Picture this. It’s a perfectly nice day, clear blue skies, not a cloud in sight. The sun is shining and a steady cool wind blows through the air. 

Have the picture? 

Now completely flip that around to a day where it is pouring rain, muddy, the air is frigid and the winds aren’t helping the coldness of the day at all. These are some of the worst conditions that a runner can go through but the girls cross country team did not let that get to them.

On the morning of Oct. 26 in Washington at Big Driver, the girls cross country team pushed through the obstacles and won the Class 4 District 3 title. 

“We really didn’t expect us to win at all,” junior Olivia Guffey said. 

Throughout the season the team has been seen as the underdogs when competing. From bigger races in Columbia to smaller races in Jefferson City, the team tends to be cast aside in the previews. Going into this meet, in particular, the team was predicted to place third or fourth against larger school teams Washington, Francis Howell and Timberland. However, the race is never truly ran until it is over.

“I don’t have any expectations, I have a plan,” Coach Webster said. 

The plan that the coaches set out for the runners is never the same each weekend or race that they approach. Each strategy is well thought out from runner to runner. In the case of Liberty’s top runner, sophomore Ally Kruger, they knew to hold her back in order to get the best race possible for her and for the team score. 

In the end, the plan had been executed. Out of the seven runners, six of them – sophomore Ally Kruger, senior Abby Woods, junior Hannah Rossman, sophomore Adrienne Rockette, sophomore Megan Venturella and junior Molly Morris – were able to get in the top 30 naming them all district. 

Additionally, out of the medalists, Ally Kruger has been the champion for two years in a row, Hannah Rossman being two time all district, Adrienne Rockette being two time all district and Abby Woods being the only cross country runner in school history to have won four all district medals. 

It was an out of the ordinary experience how they found out they won. 

“All of our parents came up to us, even our coaches, and said that we got second,” Morris said. 

However, it wasn’t until later that they found out they had won. 

“We were sitting on the bus changing into our sweats and flats and Ally’s mom called saying we won,” Guffey said. 

Although the team has won multiple titles at meets like Jim Marshall and Borders Wars, this one is special. Special for the school for having another district plaque to put in the hall of champions but also for the girls themselves. This proves all of the hard workouts they have put in and the long hours running together has paid off. Likewise, this is the first district title the team has won since 2015. 

Looking ahead, the team will run sectionals at Parkway Central High School on Saturday, Nov. 1. If the team places in the top four out of the eight teams, they will move on to the state championship on Nov. 9. 

“A goal for the state meet would be the exact same goal that we’ve tried to preach every single weekend and that is trust what you’ve done, trust one another, go out and compete, embrace being uncomfortable, just leave it out there,” Webster said.