MISSOURI STATE MEET

Hauser Collects Individual And Team Laurels In Class 5; Festus Boys Win Seventh Straight

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Matthew Hauser ran 15:34.5 and gave Rock Bridge a low stick on the way to the school's first state championship in boys cross counntry since 2011. 

Hauser, a senior, ran with Timberland's Trevor Peimann and Liberty North's Ethan Lee until it was time to kick. Then Hauser sprinted to the finish line and won by almost six seconds. Rock Bridge also got a seventh-place finish from sophomore Ian Kemey.

The Missouri state meet was held over three days, concluding Saturday, at the Gans Creek Recreational Area. The meet also expanded to five classes from four for the first time.

Liberty (Wentzville) junior Ally Kruger won the Class 5 girls race in 18:03.1 and built a winning margin of seven seconds. 

Lafayette (Wildwood) won the girls team championship with 80 points. Parkway West was second with 89.

The Festus boys, who won the Class 3 crown six straight years from 2014-2019, remained champions and took the Class 4 title for No. 7 in a row. The Tigers scored 45 points and went 2-9-12-15 up front.

Riley Simpson of West Plains won the boys Class 3A race in 15:39.5.

Lily Jackson of St. Charles West ran 18:21.6 to win the girls race and the West Plains girls scored 53 points for the team championship.

In Class 3, Daelen Ackley from El Dorado Springs, last year's Class 2 champion, won the boys race in 15:41.1. Connor Burns from Southern Boone was right behind him in 15:42.2. The Fatima boys, champions in Class 2 last year, scored 98 points to the team win. 

The girls race was a good one between senior Macy Schelp of Luthern South and Kylie Goldfarb of John Burroughs. Schelp took the win in 18:54.3 and Goldfarb was second in 18:54.4. They were both more than 30 seconds clear of the field. John Burroughs won the team crown with 59 points. 

Sam Shuman of Spokane won the Class 2A boys race in 16:03.6 and had a margin of 12 seconds. Father Tolton Regional Catholic scored 92 points for the team victory.

Senior Rita Eimer of St. Pius X (Festus) beat freshman Julia Pattison of West Platte in a close race, 19:37.2 to 19:39.4. Arcadia Valley scored 86 points to win the team title.

Tyler Blay was the class of the field in the Class 1 race, running 16:30.3. Calvary Lutheran defeated Blue Eye by six points for the team title, with 90 points.  

Blue Eye's Riley Arnold ran to victory in the girls race, in 18:45.2. College Heights Christian won the team title with 92 points. 

Team Champions - 

Class 5 - Rock Bridge boys 109 points, Lafayette (Wildwood) girls 80 points - RESULTS

Class 4 - Festus boys 45 points, West Plains girls 53 points - RESULTS

Class 3 - Fatima boys 98 points, John Burroughs girls 59 points - RESULTS

Class 2 - Father Tolton Regional Catholic boys 92 points, Arcadia Valley girls 86 points - RESULTS

Class 1 - Calvary Lutheran boys 90 points, College Heights Christian girls 91 points - RESULTS