West Plains is bringing home another state championship. The Zizzer boys won their third consecutive Class 4 cross country title Friday at Gans Creek in Columbia, placing four runners among the top 18 and finishing 26 points ahead of runner-up Festus.
The Lady Zizzers added a fifth-place team finish, led by Kaebrynn Gunter’s third-place performance and Lena Finke’s 12th-place finish. Together, the two teams gave West Plains another proud day on Missouri’s biggest cross country stage.
Boys: Class 4 State Champions — 77 points
Girls: Fifth in Class 4 — 135 points
Zizzer Boys Finish the Three-Peat
Winning one state championship takes an outstanding team. Winning three straight means returning to State with a target on your back and delivering again.
The Zizzers did exactly that Friday.
Blake Romans led West Plains across the finish line in seventh place at 15:33.0. Joseph Roberson followed in ninth at 15:39.1, giving the Zizzers two runners in the top 10.
Hunter Stanley finished 13th in 15:44.4, and Chaska Shearin took 18th in 15:56.5. That put West Plains’ first four runners across the line within 23.5 seconds of one another—a strong front group that set the foundation for the championship.
Dylan Wade completed the Zizzers’ scoring five with a 47th-place finish in 16:36.1. Bryon Davis finished 98th in 17:18.3, and freshman Knox Weisbrod placed 102nd in 17:22.0.
West Plains finished with 77 points, followed by Festus with 103, Webster Groves with 111 and Bolivar with 120.
Under coach Alicia Gunter, the Zizzers have now won Class 4 championships with 91 points in 2024, 81 in 2025 and 77 this year. This season’s winning margin over Festus grew to 26 points after just five points separated the teams at State last fall.
Three seasons. Three state championships. Another chapter in a cross country tradition that means so much to West Plains.
West Plains Boys Results
| Runner | Overall Finish | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Blake Romans | 7th | 15:33.0 |
| Joseph Roberson | 9th | 15:39.1 |
| Hunter Stanley | 13th | 15:44.4 |
| Chaska Shearin | 18th | 15:56.5 |
| Dylan Wade | 47th | 16:36.1 |
| Bryon Davis | 98th | 17:18.3 |
| Knox Weisbrod | 102nd | 17:22.0 |
Lady Zizzers Earn Fifth at State
The Lady Zizzers finished fifth among 16 Class 4 teams, with two runners earning places in the top 12.
Sophomore Kaebrynn Gunter led West Plains with a third-place finish in 18:02.0. She crossed the line less than a second behind runner-up Carson Selby of Webster Groves, who finished in 18:01.1.
Junior Lena Finke followed in 12th place at 18:38.7, giving West Plains another strong finish near the front of the field.
Sophomores Libby Hart and Abigail Mongillo finished 32nd and 36th, respectively. Hart crossed in 19:31.0, with Mongillo following in 19:38.4. Junior Jane Cobb completed the Lady Zizzers’ scoring group in 111th at 21:06.2.
West Plains totaled 135 points. Cor Jesu Academy won the championship with 57, followed by Webster Groves with 87, Parkway Central with 111 and Festus with 115.
With three sophomores and two juniors among Friday’s five finishers, the Lady Zizzers have an experienced group eligible to return next season. They will carry another strong state finish—and firsthand experience competing against Missouri’s best—into that opportunity.
West Plains Girls Results
| Runner | Overall Finish | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kaebrynn Gunter | 3rd | 18:02.0 |
| Lena Finke | 12th | 18:38.7 |
| Libby Hart | 32nd | 19:31.0 |
| Abigail Mongillo | 36th | 19:38.4 |
| Jane Cobb | 111th | 21:06.2 |
Results tables show overall race places. Team points use scoring places, which exclude runners whose schools did not field a scoring team. Each team’s first five scoring places determine its total.
A Finish Worth Celebrating
Congratulations to our runners, coach Alicia Gunter and the coaching staff, and the families who have supported these teams throughout the season.
From another championship trophy to a fifth-place finish for the Lady Zizzers, our runners gave West Plains plenty to celebrate. Thank you for another fall to remember.
#GoZizzers #TheZizzerZone
Sources: MSHSAA boys results, MSHSAA girls results, and MSHSAA championship history.
