The Helias Lady Crusaders are looking to climb the ladder.
Last year, the Lady Crusaders finished third in the Class 3 state cross country championships. Even though there aren't many rungs left to climb, the opportunity is there today at the Oak Hills Golf Center.
"It will come down to who has the best seven," Helias head coach Mary Haskamp said. "We may not have three all-staters like we did last year, but I think we'll be strong."
Haskamp believes Ste. Genevieve is the big favorite on the girls side. But the next few spots are up from grabs between Helias, MICDS, Cape Girardeau Notre Dame and Carl Junction.
"We want everybody at their best, that's how you get a great state atmosphere," Haskamp said. "Let's battle it out."
The key for the Lady Crusaders will be their ability to stick together while running in the pack.
"Every one of them can run within a second or so of each other," Haskamp said. "Their best times are all about 20:50, different races at different places. But they've shown they can stay together."
At last week's district championships, the Lady Crusaders weren't able to do that. The back runners got separated in a half-mile stretch of the course that narrowed.
"We got spread out last week and lost contact, which hurt us," Haskamp said. "We have to stay in contact with each other, which is going to be difficult in that mass of people. But that's when we run our strongest, mentally it's important for us."
Kayla Yanskey, a junior, is looking to earn her third all-state honor after claiming the individual district title last week.
"She's healthy," Haskamp said. "She is so excited, it's the first year she entered districts where she wasn't hurt and she's really running well."
Yanskey started the season with a grade 4 ankle sprain.
"She still hasn't matched her fastest times from last year, but the state course is a tough course and she does well on tough courses," Haskamp said. "She has surprised a lot of people at the end of the season."
Haskamp believes sophomore Abby Hake has an outside chance at finishing in the top 25 with Yanskey. Then comes the depth of the team - junior Lanie Hentges, senior Allison Wieberg, sophomore Alicia Engelbrecht, senior Kylie Mulholland and sophomore Katherine McDonald.
Wieberg is in her first year of cross country.
"I think she was a little scared of the distance," Haskamp said. "But her brother Nathan ran last year and I think she saw the camaraderie of the team and saw that it can be a lot of fun."
Engelbrecht has grown during her second season.
"She has been our No. 3, 4 or 5 this season because she is more confident," Haskamp said.
On the boys side, the Crusaders finished 15th in the team standings last season. Helias, which won the district team title last week, figures to climb the board this year.
"I'd like to see us in the top eight or 10," Haskamp said. "We are better than last year, we have three alternates this year who ran at state for us last year."
Helias is led by senior Elliot Knernschield, who won the district title last week and was 48th at state a year ago.
"Elliot has worked so hard," Haskamp said. "He lives cross country. He does things to be a better runner."
Three freshman have earned their spots in the varsity lineup, led by No. 2 runner Connor Frank. Other freshmen in the lineup are Jack Hentges and Colby Kroll.
"Any time freshman show up, you never know what you're going to get," Haskamp said. "But we're getting them tuned in."
Nathan Wieberg, a sophomore, senior Joe Bruemmer and sophomore Brian Kirchoff make up the middle of the Crusader lineup after swapping spots throughout the season.
"That's been great for us, they've been pushing each other to improve," Haskamp said.
One potential positive today is Helias has already run on the state course back on Oct. 3 in the Capital City Cross Country Challenge, affectionately nicknamed "Fake State."
"The kids are more relaxed because they've seen the course before and they know what they're getting into," Haskamp said.
Festus, the defending state champion, is the prohibitive favorite to repeat, Haskamp said.
The Class 3 boys race will start at 11:25 a.m, with the Class 3 girls slated to begin at 12:25 p.m.