Newcomer pairs with veteran as Woodland qualifies two for state cross country meet

Aaron Yount won't have to go to the Missouri Cross Country Championships alone this year.

The Woodland senior will be joined by teammate Garret Reynolds at the state meet next Saturday at the Oak Hills Golf Center in Jefferson City, Mo.

The duo qualified for the state meet by finishing in the top 15 of the boys Class 2 District 1 championship meet Saturday at the Jackson City Park.

"I'm glad I get to go with a teammate," Yount said. "Last year I went by myself, so going with a teammate hopefully will push me to do better in the race."

Yount finished in 150th at last year's state meet. Reynolds is a sophomore in his first year of participating on Woodland's cross country team.

"I think that they could surprise some people," Woodland cross country coach Ryan Layton said. "Both of them are capable of running in the mid to low 18 [minutes] ... and that's typically in the mix for the top 25 at the state. If they come out and do their best, it could be that kind of day."

Yount finished in 15th place with a time of 18 minutes, 53 seconds at the district meet to obtain the final qualifying spot. He finished less than two seconds ahead of teammate Kyle Davis, who finished 16th. He said that all he was worried about was making it in the top 15.

"Everybody through the race, my family and friends, was telling me I was 14th," Yount said. "Then two guys went to pass me at the end. [Arcadia Valley's Jimmy Strickland] passed me and I tried to keep up with him. Kyle was right behind, and I made sure I stayed in front of him so I could make it in 15th."

Reynolds finished in eighth place with a time of 18:15.10, a good finish for a runner in his first season. Reynolds said he was talked into going out for cross country.

"I knew I could probably do it if I really tried and practiced hard, but I didn't know I could be at this level at the beginning of the year," Reynolds said.

Jesse Perry (18:27.32) of Scott City also qualified for the state meet by finishing 11th.

Woodland took third place in the team competition at the district meet, just missing a state qualifying spot. Herculaneum and Arcadia Valley finished first and second, respectively, to advance. Saxony Lutheran finished in seventh, while Kelly finished eighth.

Herculaneum and Arcadia Valley also finished first and second in the girls Class 2 District 1 meet on Saturday. Saxony Lutheran finished in third place, while Woodland finished sixth.

Individual runners from the area who qualified for the girls state meet are Scott City's Hannah Shemonia (11th in 22:44.08) and Saxony Lutheran's Rachael Gruenwald (15th in 23:28.30).

CLASS 2 DISTRICT 1

BOYS

Team -- 1. Herculaneum 23, 2. Arcadia Valley 67, 3. Woodland 91, 4. Valley Park 128, 5. Jefferson 150, 6. Hancock 156, 7. Saxony Lutheran 164, 8. Kelly 169, 9. St. Pius X 201

Woodland -- 8. Garret Reynolds 18:15.10, 15. Aaron Yount 18:53.73, 16. Kyle Davis 18:55.32, 18. Dakota Long 19:14.55, 38. Bryce Crites 20:36.87.

Saxony Lutheran -- 20. Aaron Koehler 19:34.76, 31. Brandon Fritsche 20:02.63, 36. Anthony Etzold 20:14.85, 40. Zachery Vogel 20:50.57, 42. Taylor Richmond 20:55.26.

Kelly -- 23. Jerrod Lynn 19:38.63, 24. Alan Lowe 19:43.63 27. Trey Walker 19:51.23, 46. Jacob McClain 21:16.63, 55. Robbie Harper 22:33.02.

Top 15 -- 1. Drake Smelser, Herculaneum, 17:08.75; 2. Austin Haas, Herculaneum, 17:46.44; 3. Tristian Mock, Herculaneum, 17:47.64; 4. Colton Kassen, Colton, Jefferson, 17:49.73; 5. Alan Adams, Valley Park, 17:56.83; 6. TJ Jenkins, Herculaneum, 17:57.42; 7. Colin Tedford, Arcadia Valley, 18:12.14; 8. Garret Reynolds, Woodland, 18:15.10; 9. Zach Tedford, Arcadia Valley, 18:20.68; 10. Usama Ahmad, Valley Park, 18:24.47; 11. Jesse Perry, Scott City, 18:27.32; 12. Adam Maxwell, Herculaneum, 18:42.05; 13. Josh Ferguson, Herculaneum, 18:48.03; 14. Jimmy Stricklin, Arcadia Valley, 18:53.19; 15. Aaron Yount, Woodland, 18:53.73

GIRLS

Team -- 1. Herculaneum 26, 2. Arcadia Valley 40, 3. Saxony Lutheran 86, 4. Valley Park 101, 5. St. Pius X 130, 6. Woodland 133.

Saxony Lutheran -- 15. Rachael Gruenwald 23:28.30, 18. Regan Obermann 23:59.84, 20. Breanne Etzold 24:23.10, 21. Dakota Werner 24:26.33, 22. Kristen Gruenwald 24:29.36.

Woodland -- 17. Bailey Jones 23:47.59, 25. Aiyana Storie 24:58.20, 26. Valerie Lewis 25:16.53, 35. Cassidy Sawyer 26:17.73, 46. Adrian McCoy 31:35.47.

Top 15 -- 1. Kaitlyn Fischer, Herculaneum, 18:17.79; 2. Saga Barzowski, Arcadia Valley, 19:39.10; 3. Anna Thomas, Arcadia Valley, 20:59.07; 4. Brittany Bishop, Herculaneum, 21:04.86; 5. Hanna Teer, Valley Park, 21:08.72, 6. Sam Jarvis, Herculaneum, 21:12.87; 7. Mary Moloney, Herculaneum, 21:26.51; 8. Kaylin Manes, Herculaneum, 21:36.17; 9. Ana Barzowski, Arcadia Valley, 22:14.55; 10. Meaghan Fowler, Valley Park, 22:25.13; 11. Hannah Shemonia, Scott City, 2:44.08; 12. Kristen Keeney, Jefferson, 22:54.73; 13. Meghan Karoly, St. Pius X, 23:03.43; 14. MaryGrace McGill, Arcadia Valley, 23:12.56; 15. Rachael Gruenwald, Saxony Lutheran, 23:28.30.