Scenes from the second day of the Missouri State Cross Country Championships
Fans watch the runners cross the line during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
West Plains celebrates after the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Washington junior Steven Broadbent during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Parkway Central senior Alexander Moresi during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Webster Grovesjunior Drew Upperman during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Webster Groves react after seeing the scoreboard during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Festus senior Tate Uding during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Farmington runners congratulate Festus during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Webster Groves senior Corbin Cole (left) and Drew Upperman during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Clayton junior Dante Zou during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Washington sophomore Mason Bliss during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
John Burroughs junior Chris Tao during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
MICDS sophomore Frances Applegate during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Benton junior Conner Jones-Taylor during the Class 3 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Collegiate School of Medicine Silas Bloch and Owen Garrett during the Class 3 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Clair senior Zechariah Slater during the Class 3 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Herlaneum senior Nathaniel Wright during the Class 3 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The secondary group during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The secondary group during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The secondary group during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Herlaneum senior Nathaniel Wright during the Class 3 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Summit senior Reese Martin during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Principia senior Amos Ostler during the Class 3 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Priory senior Justin Nangle during the Class 3 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Washington freshman Grace Owenby during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Whitfield senior Elijah Charmley during the Class 3 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Union senior Abigail Spurgeon during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Parkway North sophomore Andie Hylan during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The start of the girls race of the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Summit Caterina Rossomanno (left) and Washington Grace Owenby during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Bowling Green junior Brendan Finnegan during the Class 3 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Jefferson senior Ayla Karch during the Class 2 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Herculaneum sophomore Finley Hamtil during the Class 3 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Gainesville freshman Jessica Suit during the Class 2 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Umbrellas during the Class 2 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Charles West junior Emily Finley during the Class 3 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Notre Dame freshman Aidan Morris during the Class 3 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Brentwood junior Kensington Curd during the Class 2 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Notre Dame freshman Marina Ressel during the Class 3 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Fans cheer on the sideline during the Class 2 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Rosati-Kain senior Madeline Wenger during the Class 2 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The lead group of the Class 2 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Fordland Adia Brown and Nylia Garcia during the Class 2 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Metro junior Lucy Luetkemeyer during the Class 2 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Herculaneum freshman Amaya Ferguson during the Class 3 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Charles West Genevieve Wacker (right) and Miley Jackson during the Class 3 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Duchesne sophomore Audrey Hoffmann during the Class 2 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Jefferson sophomore Bryant Horn during the Class 2 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Jefferson junior Emerson Selsor during the Class 2 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Charles West sophomore Brianna Krueger during the Class 3 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Metro junior Vivienne Rose during the Class 2 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Charles West sophomore Brianna Krueger (left) hugs Genevieve Wacker during the Class 3 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Festus sophomore Kendall Counts celebrates during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Festus junior Carson Driemeier pulls away from Lincoln senior Aidan Kemnitzer during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Metro junior Lucy Luetkemeyer during the Class 2 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Charles West senior Claire Horstmann (982) during the Class 3 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Festus sophomore Lucy Boyer points out the scoreboard during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Festus junior Katelyn Thurman during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Charles West senior Genevieve Wacker during the Class 3 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Festus junior Carson Driemeier pulls up to the finish line during the Class 4 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Charles West sophomore Brianna Krueger crosses the finish line to win the Class 3 girls cross country individual state championship on November 8, 2024, at Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. West also won the team championship for the third consecutive year.
The start of the race during the Class 2 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The start of the girls race during the Class 3 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Lexington junior Chael Lichte during the Class 2 state championship cross country meet on November 8, 2024 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Paul Halfacre
Sports Reporter
St. Charles West sophomore Krueger said: "We don't come out here expecting sunshine and rainbows all the time. This is a sport where we have to fight."
Festus coach Wesley Armbruster said: "That was our strategy — make someone beat us."
"He went out and knew that's the business that he needed need to take care of — I need to win — and he did," Festus coach Bryant Wright said.