By Chris Parker & Amanda Perkins
El Dorado Springs sophomore Wyatt Klaiber came into the Class 3 boys race looking for a state title after finishing fourth as a freshman.
He and Southern Boone’s junior Brian Burns battled throughout the race. The duo was side-by-side through the first three-kilometer mark.
Burns made his move from 3k to 4k, putting a seven-second gap between him and Klaiber. That gap held to the finish with Burns breaking the tape in first at 15:56.0 and Klaiber in second at 16:02.8.
“I feel like it was a pretty good race with the conditions. I was very blessed that I was able to finish it and enjoy this moment here at state. Being runner-up is a big deal, and I am super proud,” Klaiber said.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE BOYS RACE
Strafford’s Colton Willis, and the team, made huge improvements from last season. Willis was 56th in a time of 17:18.7. This year, Willis moved up to fourth place in a time of 16:33.4.
“We have a new coach this year. He had a lot of energy. He pushed us to places we didn’t think we could go,” Willis said.
As a team, Strafford finished fifth overall, which was a marked improvement over a 16th place finish last season.
Springfield Catholic’s Kyle Hathcock (15th – 17:12.7), El Dorado Springs’ Shane Fletcher (18th – 17:25.9) and Braxton Watts (21st – 17:26.2) all finished in the top 30 as well.
Springfield Catholic placed ninth as a team with Fair Grove taking 16th.
FULL RESULTS: BOYS RACE – CLICK HERE
In the girls’ race, all it took was a smile for Fair Grove sophomore Katrina Cantwell to overcome a mid-race swoon and surge into the top 10.
“I just had to smile and that’s what made me go faster,” Cantwell said.
Cantwell slipped from 13th to 16th from the two-kilometer to three-kilometer marks. From there, her smile carried her up seven spots in the final 2,000 meters to place ninth overall in a time of 20:17.4.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GIRLS RACE
El Dorado Springs senior Audrey Goatley placed 24th in a time of 20:42.1 and Clever’s Cali Smith took 25th in a time of 20:47.2 to round out the area’s all-state individuals.
El Dorado Springs (11th), Springfield Catholic (15th) and Houston (16th) represented the area in the team competition.
