Exclamation point

JEFFERSON CITY -- Saxony Lutheran has brought some potent teams to the state track meet the last two years, but there always had been one school that was better.

Until Saturday.

The Crusaders, runners-up to Polo the last two years, squeaked past Worth County 52-49 for the Class 1 boys track and field team championship, the first state title in the program's five-year history.

"I'm so happy for these guys," said Larry Cleair, who's coached the program from its inception. "They worked so hard for so long, they deserve it."

The decisive points come on the meet's final event -- the 1,600 relay, no given since Saxony was seeded third after the preliminaries. But with 80 percent of its state-qualifying quintet involved, the Crusaders won the event for the third straight year.

"I was worried because we had not run anything near what the other teams had run in the preliminaries," said Max Wieser, the team's only senior. "Running 4 seconds faster is amazing."

Saxony finished in 3 minutes, 29.32 seconds, nearly 2 seconds faster than Rich Hill and more than 5 seconds faster than third-place Valle. Either spot would have clinched the title.

"We were 2 seconds behind [the top preliminary times]," Cleair said, "but those guys had so much heart. You put a challenge in front of them and they take off for it."

The Crusaders foursome of Joe Buerck, Wieser, Andrew Etzold and Ross Gage opened the meet by winning the 3,200 relay Friday, marking the fourth straight year the school has won the race. With Gage, Wieser and Etzold joining Mark Buerck, Saxony closed by winning the 1,600 for the third straight year.

"This wasn't as easy for us as the 4-by-8," Wieser said, "but it was just as important to us to win this for the third straight year."

The Crusaders were never challenged and the title was never in doubt after Etzold, a junior, ran the opening leg of the relay in 52.20 to give Saxony a lead of about 10 yards.

"Andrew did an excellent job," Mark Buerck said. "I didn't expect to have that kind of lead."

"I didn't know how big of a lead we had," Etzold said. "But I could see when I was coming in that the other runners weren't getting ready for their exchanges."

Buerck followed by shaving his split down to 53.97, a second faster than Friday's prelim.

"That was the difference for us," Cleair said.

Gage, who won the 1,600 title and was the 800 runner-up earlier in the day, followed while Wieser, the state's 400 runner-up, closed it out in 50.69.

"He just went deep and found the strength," Cleair said.

"I wasn't sure if I had enough left," Wieser said, "but being a senior and being my last race, I had enough."

Wieser and Etzold also provided the turning point earlier in the day with second- and third-place finishes in the 400 behind Scott County Central's D.D. Gillespie. Etzold had come into the meet seeded sixth, and he had the fourth-best time in the prelims. The improvement of one place from the prelims to finals for both Wieser and Etzold provided a difference of three points -- the margin of victory.

"That was a big one," Wieser said.

Gage provided 18 points with his two individual events, cruising in the 1,600 and hanging on for second in the 800.

"Just an amazing athlete," Cleair said. "His 1,600 set the tone."

Saxony's five athletes accepted the championship trophy, which adds to two titles Cleair has directed for the cross country program.

"Some of the people who were working up here said, 'Where's the rest of your team?'" Wieser said. "It's amazing to finally get it after losing it by just a few points the last couple of years."

The Crusaders had been second last year despite two relay wins, three firsts by Brandon Etzold (Andrew's older brother) and another by hurdler Alex Jauch.

"Brandon is here today," Andrew said. "and I give him credit for leading us on all those practices the last two years."

Said Cleair: "After losing the kids we lost last year, I knew we'd still be good and was hoping top four, but these kids really amaze me."

And he amazes them.

"He's all about everyone else," Wieser said. "He doesn't think about himself ever. He's not afraid to make fun of you once in a while. He's a funny guy, and a tremendous coach."