The cross country state meet will take place on Nov. 3, and OHS will be represented once again after successes at sectionals by runners Melissa Brown (11), Elvir Sarajlic (11) and Brandon Meyr (11).

Brown was the only girl to make it past districts on Oct. 27 at Jackson High School this season, while the entire boys team qualified for sectionals. At sectionals, which took place at Parkway Central, Brown raced her 5k (about 3.1 miles) with a time of 19:28, earning her eighth place and a ticket to state.

“I knew I had it, but then there’s still that nerve that something could go wrong and I might not make it,” Brown said about placing for state.

The boys team did not make it as a group to state this year, but Sarajlic and Meyr both qualified individually because top 30 boys from sectionals move on to state. Sarajlic raced a 16:41, earning 10th place, and Meyr raced a 17:02, falling in 28th place.

At state, both girls and guys will race in the Class 4 run in Jefferson City. Brown, placing 8th at state last year, hopes to improve on her slot and time.

“I’m hoping to get top 5 at state,” Brown said. “I was disappointed with my race [at sectionals] so I was just excited that I get to go to state so I could have a better attitude of how I finished.”