Narrow path to state meet

~ Tough competition leaves little room for error for schools like Perryville.

In Class 1, 2 and 3 in cross country, only the top two teams from the district meet advance to state.

So when a team considered to be the front-runner for a state title resides in your district, that leaves only one berth to be fought for among many teams.

Such is the situation Perryville finds itself in again this season. Potosi, host of the Class 3 District 1 race, has won two of the past three state boys championships and finished second to West Plains last season. The Trojans return two of the top-five finishers at the state meet last season.

While Perryville coach Wes Armbruster is not going to concede the district title to Potosi, he said simply qualifying for the state meet is his team's top goal.

"We're realistic, probably the only team in the state that can beat Potosi is West Plains," Armbruster said. "That's just the facts. I don't come out and say we can't beat Potosi, but the thing we're focused on is getting second place and getting the opportunity at state."

Along with the top two teams, the top 15 individuals advance to the state meet.

The Pirates, state qualifiers a year ago, have put together another strong season. Perryville has beaten Notre Dame and Central -- the other top boys teams in the Southeast Missourian coverage area -- at one point or another this season.

"The last four weeks, the only team that's beaten us is Potosi," Armbruster said. "We beat Ste. Genevieve, a good Class 2 team, and we beat Notre Dame, and coach Davis' group is phenomenal."

Seniors Jesse Kueker and Kyle Bert lead Perryville, which is coming off of a first-place finish in the Jefferson County Conference meet. William Benline, a junior, and sophomore Montana Giesler also have run in the top four for the Pirates this season.

"All of our top four have been consistent," Armbruster said. "All have got a medal at every meet from the first week on. They've mixed it up with the big boys. They may or may not be all-state, but all four are capable."

Last year, the Pirates finished 14th at the state meet. Kueker finished 69th, while Benline finished 99th and Bert 101st.

On the girls side, Perryville is led by Kendra and Leslie Schilli. The girls also qualified for the state meet last year.

Class 2 District 1

In the Class 2 District 1 meet at Jefferson Barracks, the Notre Dame boys will try to earn a return trip to the state meet. The Bulldogs finished fourth in Class 2 last year and second two seasons ago.

The boys race appears to be a three-way race for the top two spots between Notre Dame, Ste. Genevieve and Herculaneum. Herculaneum won the district last year and finished third at the state meet. Ste. Genevieve was only able to run four boys at the district meet last year due to injuries, but placed two individuals in the top five.

Notre Dame coach Bill Davis said he expects the race to be extremely close.

"They [Ste. Genevieve] would love nothing better to beat us. Then Herculaneum is just Herculaneum," Davis said. "Hopefully it's our time."

Greg Kanneberg and Matt Pfau, both seniors, have run at the state meet the past two years for the Bulldogs. Kanneberg and Pfau have given Notre Dame a steady hand in a group that features two freshmen and a sophomore in the top five.

"They're strong kids," Davis said of his seniors. "They've been to the district. The Pfau boy, this is his fourth year, and Kanneberg his third year. They've been to the state meet, they know what it takes. It's nice having them out front, leading."

Logan Davis and Dillon Klaffer, both freshmen, and sophomore Neil Kanneberg have all made an impact at the varsity level.

If the Bulldogs can place all five in the top 15, they would qualify for the state meet as a team even if they did not place in the top two.

"Our goal is to go five guys in the top 15," Davis said. "I'm kind of thinking it might come to that. That's our goal."

On the girls side, sophomore Jessica Banda is likely the Bulldogs' best chance for a state berth.

Class 1 District 1

Another team looking for a third consecutive state trophy, defending Class 1 state champion Saxony Lutheran, will begin its title defense today at Jackson City Park in the District 1 meet. Saxony Lutheran is the two-time defending district champion and ran away with it last year, placing three runners in the top four.

"I think they are going into it with the right attitude," Saxony Lutheran coach Larry Cleair said of his team. "There's no guarantees of anything, but we are the team to beat, which is a lot nicer than knowing you have to pull off an incredible upset."

The Crusaders return nearly their entire squad from last year and are led by junior Brandon Etzold. Etzold finished fourth at the state meet last year with teammate Trey Maevers finishing sixth.

"I've been impressed with everyone on my team," Cleair said. "They've exceeded my expectations from before the season started. I think we're well beyond where I thought we'd be."

Class 4 sectional

After posting a pair of district titles last week at Jackson, Central will try to qualify its boys and girls teams for the state meet after being shut out last year. The Class 4 sectional race will be run at Jefferson Barracks.

The top four teams and top 30 individuals advance to the state meet.

Central's girls, winners of five straight district titles, had the top two finishers at the district meet in senior Linnea Woldtvedt and freshman Brittany Moreland. Fellow freshman Veronica Schabbing was ninth.

John Kipper finished second and fellow senior Dan Austin was seventh to lead Central's boys. Tyler Yeargain, a junior, finished ninth for the Tigers.

Not only did Central win both district titles, both teams had all seven runners finish in the top 30.

Jackson's girls also will make a return trip to the sectional meet thanks to the running of sophomores Amy Sterling and Beth Barton. Sterling was third, and Barton finished sixth. Jackson finished third as a team.

Greg Gibson and David Welker were the lone qualifiers for Jackson's boys.