JACKSON — St. Vincent senior Reagan Meyer started her 2025 cross country season with a bang, claiming first place in the senior girls’ division of the Jackson High School Cross Country Invitational on Saturday at Jackson City Park.
Meyer finished the two-mile course in 12 minutes, 40.56 seconds, 41 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Mary Laird of Kirkwood, who finished in 13:21.45. Jackson’s Emma Niedbalski was third in 13:24.98, followed by teammate Anika Stephens (13:56.36) and Poplar Bluff’s Ava Stotts (13:57.64).
Saturday’s season opener featured 25 teams with runners separated by age and sex running the two-mile route around the park.
Rounding the Lady Indians roster in the senior girls’ event were Audrey Amschler, who finished 18th in 16:06.13; Jocelyn Weibrecht in 24th in 17:46.93; and Sybina and Sybella Nations in 30th and 31st in 19:50.51 and 20:15.37, respectively.
As a team, St. Vincent finished fourth behind Jackson, Kirkwood and Poplar Bluff.
Perryville, led by Alexa Hagan’s 17th-place finish in 16:04.19, was sixth. Katie Baggett was 27th in 18:06.22, and Eloise Bollinger was 29th in 19:32.66.
Allie McKee was the only Saxony Lutheran runner to compete in the senior girls’ race, finishing 28th in 18:21.87.
On the senior boys’ side, Perryville claimed fourth place in the team standings behind Kirkwood, Herculaneum and Jefferson. Clayton Bauwens led the Pirates’ four-man lineup, finishing ninth in 11:35.40. Rodney Rauh was 27th in 13:32.82, Brandon Roth was 30th in 14:01.11, and Lucas Fritsche was 37th in 17:59.04.
Saxony’s only senior runner, Walter Meyer, was 41st in 22:45.48.
In the junior girls’ race, Saxony Lutheran claimed third, just ahead of fourth-place Perryville. Kirkwood and Jackson were first and second, respectively.
Leading the Lady Crusaders was Raylee Matthews, who finished 10th in 15:31.48. Adalyn Brandhorst was 12th in 15:44.22, and Megan Birk was 19th in 17:11.54. For Perryville, Lucy Blythe was 13th in 15:48.71, Anna Rehagen finished 14th in 16:01.78, and Irma Camaja Raymundo was 25th in 20:03.28.
St. Vincent was back on the course for the junior boys’ event, with Carter Hennemann finishing fourth in 10:52.46, 21 seconds behind first-place finisher Nathan Miesner of Jackson (10:31.14) and just 7 seconds behind third-place finisher Lukas Lyons of Kirkwood (10:45.83). Kirkwood’s Caleb Arthur was second in 10:44.26. Noah Winschel rounded out the St. Vincent contingent with a 34th-place finish in 14:34.33.
Saxony Lutheran finished third in the team standings behind Kirkwood and Jackson, led by Nicolas Chambless, who finished eighth in 11:47.35. Jacob Schupp and Evan Ward finished back-to-back in 11th and 12th in 12:03.49 and 12:05.60, respectively, while Henry Klaus was 21st in 12:33.04, Simon May was 29th in 13:06.33, and Noah Meyr was 42nd in 15:37.66.
Perryville’s Aidan Unverferth was 41st in 15:32.10.
In the sophomore girls’ race, St. Vincent’s Anna Welker finished ninth in 14:25.82 and Sydney Taylor was 24th in 24:12.25. Saxony Lutheran’s Eva Williamson and Gretchen Wolfe finished back-to-back in 15th and 16th in 16:27.17 and 16:36.17, respectively.
On the boys’ side, St. Vincent finished fourth in the team standings behind Kirkwood, Jackson and Herculaneum, led by Luke Ryan, who finished 22nd in 12:57.15. Bo Burgin was 30th in 13:15.23, Caden Hadler was 32nd in 13:16.48, Jackson Strattman was 33rd in 13:16.78, Collin Tilley was 46th in 14:08.68, and Tristin Anders was 60th in 15:25.97.
Saxony Lutheran’s Samuel Petzoldt was 36th in 13:26.21, while Perryville’s Cale Austin was 50th in 14:28.35 and Colton O’Keefe was 55th in 14:51.68.
For the freshman girls, Perryville finished third in the team standings behind Jackson and Kirkwood, led by Addelynne Kirn’s 13th-place finish in 16:13.53. Esveidy Antonio Garcia was 15th in 16:58.42, and Grace Buchheit was 17th in 17:11.36. Saxony Lutheran’s Emmy Bengtson was ninth in 15:39.65, and St. Vincent’s Adeline Carlton was 12th in 16:13.24.
On the boys’ side, Perryville’s Easton Blechle was fourth in 12:00.57 and Jonathon Randolph was 43rd in 15:05.09. Saxony Lutheran’s Silas Hohenadel was 38th in 14:08.70.
