The Festus High School girls cross country team is on a streak of its own.
The Festus boys strung together a state record streak of eight state cross country championships from 2014-2021 and have won 11 overall.
They’ve got a way to go to equal that achievement, but the Festus girls repeated as Class 4 state champions after scoring 84 points to outpace second-place West Plains High (104) by 20 points on the 3.1-mile (5K) course at Gans Creek in Columbia on Nov. 7. Parkway Central High (third, 107) and Webster Groves High (fourth, 110) won the other team trophies.
It’s the fourth state crown for the Tigers, who won in 2014 and 2017 under Bryant Wright and the past two with Wes Armbruster as head coach.
“You can’t really compare the two because every season has a different story,” said Armbruster, who is also the head coach of the school’s girls track and field team that won the Class 4 state title in May. “Last year, there wasn’t a lot of pressure on us because nobody expected us to do it. So, we didn’t have to race carrying the weight of the previous year. This year, every time we raced, we were going to get everybody’s best. The girls handled it every week and raced for each other and continued to focus on the things that coach Wright has preached for 20 years.”
Second in the state individually last year, Parkway Central junior Gabrielle Moresi finished first in 18:26.8. After finishing third in the state in 2024, Festus junior Lucy Boyer was the top Tiger runner this year in ninth place in 19:14.8. Despite the fall in placement, Boyer’s state time this year was 22 seconds faster.
“Lucy had to do what was best for our team today and she did that,” Armbruster said. “We told everybody we didn’t care how they slotted in, just keep a teammate in sight and keep fighting to the end. Lucy’s job was to minimize the top runners for West Plains and Parkway Central. We couldn’t spot them 10 or 12 points. West Plains had a freshman (Kaebrynn Gunter, second, 18:34.4) in the top five and they’ve been running tough races all year. I told our young runner (freshman Kyndall Gildea) that our other runners were going to take care of it and there’s no pressure on you. And it did the trick.”
It did indeed, as Gildea was the next Festus runner to finish in 15th in 19:38.4. Gildea cut almost a minute off her district finish the week before.
“She’s more tough than talented,” Armbruster said. “And that sounds like I’m insulting her, but that’s just a testament to who she is because she’s tough as nails.”
The top 30 runners are all-state and the top five times for each team factor into the team scoring. The Tigers had the top average scoring time of 19:42.26. Senior Katelyn Thurman (20th, 19:43.1), junior Bailee Tolbert (23rd, 19:46.4) and senior Olivia Cole (34th, 20:08.6) ran the other scoring times. Sophomore Marisa Peter (37th, 20:16.8) and junior Kendall Counts (53rd, 20:50.5) were the 6-7 runners.
Thurman (10th), Cole (15th) and Counts (26th) were all-state in 2024.
“I gave Olivia a big hug because she sacrificed a lot of her own training and performance because she’s carried the load of being the leader of the team,” Armbruster said. “I wish she was five places better so she could have gotten her second medal, but she’s had a heck of a career.”
Two years ago, Thurman limped through the state meet while running on a single leg, Armbruster said. During the beginning of her freshman year, she was hurt early and missed the rest of the year.
“If people knew the cross-training and things she had to do on her own to (win two state medals), it says a lot about her character,” Armbruster said. “Olivia’s the day-to-day leader of the team, but Katelyn’s been the emotional leader. She told our girls (before state) she was going to the well for them and was going to leave it out there for them.”
Cole said the last two years have been an unreal experience. Her PR was 19:52 at the 2024 District 1 meet.
“We didn’t know what to expect going into the race. But it felt good,” she said. “Last year we didn’t really know how to go about it. Each race we went into (this year), we had goals individually and as a team.”
There are large video boards broadcasting the races and results live at Gans Creek. Cole said the Tigers are instructed by their coaches not to look at them while they’re running, but it was still tempting to look once in awhile.
“The only time I looked at the screen was at 3K and it said we were in second place,” Cole said. “Going into 4K, I saw a West Plains girl and I knew I needed to pass her, but I was in so much pain and had to finish the race.”
Thurman ran her Festus PR of 19:26 at the Chili Pepper Festival in Arkansas in 2024. After crossing the finish line for the final time, she and Boyer embraced.
“I’m so grateful to be on such a close team that runs with love instead of anger,” Thurman said. “We have different mottos every year, and we’ve grown more running for each other.”
The other county participants were Hillsboro sophomore Lyla Wright (100th, 21:58.6) and freshman Hayleigh Churchill (115th, 22:16.2), De Soto sophomore Gracie Maijala (23:36.8), and Windsor sophomore Mckenzie Robbins (138th, 23:09.2) and freshman Jordan Lessard (145th, 23:27.5).
Driemeier sets course record in final prep race
If you’re going to make a splash, you make the biggest waves with a cannonball.
Festus High School senior Carson Driemeier concluded his prep cross country career by becoming the first two-time individual state champion for the Tigers. He set the Gans Creek 3.1-mile (5K) course record across all five classes in a time of 14:49.20 at the Class 4 championships in Columbia on Nov. 7. Driemeier cut more than one minute off his 2024 state-winning time of 15:59.5.
Driemeier charged out to the lead from the start and stayed there.
“Me and (Festus head coach Bryant Wright) talked about it, that I need to feed off the crowd and do my own thing,” Driemeier said.
After taking a week off early in the season with a foot injury, Driemeier didn’t seem affected at all as he surged back for Jefferson County Activities Association and District 1 championships.
“I had my doubts, but God had his plan for me and I knew I was going to come back. I didn’t think I was going to be able to do (14:49), but I did and that’s what He had planned,” said Driemeier, who last month committed to run cross country at Iowa State University.
For the second year in a row, West Plains High held off Festus for the Class 4 team title. Four of the five Zizzers were all-state (top 30) and they scored 81 points to win their state-leading 15th state crown. Sophomore Grant Fink (9th, 16:13.8) and sophomore Hudson Bates (17th, 16:22.8) were all state for Festus. Junior Christopher Courtois (41st, 16:58.0) and sophomore Matt Collier (50th, 17:11.1) were the other scoring times for the Tigers.
Wright has guided the Festus boys to 11 state championships, including eight in a row (2014-2021). Every summer, the Tigers train in West Plains with the Zizzers.
“We had a couple of guys had off days and when you do that against West Plains, you lose to them. It’s what you bring to the meet,” Wright said.
When it was determined that Driemeier had a stress reaction on a bone on his foot, the plan was to be cautious. Eventually, Driemeier did a workout and it was obvious he was ready.
“I felt he would get there because he’s very fit and very conscientious of everything he does,” Wright said. “I expected it. You never know. We wanted to run controlled for the first couple of thousand (meters) and then let him go and enjoy what it’s like to run fast on this course.
“I’ve had some good ones over the years, and it’s like your kids, you don’t want to compare them. He’s special. He had some great mentors and he had the opportunity and took advantage of it. Before the season, I told him it’s nearly impossible to win two. His injury made him realize that a lot of things can happen that keep you from going back to back.”
When Driemeier won state as a junior, the conditions were sloppy in wind and rain. Perfect weather greeted all five classes for the two-day event. Ever the competitor, he let it all soak in during his last race.
“I was thinking about the finish line, but I was also thinking about my teammates and how they were doing,” Driemeier said. “We’ve had some issues with injuries, so I was worried about them and they performed. West Plains, great team, strong. They have the ability to pack run, which is something not a lot of teams can do.”
Webster Groves High (120) and Bolivar High (139) were the other two team trophy winners. After finishing third in District 1, De Soto qualified for state and was sixth with 165.
Senior Carson Koerber won three state medals and had his highest finish (fourth, 15:56.9) for the Dragons, with junior teammate Cruz Anders (sixth, 15:58.6) right behind him. Anders moved up from 51st at state last year.
Aside from Driemeier, Koerber has been the county’s most successful boys runner the last three years.
“I wanted to go faster time-wise, but I couldn’t ask for a better place,” Koerber said. “It’s a good ending point for my high school career.”
And the race was a good launching pad for Anders into 2026. Junior Jacob Schuenemeyer (63rd, 17:25.5), junior Clayton Rozycki (70th, 17:29.6) and senior Gavin Koerber (98th, 17:53.5) turned in De Soto’s other scoring times. The Koerbers are twin brothers.
“I’ve been so fortunate to have someone push me,” Anders said. “This was such a great team with so many memories and I’m going to work harder and hope to show what I got next year.”
Windsor sophomore James Schlarman was 82nd in 17:39.40.
Blackcat boys, girls both finish third in Class 3
As the only high school competing in Class 3 in Jefferson County, the Herculaneum boys and girls find themselves relying on each other for support.
Maybe that’s the reason when one wins either a state championship or finishes among the top four teams to win a trophy, the other usually does, too. With so much state success that stretches back decades between the two Blackcat teams, it’s rare when they aren’t on the podium in the same year. The Herky boys have finished in the top four 29 times and have won 13 state crowns. The girls finished in the winners’ circle every year from 2004 to 2018, have been top four 26 times and won it all 11 times.
Carrying District 1 wins to the 3.1-mile (5K) course at Gans Creek in Columbia on Nov. 7, the Blackcats were poised to add to their trophy case.
The top three boys teams at state were separated by five points. Centralia High (94 points) repeated, Westminster Christian Academy (95) was second for its best state finish and the Blackcats (99) returned to the top four after a year away. Collegiate School of Med-Bio Science and Springfield Catholic each scored 144 points, but CSMBS won the tiebreaker for fourth place and its first cross country trophy.
“From not being on the podium last year to being five points from winning, they grew so much, maybe more than any other boys team I’ve had,” said Kyle Davis, the head coach of both Herky teams.
Hollister senior Sinry Mendoza set a Class 3 record at Gans with a winning time of 15:25.1. Freshman Noah Fitzgerald has carried the No. 1 mantle for the Blackcats all year, and he was their top finisher in 12th place with a personal-best time of 16:20.3. Fitzgerald’s talents were apparent in middle school, and his arrival to the varsity was eagerly anticipated.
“I wanted to work on my second and third mile, especially my last K,” Fitzgerald said. “I keep my eye on whoever’s in front of me and try and pass them and go to the next one.”
“Noah placed higher than he was ranked. For a freshman, he had amazing composure all year,” Davis said.
The top 30 runners are all-state and the top five times on each team are scored. The other four scoring Blackcats were senior Nathan Clampet (19th place, 16:48.6), junior Allen Wallman (36th, 17:13.8), sophomore Owen Davis (37th, 17:14.0) and senior Brandon Marshall (44th, 17:22.8).
“We all put our hearts on the line and gave it our all and I’m proud off every one of those guys,” Fitzgerald said.
Cape Girardeau Notre Dame won the girls title with 93 points, breaking St. Charles West’s three-year reign. The Warriors were second with 106, Herculaneum was third (110) and Knob Noster was fourth (128).
“Ultimately, two separate teams, but one program, one family,” said Davis. “The boys ran phenomenal. Our girls were a little off today and it got them. You’ve got to be on here. There are no guarantees. Cape Notre Dame ran a phenomenal race. St. Charles West closed out hard and caught us. It’s an honor to have an off day and be on the podium. The girls will be way harder on themselves than I am.”
West junior Brianna Krueger repeated as the individual state champion, winning in 18:15.1, 31 seconds faster than her time last year. Notre Dame sophomore Martina Ressel and senior Lily Coy finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in 2024 and climbed to second (Ressel, 18:42.2) and third (Coy, 18:52.4), leading the Bulldogs to their first state crown.
Sophomore Amaya Ferguson turned in Herky’s best finish, 18th in 20:13.0. Ferguson finished 17th at state last year.
Sophomore Brylee Wishard (22nd, 20:20.1), junior Emerson Reeves (28th, 20:33.5), sophomore Aubrianna Shadowens (54th, 21:35.9) and sophomore Rylie Pruett (58th, 21:39.9) ran in the top five for the Blackcats.
“Last year, I felt more by myself and this year I was running for my team a lot more,” Ferguson said. “I really love my team. They push me.”
Ferguson had the names of seniors Claira Davis (Kyle’s daughter) and Ethan Grosbauer written on her fingers for the race so when things got tough she’d look at them as a reminder of her injured teammates who couldn’t compete at state.
“I went out and felt OK. In the middle, I got a little mental, and I looked at my fingers,” Ferguson said. “Every time I felt I couldn’t go longer, I ran for them.”
“Amaya’s on pace to be all-state all four years She did her job today and finished strong,” Kyle Davis said.
Blue Jays close to first team award in cross country
The Class 1-2 boys and girls were held at Gans on Nov. 8. The Jefferson High boys cross country team was eight points away from winning its first state trophy after finishing fifth with 161 points at the Class 2 meet.
Woodland High won the Class 2 boys with 102 points, Thomas Jefferson Independent was a close second with 105, McAuley Catholic third (142) and Fatima High was fourth (153).
El Dorado Springs junior Wyatt Klaiber won the Class 2 individual race in 14:51.0. St. Pius X senior Jayden Metzler completed his fourth run at state with his third medal and highest finish (ninth, 16:10).
The Blue Jays had two all-state runners: junior Bryant Horn (20th, 16:45.7) and senior Ethan McVey (28th, 16:57.0).
In the Class 1 girls race, Crystal City freshman Makensie Gee was 41st in 22:13.4 and sophomore teammate Karly Klamert was 116th in 24:54.0