It was hard to miss the Fatima Lady Comets at the front of the pack Saturday.
Just like they do in practice, the Lady Comets ran as a group, only this time it was during a state meet.
Fatima had all seven runners achieve all-state honors, placing in the top 25 at the Missouri Class 2 cross country championships at the Oak Hills Golf Center in Jefferson City. The Lady Comets won their fourth straight state title with 37 points, finishing well ahead of Holden, which took second place with 69 points.
Bowling Green was third with 146 points, followed by Whitfield in fourth with 157.
Fatima had as many as five all-state runners in 2013 and 2015, but seven runners in the top 25 is something new for the Lady Comets, who became the first girls program to win four straight titles since Lee's Summit West did from 2007-10.
"We talked about it a little, but it was just talk," Fatima coach Marc Bridges said. "You don't really allow yourself to think like that because, in order to be that seventh girl, you already have six of your teammates taking spots away.
"The fact that they ran together and stuck pretty tight to each other and used each other throughout the course, that is ultimately the end result."
Brianna Haller continued her dominance at the state level. The Fatima junior won her third straight individual title, crossing the finish line in 19:28.18.
Haller, one of seven girls in Missouri championship history to win three individual titles, now has a chance to become just the third person to complete a four-peat next season.
"I would be so happy," Haller said. "I've worked so hard at this and that's something I want to achieve and accomplish. I think it would be unbelievable."
Just as she did at districts, Haller pulled well ahead of her competitors by a sizable margin. Steelville's Allie Gibbs, who was runner-up to Haller at districts, also finished second at state in 19:44.25.
Haller said she began to notice the gap between her and Gibbs widen at the halfway point of the race.
"Brianna's best asset is she is an incredible competitor," Bridges said. "She is not afraid to go to that place where it hurts, and actually, I think she kind of looks forward to it.
"She is not afraid to make people hurt if they want to run with her."
Brianna Haller competed at state for the first time with her younger sister, freshman Kendall Haller, who finished fifth in 20:02.93.
"I'm really proud of her," Brianna Haller said. " That's the Haller name. We're going to keep up the Haller tradition."
Alyssa Struemph (20:47.14), Anna Massman (20:47.75) and Kailey Woody (20:50.38) finished 14th through 16th for Fatima. Katelyn Vanderfeltz was 18th (20:52.75) and Alexis Fischer finished 19th (20:52.83).
Massman was the only senior running Saturday for Fatima. Massman, who was the state runner-up last year, was a four-time state qualifier and three-time all-state medalist.
Fatima is the fourth girls program to win four consecutive state championships. The Lady Comets only trail Penney, which won six straight Class 1 titles from 2004-09.
"The girls work so hard to accomplish whatever goal we decide upon," Bridges said. "I don't know what comes next year. We'll sit down, look at the group we have next year and see where we're at.
"But it's going to be hard to top what they've done."
Linn finished 10th in the Class 2 team standings with 236 points.
Senior Harley Nale led the Lady Wildcats with a 31st-place finish (21:30.65). Mariah Bryan was 74th (22:42.04), Lindsey Lebel took 84th (22:56.14), Audrey Froning finished 103rd (23:30.41) and Emma Lee rounded out the team score in 128th place (24:29.74).
Jaycie Lucero (26:53.83) finished 154th for Linn, one spot ahead of Sydney Strope (27:14.67).
Tipton also had two girls running in the Class 2 championships. Jana Harrison finished 34th (21:35.80) and Aubree Schuster placed 77th (22:48.14).
In the Class 1 girls championship, Chamois freshman Alexis Slusser finished 30th in 22:42.37.
Related:
State Cross Country: Class 1-4 championship results
Fatima boys continue cross country streak by finishing third
Jays' Schwartz earns state cross country medal as a senior
Yanskey helps Helias girls to third-place cross country finish
Helias boys finish fourth in Class 3 cross country