2019 Girls All Area

Delaney Straus is your 2019 Girls Runner of the Year

2019 Tri-State Cross Country Coaches Girls All-Area Team

Runner of the Year - Delaney Straus - Marion County (So.)

In a day and age when a lot of kids choose to specialize in sports and would rather take the easy way to get things done, Delaney Straus is not choosing that at all. Last year as a freshman, Delaney helped lead her team to state and finished 3rd individually. Later that spring Delaney ran, and ran, and ran for the Marion County track team. She ran so much and so well that she brought home a state trophy by earning 38 points because of 3 first place and 1 second place finishes. On top of this, Delaney also plays softball and basketball for Marion County. She seems to always have energy and will do whatever she has to to help her team and her school compete at the highest level.

Her sophomore year has started out no different. Delaney finished in the top 5 of every meet she competed in this season. She won the Tom Oakley Invitational, the Palmyra Invitational, and her district championship. She took third place at the inaugural Gans Creek Classic, second at Moberly and fifth at a tough Bowling Green Invitational, with most of the competitions being from bigger classes. Those races helped prepare her for a return trip to state this season.

At state Delaney met familiar foes from Blue Eye, twin sisters Riley and Avery Arnold. Riley and Avery took first and second respectively in 2018 and finished the same way in 2019 with Delaney finishing third for the second year in a row with a time of 19:41.2. Straus continues to improve and will continue to have the Blue Eye girls to chase, as both are sophomores like Delaney.

First Team All-Area

Lauren Reid - Palmyra (Jr.)

After being named honorable mention each of the last two years, Lauren had a great Junior season medaling in 7 of the 9 races she competed in. Lauren set the Palmyra 5K school record at the Bowling Green invitational and ended up qualifying for state for the 3rd consecutive year.

Emmalee Williams - Monroe City (So.)

In the school’s first year of having cross country, Emmalee made the most of the opportunity. Coming off a successful track season, Emmalee took 4th to earn all-conference honors and finished 8th at districts to qualify for state. A great start to a promising career for both her and the Monroe City program.

Bailey Hays - Monroe City (Sr.)

In her one and only season of Cross Country, Bailey was able to pick up right where she left off on the track. Bailey medaled in every regular season meet, earned all-conference honors with a 5th place finish, and qualified for state by taking 11th place at districts.

Meghan Kniess - Bowling Green (Sr.)

Meghan finished her high school career with a flourish and moved from the honorable mention list last year to all-area this year. She earned all-conference with a 3rd place finish, was a state qualifier finishing 4th place in districts, and ended with all-state honors by taking 23rd place at state. Meghan led the Bowling Green team to a district championship and a 7th place finish at state.

Megan McMillen - Bowling Green (So.)

Coming off an all-state finish as a freshman, McMillen ran better times for much of the season as a sophomore. Megan earned all-conference honors finishing 4th, and qualified for state by taking 7th place at districts. Megan helped Bowling Green win conference and districts as a team, while taking 7th place at state.

Grace Buschling - Clark County (So.)

Grace earned all-state honors for the second year in a row. Along the way she earned 1st team all-conference, won two races and finished second 3 other times. Grace was the district champion this year and is the first female runner from Clark County to earn that honor. This is Grace’s second year of being named to all-area.

Reese Terstriep - QND (Fr.)

After a slow start to the season, Reese picked it up in a big way. Reese put her talent on display when she won the conference race at Monmouth. Reese ended up qualifying for Sectionals and ran the 6th fastest time at Elmwood ever recorded by a Lady Raider.

Alexandria Meyers - QHS (Fr.)

As a freshman, Alex has already made a huge impact for her team and on the area. Alex earned all-conference honors and was consistently towards the top of the leader board when she raced. Alex qualified for sectionals but a hip fracture midway through the race caused her to not be able to finish.

Anna Schuering - QHS (So.)

Making the honorable mention list last year, Anna put in the work over the last year to make the jump to all-area honors this season. Anna earned all-conference honors finishing in 7th place. Anna also qualified for sectionals finishing in 10th place at regionals. At the Tom Oakley Invitational, Anna raced to her best finish of the year finishing in 4th place with a time of 20:25.

Claudia Nichols - Hannibal (Sr.)

Four years of running cross country, and four years of making the all-area team. Claudia has been a model of consistency while at Hannibal and this year was no different. Claudia finished in the top 10 in five races, which included finishing 3rd at conference to earn 1st team honors. She also qualified for Sectionals for the 4th year in a row.

All-Area Honorable Mention-

Bowling Green - Camy Grote (Jr.), Sylvia Wagner (Sr.), Quinn Grote (Sr.)

Clark County - Madison Kauth (Sr.)

Liberty - Grace Schell (Fr.)

Macomb - Khyliegh Diggs (So.), Olivia Bishop (Jr.), Halle Evans (Sr.),

Marion County - Olivia Wood (So.), Makenzie Crook (Sr.)

Mark Twain - Zoe Miller (Jr.), Matera Ellis (Fr.)

Palmyra - Aly Noland (Fr.)

QHS - Jade Schneider (Jr.), Natalie Goerlich (So.)

QND - Teresa Drotar (So.)

Rushville - Katie Park (Fr.)