The Fatima Lady Comets were locked in arms, jumping up and down trying to capture the perfect moment airborne for a photo Saturday. It was hard to tell if the seven girls had no hops, or their legs were just too heavy after pounding the course at the Oak Hills Golf Center.
Either way, they were all smiles after winning a third straight Class 2 state title.
"They're a goofy group," Fatima head coach Marc Bridges said after the Lady Comets were officially announced state champions.
How did Fatima do it, once again? Chalk it up as hard work.
"The reason our girls are successful are because they work hard. Bottom line," Bridges said. "They don't miss any offseason training. They do everything that they're supposed to do. We have a plan."
The Lady Comets top two runners claimed second and first place, respectively.
But for the first time this season, the order was flopped.
Sophomore Brianna Haller defeated teammate Anna Massman to claim her second straight individual state title.
"Brianna Haller is one of the most fiercest competitors I've ever known in my life," Bridges said. "When you put them in the right competition, you're going to get a lot out of them."
Haller finished in 18:49.37, besting last season's first-place time by 46 seconds.
"I know this year I definitely had expectations for myself," Haller said. "Not necessarily places, but times, to make sure they improved. For the most part they did."
Massman, a junior, headed the pack for the Lady Falcons this season after finishing in 63rd place in last season's state race.
"Anna has had an absolute tremendous year," Bridges said. "She fell at state last year, and kind of decided in the offseason that that wasn't going to happen again. She really dedicated herself this offseason and just came in absolutely tremendous."
Massman wasn't satisfied.
"Last year at state, I didn't do as well as I wanted to do," she said.
In addition to Haller and Massman, freshman Alyssa Struemph (10th), freshman Katelyn Vanderfelz (11th) and junior Madison Day (18th) all claimed all-state honors.
Fatima edged Herculaneum by seven points, with Bowling Green and Whitfield rounding out the top four.
The remaining two Fatima runners finished inside the top 50 in the 161-runner field: Sophomore Hannah Kloeppel crossed the line in 29th place, and junior Katie Fechtel came in 41st.
"It came down to the last runner," Haller said. "Our team really came together and did the best we could do and they pulled through, and that's how we won. Because every teammate did the best they could."
Massman agreed.
"We knew what we wanted, so we were confident in each other," she said. "We worked very hard to reach this goal, and all our hard work paid off. Because Herculaneum was a close second, so it was nice to get this."
The word is out. Fatima has been atop of Class 2 now for three seasons, placing a warranted target on each of the Lady Comets' back.
"We definitely feel like people are gunning for us every time we go out," Bridges said.
And they won't be slowing down anytime soon, as their top seven runners return next season.
"It's just pushed them to work even harder," Bridges said. "Now they feel like they can't not do that. So we have to do whatever we have to do to get to the next level.
"They're an amazing group and I feel privileged to work with them, that's what it really comes down to."
Blair Oaks finished 14th overall as a team.
Junior Taylor Scott, who came in 79th place, led the Lady Falcons. Junior Rachel Isenberg followed in 82nd, while senior Nicole Grefrath (134th), junior Sarah Wolken (137th), sophomores Kristina Wortmann (140th) and Kasey Kerperin (145th) rounded out the team.
Linn junior Harley Nale finished in 27th place, missing out on all-state honors by two places and just five seconds.
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