MOKANE -- New Bloomfield boys cross country qualified for state as a team for the second time in school history, finishing fourth out of 15 scoring teams in the Class 2 District 3 championships Saturday at South Callaway High School.
New Bloomfield scored 156 points in the boys' 5,000-meter run, 101 back of the district winner Elsberry. South Callaway also competed and took 15th with 311 points.
Guiding the Wildcats to a state-qualifying placing were their three all-district runners: Riley Connell placed sixth out of 112 runners in 18 minutes, 12.14 seconds, Conor Lawrence 23rd in 19:03.68 and Jayson Locke 28th in 19:10.97.
Tucker Jones ran South Callaway's fastest time, finishing 53rd at 21:00.27.
Calvary Lutheran's Jaxson Jobe topped the leaderboard at 17:23.88.
In the girls' 5,000 run, New Bloomfield placed seventh out of 12 scoring teams with 167 points, and South Callaway didn't have enough runners for a team score. Hermann took home the team district championship, tallying 51 points.
Kilea Holtmeyer achieved South Callaway's best girls finish and made all-district, placing 11th at 22:51.78. Alexandra Spence also made all-district for the Lady Bulldogs, taking 43rd at 26:05.52.
Addison Baker will join New Bloomfield's boys' team at state, receiving all-district and taking 18th at 23:27.92.
Running the only sub-20-minute time, Brentwood's Kensington Curd won the individual district title at 19:29.91.
New Bloomfield's boys team will compete in the Class 2 state championships at 11:15 a.m. Friday at Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia. Following that, South Callaway's Holtmeyer and Spence and New Bloomfield's Baker will run in the girls' race at noon on Friday.
New Bloomfield all-district girls runner Addison Baker poses for a photo after the Class 2 District 3 championships Saturday at South Callaway High School in Mokane. Baker placed 18th, clocking in at 23:27.92. (New Bloomfield R-III School District/Courtesy)