Cross country runners to make bid for state meet

Sectional and district meets will take place on Saturday.

By Jeremy Joffray ~ Southeast Missourian

If the Central girls cross country team can survive Saturday's Class 4 sectional meet at Jefferson Barracks Park in St. Louis County, the Tigers may be well tested for the state meet in Jefferson City, Mo., the following weekend.

Central failed to make it through the sectional as a team last year, but the four teams that did all crashed the state's top 10.

The Tigers return to sectional this year coming off an impressive district championship. The Tigers three individual state qualifiers from last year -- Jennifer Pancoast, Holly Shaffer and Linnea Woldtvedt -- swept the top three spots, as the Tigers placed six runners in the top 20.

"This is probably the best team we've had since my sophomore year," said Pancoast, who won her third straight district title. "We're all just really close in times."

The sectional field will include the addition of teams from Class 4 District 2, which was won by Marquette with Lafayette in second and Eureka in third. Eureka features defending individual champion Merideth Snow, a Southeast Missouri native.

"It's just the toughest sectional year in and year out," Central coach Mark Hahn said.

Added Pancoast: "There's six teams -- including us -- fighting for four spots, so it will be really close."

The top four teams and top 30 individuals qualify for the state meet. The boys race is scheduled for 12:10 p.m. with the girls to follow at 12:40.

The Jackson girls qualified for the sectional meet by finishing fourth in districts. The Indians are led by Rachel Schmidt and Ashley Meyr, both of whom finished in the top 12 at the district meet.

The Central also qualified for the sectional meet with a fourth-place finish at district. John Kipper was sixth in the meet and Cory Huskey finished eighth.

Sam Masters and David Welker were Jackson's two sectional qualifiers.

District meets

The small school cross country teams begin their postseason runs with district meets Saturday that qualify teams and runners directly to the state meet.

The Notre Dame and Saxony Lutheran boys programs are bidding for return trips to the state meet.

The top two teams and top 15 runners in each race advance.

Notre Dame, a second-place finisher at the state meet last season, will be among the favorites in the Class 2 District 1 race, also being run at Jefferson Barracks. Greg Kanneberg, Austin Critchlow and Matt Pfau are top returning runners for the Bulldogs.

Defending state champion Herculaneum also is in the district field.

The girls run at 11 a.m. and the boys follow at 11:35.

Saxony Lutheran, a fourth-place finisher in Class 1, will host the Class 1 District 1 meet at Jackson City Park. Local schools Oak Ridge, Delta, Meadow Heights and Advance will be at the meet. The boys run at 11 a.m. with the girls following at 11:30.

All-SEMO volleyball announced

Scott City, the champion of both the SEMO Conference tournament and regular season, had two first-team picks on the recently announced all-conference team.

Hitter Kacie Cartwright and setter Lindsey Amick were two of the six first-team members. Central's Jessica Johnston also made the first team.

Ashton Phillips and Abbie Cook of Scott City made the second team, as did Central's Laura Burdick, Chaffee's Chandra Wood and Oran's Courtney Nenninger and Carmen Duncan.

Winter practices

With two fall sports wrapped up and three to go, winter sports officially begin practice on Monday.

Wrestling, boys swimming and basketball will all kick into gear.