Kaitlyn Shea might have had some butterflies in her stomach coming into Saturday's race.
But the Helias senior didn't let nerves get the best of her.
Shea earned an eighth-place finish while sophomores Kylie Frank and Kayla Yanskey placed in the top 25 to lead the Lady Crusaders to a third-place finish in Class 3 at the Missouri State High School Activities Association Cross Country Championships at the Oak Hills Golf Center.
"I was really nervous this morning, but my teammates came through and really supported me," Shea said. "I have them to thank."
Shea, a four-time all-state runner, turned in a time of 19:31, while Frank took 13th in 19:49 and Yanskey was 18th in 19:59 to lead the charge for the Lady Crusaders.
"We were just hoping to get a trophy, because it's Kaitlyn's last year," Franks said. "We wanted to bring it home since we've got a great group of girls. I thought we did a great job."
The Lady Crusaders haven't placed three runners in the top 25 since 2001, when the team finished second at state.
"We were hoping for a top-four finish," Yanskey said. "Of course, everyone wants to win state, but we're very happy with third. We worked very hard for it this season."
Molly Light took 65th, while Lanie Hentges was 69th, Abby Hake was 78th and Claire McDonald was 127th to help lead Helias, which finished with 108 points.
Festus took home top honors with 72 after winning a tiebreaker with Ste. Genevieve and M.I.C.D.S. finished fourth with 134.
"We were hoping we would be in the trophies," Helias coach Mary Haskamp said. "Festus and Ste. Genevieve are awesome teams. To be right behind them, it just feels really good."
Coming off a second-place finish at districts last week, the Helias boys, made up of just two varsity returners, turned in a 15th-place finish at the biggest event of the year.
"I think our miracle happened last week," Haskamp said. "We all ran excellent. We only had two kids coming back that were even varsity before. To have them make it to state was our ultimate goal of the season.
"Now you give them something to shoot for next year."
Helias junior Elliot Knernschield placed 48th in 17:44.34, while senior Thomas Asmar finished 54th in 17:49.50 to lead the Crusaders.
"I wanted to get top 25, so I took it out fast to try to put myself in that place and just try to hang on throughout the race," Knernschield said. "That was my goal. It didn't really work out the way I planned, but I'm going to work this summer, winter and through track season to get up on the medal stand."
Joe Bruemmer (143rd), Nathan Wieberg (157th), Justin Frese (164th), Jordan Wieberg (167th) and Ethan Rackers (168th) rounded out the field for Helias, which finished with 355 points.
Festus won the boys division with 24 points, while Notre Dame (86), Westminster Christian (136) and St. Charles rounded out the top-four schools.
With a young team returning, the Crusaders are hoping to be on the medal stand next season.
"Throughout the whole season, we gave everything we had," Knernschield said. "I think we really showed that today."
Class 3 Boys Cross Country
Team Standings
- 1. Festus, 24; 2. Cape Girardeau Notre Dame, 86; 3. Westminster Christian, 136; 4. St. Charles, 141; 5. Bolivar, 145; 6. Owensville, 202; 7. Warrensburg, 210; 8. Smithville, 226; 9. Grain Valley, 228; 10. Logan-Rogersville, 236; 11. Hannibal, 273; 12. Pembroke Hill, 294; 13. Clayton, 305; 14. MICDS, 340; 15. Helias, 355; 16. Chillicothe, 402.
Top 25 Individuals (All-State)
- 1. Michael Karls, Festus, 15:23.80; 2. Ben Naeger, Ste. Genevieve, 15:32.39; 3. Tyler Gillam, Festus, 15:59.03; 4. Caleb Gaylord, Potosi, 16:11.51; 5. Jacob Schweiss, Festus, 16:22.59; 6. Trent Classen, Warrensburg, 16:22.62; 7. Malik Holman, Mexico, 16:24.75; 8. Evan Peterson, Pembroke Hill, 16:25.52; 9. Andrew Whitener, Festus, 16:33.55; 10. Andrew Murray, Westminster, 16:34.57; 11. Rudy McClellan, Cape Girardeau Notre Dame, 16:42.46; 12. Blake Barth, Carl Junction, 16:47.71; 13. Carter Brocato, Owensville, 16:50.87; 14. Duncan Clark, Kirksville, 16:52.04; 15. Arthur Chan, St. Charles, 16:53.09.
- 16. Hunter Speichinger, Moberly, 16:54.67; 17. Schuyler Ogden, Ste. Genevieve, 16:56.80; 18. Ryan Skopec, Bolivar, 17:02.61; 19. Hunter Darnell, Festus, 17:03.93; 20. Brendan Pratt, Festus, 17:04.02; 21. Alfred Chan, St. Charles, 17:04.88; 22. Josh Sumner, Westminster, 17:06.12; 23. Dylan Fitzgerald, Union 17:06.42; 24. Maguire Scheer, Southern Boone, 17:07.70; 25. Ben Sporleder, Marshall 17:08.88
Helias Individuals
- 48. Elliott Knernschield, 17:44.34; 54. Thomas Asmar, 17:49.50; 143. Joe Bruemmer, 18:57.24; 157. Nathan Wieberg, 19:27.94; 164. Justin Frese, 20:02.24; 167. Jordan Wieberg, 20:35.09; 168. Ethan Rackers, 21:00.19.
School of the Osage Individual
- 72. Brian Jordan, 18:04.32.
Eldon Individuals
- 82. Chase Cook, 18:10.74; 117. Ryan Bennett, 18:34.58.
Class 3 Girls Cross Country
Team Standings
- Festus, 72; 2. Ste. Genevieve, 72; 3. Helias, 108; 4. MICDS, 134; 5. Villa Duchesne, 142; 6. East Newton, 183; 7. Warrensburg, 198; 8. Pembroke Hill, 207; 9. John Burroughs, 213; 10. Carl Junction, 213; 11. St. Francis Borgia, 292; 12. St. Charles, 315; 13. Smithville, 340; 14. Savannah, 348; 15. Grain Valley, 351; 16. St. Dominic, 441.
Top 25 Individuals (All-State)
- 1. Taylor Werner, Ste. Genevieve, 18:20.76; 2. Mia Jerman, Ste. Genevieve, 19:03.19; 3. Carolyn White, Festus, 19:05.43; 4. Alena Fugitt, Bolivar, 19:14.19; 5. Hannah Deines, Villa Duchesne, 19:16.62; 6. Elise Marker, Villa Duchesne, 19:20.29; 7. Emily Sorrell, East Newton, 19:30.24; 8. Kaitlyn Shea, Helias, 19:31.86; 9. Kinsey Sorrell, East Newton, 19:32.66; 10. Tabitha Weber, Marshfield, 19:33.69; 11. Caroline Meyers, O'Hara, 19:41.45; 12. Erica Wollmering, Kirksville, 19:43.99; 13. Kylie Frank, Helias, 19:49.69; 14. Katie Holmes, Festus, 19:51.53; 15. Riley Schelp, Lutheran South, 19:56.12.
- 16. Grace Gore, John Burroughs, 19:57.80; 17. Julia Rosher, Pembroke Hill, 19:58.11; 18. Kayla Yanskey, Helias, 19:59.69; 19. Leslie Perona, St. James, 20:00.81; 20. Shelby Jackson, Buffalo, 20:01.46; 21. Alaina Baumgart, Cape Girardeau Notre Dame, 20:04.49; 22. Amy Huck, Ste. Genevieve, 20:06.54; 23. Lily Uding, Festus, 20:08.70; 24. Makenzie Buckley, Potosi, 20:10.56; 25. Shelby Palmer, Warrensburg, 20:15.27.
Other Helias Individuals
- 65. Molly Light, 21:25.04; 69. Lanie Hentges, 21:27.55; 78. Abby Hake, 21:38.60; 127. Claire McDonald, 22:40.94.
School of the Osage Individual
- 30. Gabrielle Hill, 20:30.65
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