Larry Cleair has done his homework on the state cross country meet.

Take all of last year's finishes, knock out the graduated runners and -- voila -- Saxony Lutheran should be the top team in Saturday's Class 1 boys race.

Of course, when the race begins at 12:15 p.m. Saturday at Oak Hills Golf Center in Jefferson City, all the calculations and charts won't mean a thing.

"We've still got to run the race, and we have to keep everyone healthy," said Cleair, who coached the Crusaders to a fourth-place state finish last year in the program's debut season.

The top three teams from last year -- West Platte, Alton and Van Buren -- also return to state, but all three lost their top state finishers from last year.

Cleair also believes his team has improved substantially since last season.

"We're sitting in a good spot," he said. "I think we're in a good position to pick up a plaque, and hopefully it's the big one."

With five runners back from last year's state race, Saxony Lutheran dominated the Class 1 District 1 meet last weekend in Jackson. Led by the 1-2-3 finish from sophomore Brandon Etzold, sophomore Peter Winningham and junior Trey Maevers, the Crusaders scored 25 points to runner-up Valley Park's 49 points.

Saxony ended up with five runners in the top 12 and all seven in the top 20 at the district meet. Freshman Max Wieser was 11th, sophomore Kory Mueller 12th, junior Grant Lehmann 16th and sophomore Alex Jauch 18th.

That kind of depth is important at the state meet.

"In the district meet, we were shooting for all seven in the top 20," Cleair said. "At state, we want to get five in the top 50."

Cleair said while some of his runners should contend for top 25 medalist honors -- Etzold was the only medalist last year in 21st place -- the emphasis is on capturing the team championship.

"They have a goal of first place, and they're going to run smart," Cleair said. "Our kids are focused. The kids who went up last year were basically telling the kids coming as alternates to behave.

"I don't think they're tied in knots. They've been through it before."

Etzold, Maevers and Mueller finished in the top 50 at the state meet last year. Winningham and Lehmann rounded out the top five by finishing in the first 80 overall runners.

With a pressure-packed meet like the state championship on a challenging, hilly course, the experience will be important.

"Most of the year, you're in small meets with 80 or 90 people running," Cleair said. "All of a sudden, there are 170 runners and a few thousand people watching. Experience is a real plus for us."