This week, the Kansas City metro will converge on Peculiar, Missouri for the annual Kansas City Cross Country Classic. Teams from both sides of the border will compete in the metro's last major regular-season meet of the year.
Meet Information
Location: Raymore-Peculiar XC Course (20501 S School Rd, Peculiar, MO)
Weather: Sunny, with a morning low near 67 and an afternoon high near 91. No rain is predicted, and humidity is expected to be low. Wind 5-10mph.
Race Schedule
8:00AM - Girls C-Team
8:45AM - Boys C-Team
9:30AM - Girls Varsity
10:00AM - Boys Varsity
10:30AM - Girls Jr Varsity
11:15AM - Boys Jr Varsity
12:00PM - Awards
Preview & Analysis
The entry window closes Wednesday evening, so as of the writing of this article, it is possible that not all entries are submitted.
That being said, it appears that girls' teams like Mill Valley and Washburn Rural will not be bringing their full roster. However, it looks like Olathe North and St. James Academy will be going head-to-head at the top of the standings this year. St. Teresa's from the Missouri side will likely play a factor as well. The biggest storyline of the girls' team race, though, is Christ Preparatory Academy. This undefeated squad has already won the Wamego Invitational and the Crimson division of Rim Rock. Now, they'll stack up against their stiffest competition yet. Can they beat St. Thomas Aquinas & Park Hill South? What about St. Teresa's? And dare I say... challenge their neighbors, St. James? Christ Prep is certainly the team to watch in the girls' race.
Individually, Anjali Hocker-Singh is a solid favorite. St. Teresa's brings in a challenger, though, in Gracie Jacobs. She was second to Hocker-Singh a few weeks ago at Olathe Twilight. There are 9 girls with entry times under 19:00, so expect the leaders to be quick. Ashlyn Smith from Raymore-Peculiar could be the leader of that chase-pack, but don't count out Shea Johnson (Olathe North) or Isabella Ross (Blue Valley Southwest). Olathe South's Amy Gotfredson is coming off a top-10 finish at the Cowboy Jamboree, so she'll be one to watch as well.
For the boys, it may seem odd to mention a team West of Wichita in a KC meet, but keep an eye on Buhler. The Kansas 4A school could raise some eyebrows if they're firing on all cylinders. It would take a monumental day to win it over Gardner-Edgerton, though. The Trailblazers could run away with this one if things go their way. Buhler will likely be battling for position among Shawnee Mission North, Lee's Summit, Olathe East, Glendale, Central St. Joseph, and Park Hill South.
In the individual race, Micah Blomker is the favorite from Shawnee Mission North. The Bison is having a heck of a senior campaign, and has been shown to be a smart racer. Parker Walion of Garner-Edgerton will look to get back on track after a tough race at Rim Rock. He'll try to fight off Smithville's Liam Adair while his Trailblazer teammate Nick Kilonzo will join a dozen others in search of breaking 16:00 again this season.