Class 2 cross country: Reynolds closes out career with all-state finish at state meet

Woodland senior Garret Reynolds closed out his high school cross country career with another state medal at Saturday's Class 2 state meet.

Reynolds posted a 21st-place finish with an all-state time of 17 minutes, 31.38 seconds at the Oak Hills Golf Center in Jefferson City, Missouri. The result was an improvement place-wise from his performance last year. As a junior, Reynolds finished 25th with a time of 17 minutes, 27.03 seconds.

"This year there were a little bit harsher conditions," Reynolds said. "The wind was blowing a lot harder."

Whitfield senior Nate Gelber won the Class 2 boys race with a time of 16:04.62 to lead the Warriors to the state team championship.

Reynolds said he was content with his performance at his final state cross country meet.

"I was pretty pleased, honestly," he said. "It was a very fitting end to my high school career, leading into track season."

Woodland coach Ryan Layton praised Reynolds for his commitment and dedication to the Cardinals' cross country program.

"Garret's been a big part of our step forward," he said. "Our program's been getting steadily stronger and stronger a little bit at a time since we started nine years ago, and there's definitely been a drastic change in the whole attitude of the team that was almost immediately when he started."

Reynolds has been a two-time all-conference first team selection as well as a two-time all-district runner. He was the individual district and conference champion last year and was also earned all-state honors. He was also the only boy from Class 2 District 1 who medaled at state each of the last two years.

Along with his physical prowess and speed, Reynolds also brings inspiring leadership to his younger teammates.

"He's our team leader," Layton said. "He really has been since he started running his sophomore year. That says a lot about his character and work ethic, and it'll show up again in basketball and in the spring during baseball. That's just who Garret is. Our program wouldn't be the way that is without him and without his mentality that he brings to our team."

Reynolds is looking forward to the start of basketball practice on Monday and said he is going to try to participate in both baseball and Woodland's inaugural track and field season in the spring.

He said he'd leave his younger teammates with the message to "believe in yourselves and put in the mileage."

BOYS

Team Standings -- 1. Whitfield 72; 2. Springfield Catholic 77; 3. Herculaneum 120; 4. Fatima 132; 5. Lamar 136; 6. Strafford 138; 7. Linn 177; 8. El Dorado Springs 242; 9. Plato 244; 10. Jefferson (Festus) 246; 11. Bowling Green 256; 12. Bishop LeBlond 257; 13. Ava 284; 14. Lawson 310; 15. Father Tolton 383; 16. Valley Park 402

Local results

SCOTT CITY -- 83. Jesse Perry (18:39.05)

WOODLAND -- 21. Garret Reynolds (17:31.38); 87. Landon Thomsen (18:43.16)

GIRLS

Team Standings -- 1. Fatima 52; 2. Herculaneum 95; 3. Whitfield 132; 4. Bowling Green 134; 5. Blair Oaks 148; 6. Holden 159; 7. Stockton 174; 8. Springfield Catholic 177; 9. Valley Park 229; 10. Arcadia Valley 234; 11. Ava 244; 12. Alton 290; 13. Lawson 298; 14. Lathrop 339; 15. Blue Eye 362; 16. Mark Twain 415

Local results

SAXONY LUTHERAN -- 82. Grace Hanebrink (23:01.58); 110. Katie Richmond (23:34.39)

WOODLAND -- 73. Cheyenne Wells (22:45.81)