Bulldogs boys cross country runners earn trip to state meet

~ Elizabeth Kiblinger finished fifth in the girls race

Notre Dame found itself in familiar territory Saturday, but there was a different runner atop the Bulldogs' leaderboard.

Ryan Johnson ran to a second-place finish to help the Notre Dame boys team qualify for the state cross country meet. The Bulldogs took second at the Class 3 District 1 meet in Farmington, Mo.

Johnson crossed the line second, 1 second ahead of teammate Wynn McClellan.

"The good thing was when our top guy didn't have his best race, we had somebody there, right in the wings, to take care of things," Notre Dame coach Bill Davis said. "That says a lot for our character and I was real proud of those two the way they handled the situation."

Davis said he challenged Johnson and McClellan in the practices leading up to Saturday's district meet.

"Our plan was to go 1-2," Davis said. "They went, 'Is that possible, coach?' I said, 'Yeah, it's possible. We just have to run really, really well.' We did the next best thing possible, going 2-3. That really, really pulled us through there."

Notre Dame last won a cross country state title in 2005, but finished third in 2006 and 2007 and second last year. The Bulldogs, who have finished in the top four in the state for six consecutive years, will try to continue the streak Saturday at the Oak Hills Golf Center in Jefferson City, Mo.

"Every year we lose a few seniors and we lost some real good ones who have been with us for four," Davis said. "Some people said maybe that's the end of the era. Well, it wasn't. We knew we were going to have to fight real hard."

Notre Dame finished with 63 points, while Festus won the team title with 35. Farmington was third with 69.

Davis said he was pleased with Ethan Holcomb's 25th-place finish, the Bulldogs' No. 5 runner.

"Going into the season, we thought he firmly would be our No. 3 guy," Davis said. "But he's had two stress fractures and he hasn't ran at all since Hancock. ... He did a good job for us."

Cody Moore finished 17th and Josh Johnson was 20th for the Bulldogs.

Notre Dame sophomore Elizabeth Kiblinger also earned a trip to the state meet. She took fifth in the girls race.

"She just really runs consistently and as a sophomore, I really think she has a chance to make all-state," Davis said. "She's used to running up near the front. She doesn't hesitate, and that's really good."

BOYS

Team results -- 1. Festus, 35; 2. Notre Dame, 63; 3. Farmington, 69; 4. Potosi, 107; 5. De Soto, 122; 6. St. Mary's, 165; 7. Hillsboro, 174; 8. Ste. Genevieve, 206; 9. Windsor, 269

Local top fives

Notre Dame -- 2. Ryan Johnson, 16:23; 3. Wynn McClellan, 16:24; 17. Cody Moore, 17:27; 20. Josh Johnson, 17:40; 25. Ethan Holcomb, 17:59

GIRLS

Team results -- 1. Ste. Genevieve, 39; 2. Festus, 65; 3. Notre Dame, 74; 4. Farmington, 74; 5. Notre Dame (St. Louis), 123; 6. North County, 132

Local top fives

Notre Dame -- 5. Elizabeth Kiblinger, 20:13; 19. Jessica Triller, 21:47; 21. Ashley Schmittzehe, 22:12; 23. Alicia Landewee, 22:16; 26. Sarah Mittrucker, 22:29

-- From staff reports