2 team to win at least three in a row from 2006-09.

Haller repeated as champion for Fatima, lowering her time of 19:35.68 from last season. The Comets, who defeated Herculaneum 52-95 last year, became the seventh girls program in Missouri to win at least three consecutive championships, the first since 2011.

Running to repeats

Lafayette’s boys and Fatima’s girls weren’t the only teams to capture back-to-back state titles.

Festus repeated as Class 3 boys champion with a 47-74 victory over Ste. Genevieve, which had three runners place in the top six, including junior Ben Naeger winning in 15:34.56. Naeger and Werner matched the achievement of Meyrer and West by having both state champions from the same school.

Festus, which had six runners in the top 20, captured its fourth championship in seven years.

Hermitage defended its Class 1 boys title with a 61-85 win over St. Vincent. The Hornets won their first championship last season by edging St. Vincent on a sixth-runner tiebreaker after the teams battled to a 90-90 result.

Strong up front

In five of the eight state finals, one school produced the top two runners, including all four girls championship races.

In the girls Class 1 final, Summit Preparatory School had the top three athletes, all juniors, including a pair of twins.

Claire Workman repeated as champion in 19:21.80, with sisters Katie McCune and Claire McCune clocking 20:41.90 and 20:44.90, respectively. Despite that impressive showcase, Summit Prep only had one other girl place in the top 100 and was edged 114-118 by Crystal City.

Despite its top finisher, freshman Emma Shirley, finishing 16^th in 21:58, Crystal City was able to win its first state championship, rebounding from a four-point loss to Salisbury last season.

Springfield Catholic, led by sophomore Stephen Kielhofner capturing the individual title in 16:13.52, was also able to rebound from a narrow setback last year to win the Class 2 boys title with a 67-81 victory over Herculaneum.

Springfield Catholic, which won its last state title in 1995, was edged 72-77 last season by Whitfield.

Hardin-Central junior Riley Gorham, second and third the past two seasons in Class 1, finally captured his first title in 16:43.37, becoming the first state champion – individual or team – for the Bulldogs.