More than 1,000 athletes from 58 boys and girls track and field teams convened at Tiger Stadium in Festus for the McCullough-Douglass Invitational on March 29, providing an early look at some of the top athletes and teams.
The day started with the 3,200-meter elite-class boys and girls races. There was a sense that the nine-minute mark could be broken on the boys side, challenging the on-Missouri-soil prep record of 8:56.53 by Ryan Riddle of Webb City, set on his home track in 2018. Riddle’s record remained intact as Rockhurst senior Henry Acorn, the 2024 Class 5 state cross country champion, powered to the front on the last lap and finished first in 9:01.93.
The Eureka boys and girls opened their season in Festus and competed among familiar rivals like Lafayette and Rockwood Summit, as well as schools from around the state and beyond. The Wildcats had a month to prepare for one of their toughest competitions before the Class 5 District 2 meet next month at Parkway South.
“We have lots of new girls out, so we’re still trying to figure out where we can grow and get better,” said Wildcat girls head coach Darrell Lewis after they finished fifth with 55.5 points. The host Tigers won the girls meet with 106 points, followed by Jackson (72.5), North Point of Wentzville (71.5) and Lafayette (69).
Filling 19 events with quality athletes requires chess-like precision from coaches, and the Eureka girls have two Bishops who can checkmate opponents. Senior twin sisters Ayla and Daphne Bishop were both state qualifiers last year and appear ready to reach the medal stand in Jefferson City.
Ayla not only won the pole vault at Festus, but her height of 3.50 meters (11-5.75) broke the school record. It was almost a half-foot higher than second place and would have placed her fifth at the 2024 state meet.
Daphne was the top runner for the school’s Class 5 state-champion cross country team last November, finishing seventh. She placed fifth in the 3,200-meter run at Festus in 11:19.99, the fifth-fastest time in school history. She also will compete in the 800, 1,600 and 4x800 relay this spring.
The rest of the state cross country team gives Eureka multiple chances to score in the distance events. Sophomore Sophia Hoerchler finished third in the 1,600 in a PR of 5:27.98. Junior Haley Meek also set a PR, coming in fifth in 5:33.84. Junior Abigail Smith was seventh in the 800 in a PR of 2:28.45. Another junior, newcomer Brooke Samuelson, will deploy in the 400, 800, 1,600, 4x400 and 4x800 relays.
Eureka qualified all four of its relay teams for state last year. At Festus, the Wildcat 4x400 came in second in 4:17.72 and their 4x800 took third in 10:11.74.
“Sofia and Brooke are both extremely talented middle distance runners,” Lewis said. “Sofia is coming off a breakout season in cross country, where she earned all-state honors, and has already set a big PR in the 1,600 this season. Brooke is competing in track and field for the first time. She has previously competed on an AAU team and has proven that she can be a very competitive 800 runner.”
The rest of the girls team includes seniors Jenna Cubbage (long jump, triple jump, high jump, hurdles), Madison Doss (100, 200, 4x100, 4x200), Ella Heisel (shot put, discus), Olivia Pearce (800, 1,600, 4x800) and Claire Shanley (shot put, discus); juniors Savanna Wylie (4x400, 400) and Amara Vanderhoof (long jump, high jump, triple jump, hurdles); sophomore Hannah Garrett (shot put, discus, javelin) and freshman Claire McKinnon (1,600, 3,200, 4x800).
“Our goal is always to qualify as many kids for the state championship meet as we can and to try to come home with a trophy,” Lewis said. “Winning conference is always fun as well. We have won the Suburban Red (pool) the past two years, so it would be nice to make it three years in a row.”
In 2024, the Eureka boys won state medals in the 200, 400, 4x400 relay and two in the pole vault as they finished 13th. But all those medalists graduated.
At McCullough-Douglass, the Wildcats were competing against two of the best teams in Class 5 in Rockhurst (Kansas City) and Rock Bridge (Columbia). Rock Bridge won with 102 points while Eureka was 21st with 10.
“We’re really excited about our (turnout) numbers,” Eureka boys head coach Brad DeMattei said. “We have a big freshman class and other kids who’ve come out from other sports, (kids) who never (did) track before.”
Joe Rauls, a junior, qualified for state in cross country last fall and started at guard on the Wildcat basketball team. He’s Eureka’s top distance runner on the boys side and finished 15th in the 1,600 at Festus, clocking 4:40.79. DeMattei chose to hold him out of both the 800 and 3,200.
“He just stepped off the basketball court,” DeMattei said. “We weren’t going to throw him into the fire just yet.”
Junior pole vaulter Kai Mitchell is no longer overshadowed by Wildcat state medalists William Geiler and Carter Langenbacher, who both graduated. Mitchell placed sixth at Festus in 3.96.
Senior Braden Kirn chose track over baseball this spring and is putting his throwing arm to the test in the javelin. He ended up 10th in 40.31 meters.
Wildcats were second in state last season
The Eureka girls soccer team, coming off a second-place finish in Missouri Class 4 last year, opened its 2025 campaign going 1-0-1 in pool play in the St. Louis High School Champions League.
The Wildcats launched the season with a wild 6-5 win over Ladue on March 25 in which both teams scored four goals in the second half. Eureka fought to a 0-0 tie with Francis Howell Central (1-0-2) in Cottleville on March 29. The Wildcats conclude pool play at home against St. Joseph’s Academy (1-0-1) on Saturday. The winners of the four pools meet in the semifinals on April 12 and the championship is April 25.
Outside of the tournament, Eureka played Webster Groves (0-0) at Moss Field on Tuesday, after the Leader deadline, and visits Parkway West (0-2) on Friday.
“They (Webster) play organized and usually have a lot of speed up top,” Eureka head coach Mike Hanna said. “We don’t get any chances to catch our breath.”
Howell Central senior backs Aly Wickenhauser and Morgan Davis threw up a brick wall on defense, dribbling far out of their own end several times. Central had its best chance to score early in the second half when a rising shot went over the outstretched arms of Eureka senior goalkeeper Jenna Selbert and hit the football goal post just above the soccer crossbar.
The Wildcats had their opportunities in front of Spartan keeper Dannie Little, but their best chance to score didn’t come until the final minute when sophomore forward Emerson Robb’s corner kick was headed clear by Davis and kicked to Eureka’s side of the field by senior midfielder Cassie Durbin.
“We switched things up at halftime and put them under a little more pressure,” Hanna said. “We were just one touch away. We had through-balls, but we put them in too hard whereas (against Ladue) everything was getting through. They made a great play (on the corner kick), got a piece of it and put it wide. (Davis) won everything in the air.”
Selbert, who posted three shutouts in 420 minutes of backup duty last season, made six saves against Ladue in addition to earning shutout credit against Howell Central.
“She had no chance on most of those (Ladue) goals, so we put it on her defense to give her an opportunity and she stepped up,” Hanna said.
Junior forward Marleigh Allen had two goals and an assist against Ladue, which was paced by Peyton O’Shaughnessy’s two goals. O’Shaughnessy also was called for five fouls. Sophomore forwards Caroline Conley, Sarah Floyd and Addy Niedergerke and senior midfielder Bailey Flanagan banged home the other Eureka goals. Flanagan, sophomore midfielder Abby Bennett and senior midfielder Alessandra Carvalhaes had assists.
“We (and Ladue) both knew we had good offenses and we both went after it,” Hanna said. “In this one (against Central), they knew what we wanted to do offensively and they sat and dictated and unfortunately we came out a little flat. It was a good eye-opener for (this early). Overall, the things we’d worked on since (the Ladue game) showed up.
“We were up big (against the Rams) and let it slip away and get close,” Hanna said. “This week we’ve been shifting players defensively and when we watch the film it’s going to look better.”
Eureka is in Class 4 District 4 with Suburban Conference Yellow pool rivals Lafayette and Marquette, joined by Lebanon, Northwest, Parkway South, Rolla and Waynesville. The Wildcats beat Lafayette 1-0 in last season’s district final.
Defending state champions reload for another trip to final
The Eureka girls lacrosse team is in unfamiliar territory.
For the first time, the Wildcats enter a season as the defending state champions. They beat Mary Institute-Country Day School 18-10 last May to capture their first Missouri State Lacrosse Association title, after falling just short the two previous seasons.
A core group of now-graduated Wildcats – Kylie Pickens, Bailey Boulay, Kaitlin Reis, Lucy Kneer and Ximena Prieto – are continuing the sport in college. Pickens left the biggest shoes to fill, scoring three goals in the state final and firing in more than 100 over her last two seasons. She’s playing at Rockhurst University in Kansas City. Reis was the Wildcats’ starting goalkeeper.
Veteran head coach Melissa Menchella welcomed back several players who contributed to the state championship run, including senior attackers Katie Criswell and Ruby Copeland and juniors Amelia Craig (attack) and Alyssa Olivio (midfield). They combined for eight goals against MICDS.
“(Criswell) has been a great leader on the offense; we’re relying on her this year,” Menchella said. “Ruby has the most experience on offense. She has strong stick skills and is versatile on and off the ball. She’ll take on a major offensive role.
“(Craig) works on the left side with Ruby. They do a good job of feeding off each other. She has some of the best stick skills on the team.
“(Olivio) has spoken up vocally and is trying to fill the shoes of the seniors we lost last year. We’re relying on her because we have holes in midfield to figure out.”
One key to success in lacrosse is being strong on the draw, similar to the face-off in hockey. That was one of Pickens’ skills and Menchella said sophomore midfielder Addy Hays is filling that role.
“We have three girls trying to do that. Hays is strong, aggressive and physical.”
Junior Ainsley Seitz takes over for Reis in goal after playing more than 200 minutes last year, including appearances in the postseason.
“I’m trying to get her to be aggressive in that crease and she’s been listening very well,” Menchella said.
Eureka opened the season March 26 with a 12-3 victory over O’Fallon, Ill. The Wildcats traveled to suburban Nashville, Tenn., last week, beating Franklin 14-4 but losing to Brentwood 20-9.
Menchella’s squad played John Burroughs (2-0) on Tuesday, after the Leader deadline. Eureka downed the Bombers 11-10 in the state semifinals last year. Cor Jesu Academy (1-0) visits the Wildcats tonight (April 3). The Chargers won the state title in 2023.
“The game against Burroughs will be telling,” Menchella said. “I don’t know what to expect because we haven’t played many games. We’ve prepared the best we can for them. We have a lot of question marks, a lot to figure out. We’re still moving girls around positionally.
“We have some good leadership who are returners. We want to make sure they’re carrying on a high level of competition. We have good athleticism in general and the girls are pretty aggressive.
“We would love to remain a competitive public school, if not one of the best in the state. I’ve been trying to not put pressure on the girls. We’re talking about the games ahead of us.”
Boys volleyball moves to 3-0
The Eureka boys volleyball team lost the first set 27-25 to visiting Parkway West on Monday night but stormed back to win the next three 25-11, 25-16, 25-20 and remain unbeaten this season.
The Wildcats opened their campaign by sweeping Seckman 25-22, 25-13, 25-20 before going five sets at Mehlville and winning the deciding set 15-13. Jack McMillen and Sutton Reed led Eureka with 17 kills apiece. Setter Jett Wilken had 38 assists.
The Wildcats traveled to Christian Brothers College High (2-3) on Wednesday, after the Leader deadline.