Sofia Hoerchler crossed the line third in 18:45 to lead Eureka High School's girls cross country team to a district championship Saturday, Oct. 31.
All seven Eureka runners finished in the top 22, according to results posted by the school's activities department on X. The win sends the team to the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) state meet.
The pack ran tight. Claire McKinnon placed eighth in 19:05, and Madison Schepis finished 11th in 19:19. Aubrey Dalton was right behind her in 12th at 19:20. Brooke Smith took 18th in 19:29, Olivia Golden placed 21st in 19:32 and Natalia Hunt rounded out the squad in 22nd at 19:33.
Hoerchler's 18:45 and Hunt's 19:33 show a 48-second spread based on the school’s reported times.
The district title caps a strong stretch for the program. The varsity squad also won the Northwest Last Chance met on Oct. 21, according to Eureka HS Activities. The junior varsity girls posted a perfect score of 15 at that meet, with runners finishing first through fifth overall.
Eureka's program has recent state-level success to build on. At the 2024 MSHSAA Class 5 state championships at Gans Creek Cross Country Course, Eureka finished first with 104 team points, according to MSHSAA results.
The team now prepares for the MSHSAA state meet.
