Festus returns every runner from last year’s Class 4 state champion and senior Jacob Meyers has emerged as its No. 1 the past two races. He won the Jefferson County Activities Association championship in 16:40.80 on Oct. 16 and cruised to the Class 4 District 1 title Saturday in 15:52.82 at Bridal Ridge Acres in Hillsboro.
With 31 points, Festus easily won the team championship and will join Hillsboro (103 points), Ladue (108) and Farmington (114) as the qualifying teams for Friday’s Class 4 state meet at Gans Creek in Columbia. The Tigers are in pursuit of a state record eighth straight state crown.
Rockwood Summit won the Class 4 District 1 girls title with 64 points. Farmington (76) and Clayton (115) were next. That left one more spot for a team to qualify for state. Festus squeezed past De Soto 135-139 to grab the fourth spot and keep running for another week.
Class 1 District 1 at Arcadia Valley, Oct. 30
Girls team scores: 1. Van Buren 20; 2. St. Vincent 57; 3. Crystal City 74; 4. Oak Ridge 87
Crystal individual finishes: 3. Lauren Hartman, 21:05.64; 18. Claire Marlow, 23:31.52; 31. Christin Davis, 24:30.95; 44. Quinn Breeze, 26:48.64; 55. Kaitlyn Dennis, 37:35.07
Class 2 District 1 at Arcadia Valley
Girls county team scores: 5. Grandview 131; 6. Jefferson 137
Girls county state qualifiers: 8. Kaitlyn Terrell, Grandview, 22:06.80; 19. Rachel Eimer, St. Pius, 22:35.30; 22. Reagan Edwards, St. Pius, 22:40.88; 23. Payton Easter, Jefferson, 22:42.10; 29. Bridgett Morris, Grandview, 24:00.46; 30. Hannah Wigger, Jefferson, 24:18.15
Boys county team scores: 7. Jefferson, 212
Boys county state qualifiers: 19. Ian Ehrhardt, Jefferson, 18:43.07
Class 3 District 1 at Arcadia Valley
Girls county team score: 3. Herculaneum, 85
Girls Herculaneum state qualifiers: 5. Raven Vance, 20:54.22; 15. Katelynn Armbruster, 21:27.07; 25. Kaitlin Taylor, 22:33.11; 26. Kendall Huber, 22:36.58; 27. Samantha Maddox, 22:49.75; 32. Olivia Lindaman, 23:12.50; 34. Anna Hartnett, 23:41.46
Boys county team score: 1. Herculaneum, 51
Boys Herculaneum state qualifiers: 3. Keith Vance, 16:55.21; 7. Sam Vaughn, 17:16.49; 13. Nathaniel Wright, 17:54.10; 14. Baden Costlow, 17:54.17; 17. Will Pierce, 17:59.79; 31. Braiden Schenewerk, 18:24.60; 38. Ashton Parrish, 18:38.91