Class 5
Class 5 will look fairly different this season with a few teams moving up and a few moving down.
Our projection is that there will be 77 boys teams and 78 teams, with Washington High School at 984 being the enrollment cutoff.
Teams moving up on enrollment include Washington, Winnetonka, Nerinx Hall (girls only), Webb City, Central (Cape Girardeau), and Rolla. Teams who are either moving up or staying in Class 5 based on the Championship Factor include Cardinal Ritter (girls), MICDS (girls), Westminster Christian Academy, and St. Teresa's Academy (girls).
Here is our prediction of how the districts will shake out based on yearly trends and location within the state. We also considered what would be most beneficial to teams and what should happen to avoid a Sectional that may include teams from Kansas City, Columbia, and St. Louis all in the same meet.
District 1
Virtual Meet: Boys | Girls
District 1 is a classic Southeast Missouri district, stretching from Poplar Bluff in the south to Lindbergh in the north. It does not extend west of Eureka. Top athletes featured in this district include Bryce Gentry, Allen Brown, Aidan Crews, James House, Barrett Reagan, Zai'aire Thomas, Darius Graham, Isaiah Nevell, Kierson Wicks, Carter Pope, Spencer Nunn, Andrew Swingle, Kolyn McBride, Samantha Dowd, Koryenna Williams, Raegan Schnurbusch, Cami Surratt, Ariel Laird, Emma Niedbalski, Olivia Pearce, Annika Barks, Kylie Scott, Carolyn Cronin, and Kennedy Zgaynor.
| Boys | Girls |
District 2
District 2 will include several St. Louis County and City, stretching to the east with St. Louis University High and Cardinal Ritter, all the way out to Lafayette Wildwood. Webster Groves, Kirkwood, Nerinx Hall, and Parkway South form the southern border with the private schools along Highway 64/40 forming that northern border. As a result, Sectional 1 should include teams from Poplar Bluff to Christian Brothers College (south to north) and Eureka to Cardinal Ritter (west to east).
This will be a star-studded district once again, maybe not as much as 2023, but still very solid with several state contender teams. Featured athletes include, but are definitely not limited to, Amar'e Hendricks, Jeremiah McClellan, Jacobi Oliphant, Joseph Snyder, Graham Stevener, Levi Rowan, Jack Robeson, Jackson Miller, Joseph Anderson, Jacob Poole, Thomas Preckel, Aniyah Brown, Charlye Moody, Brooklyn Brady, Kyndall Spain, Avery Brown, Luciana Medina, Natalie Barnard, Josie Baker, Maleah Eggers, Aunika Groat, Kayla Watkins, and Natalie Danner.
| Boys | Girls |
District 3
District 3 includes teams from north St. Louis County and eastern St. Charles County. It's a district alignment that has occurred very similarly in the past and has a shot of happening once again in 2024. Stretching mostly east to west, Riverview Gardens is the furthest east school with Francis Howell High being the furthest west along with Ft. Zumwalt North.
Featured athletes include Derrick Smith, Brandon Slaughter, Dennis Abel, Deontae Anthony, Luke Stevenson, Kelvin Coleman, Tyson Robinson, Cameron Cason, Logan Scrivner, A'laji Bradley, Janiya Wilkins, Tijaria Anthony, Aikyla Smith, Carrington Reed, Gabrielle Hurd, Evyn Humphrey, Reese McDevitt, Da'Niya Cuthlow-Davis, and Catherine Williams.
| Boys | Girls |
District 4
District 4 is the district that has seemed to span the greatest distance across the state in recent years, but MSHSAA may have an opportunity to relieve some of those travel issues. It may still span from Liberty Wentzville and Timberland in the east all the way out to Smith-Cotton, nearly 160 miles away, but at least it wouldn't stretch all the way to Kansas City this time. Troy Buchanan sits the furthest north with Washington sitting to the furthest south, forming a mostly east to west running district.
A fairly stacked district with some immense talents, featured athletes include Drevyn Seamon, Francis Wright, Nicholas Moore, Justin Giles, Alex Jones, Sean Keys, Andrew Hauser, Luke Sievers, Maddox Riley, Ayden Taylor, Vernell Holt, Jeremiah Anderson, Jaxon Kindle, Nolan Hendrix, Zavier Winton, Gabrelle Tucker, Journey Gaines, Alexa Adams, Knia Graham, Reagan Peters, Isabella Von Behren, Jocelyn Haynes, Mae Walker, Imane Larhdiri, Athena Peterson, Breanna Prewitt, Anna Ferguson, Tamyra Nevills, and Addison Throckmorton.
| Boys | Girls |
District 5
District 5 encompasses the South Central and Southwestern parts of the state. Rolla is the eastern most state with schools in Springfield, and south of Springfield, forming the western border. It primarily resides along Interstate 44 and shouldn't have to include any St. Louis Metro area schools this year.
An impressive district with some solid teams and individuals, featured athletes include Easton MacLachlan, Gage Weston, Brandon Howard, Tyrell Phinn, Sam Rinehart, Aaron Ashley, Cameron Martensen, Mason Shank, Jayzen Blake, Tyrique Brooks, Mason Ruckman, Jonathan Hedrick, Ethan Barr, Afton Hopkins, Jackson Cantwell, Demarii Williams, Hayden Mays, Owen Sanchez, Andreos Harris, Erykah Lee, Gabrielle Pitts, Parker Papa, Blaire Pace, Abigail Tague, Ella Hayter, Alayna Stewart, Kaitlyn Davis, Aryah Moore, Madison Davis, Bria Wright, Chelsea Colench, Addyson Rebmann, Allison Norris, Rylee Eng, Faith Chepkondol, Eva Williams, Jessica Mace, and Brooklynn O'Cain.
| Boys | Girls |
District 6
District 6 runs north to south primarily, taking up several schools west of Springfield and running all the way up to Belton and Lee's Summit. It's a ridiculously deep district with a slew of ranked athletes in it.
Featured athletes include Tayveon Simms, Noah Soriano, Bryce Mitchell, DeZephen Walker, Bentley St. John, Tristen Bough, Jack Williams, Evan Stevens, Ian Horton, Gabriel Voelker, Chris Vineyard, Noah Smith, Zion Allen, Cordell Washington, Elias Walker, Adam Wooldridge, Jadon Brisco, Kendell Curbow, Dontrell Holt, Tucker Liberatore, Nathaniel Miller, Kynah Simmons, Brylee Strickland, Jaimy Birmingham, Abigayle Lowery, Adee Broesder, Gracie Troester, Brooke Hedger, Kristin Probst, Ashlyn Smith, Maya York, Sayzjah Hudson, Kiki Thom, Jenna Belcher, Olivia Young, Chase Stilley, Kamryn Sariah, Kennedy Birmingham, Kendall Nyarango, Dawsyn Decker, Alaina Norman, and Hayden Kurtz.
| Boys | Girls |
District 7
District 7 primarily encompasses the Kansas City area, spanning from the MO/KS border in the west to Grain Valley in the east. The hope is that MSHSAA will not draw the eastern most teams into District 4 again. This has caused controversy in coaching circles of late as the "geographic representation" argument has been called into question when Sectionals contain schools spanning from Blue Springs to St. Charles.
Another stacked district with a few of the state's major contenders for team and individual honors, District 7 featured athletes include Zach Paul, Giavonni Jones, Noah Olah, Keith Griffin, Jordan Robinson Ugwuh, William Hayes, Andrew Davis, Henry Acorn, Keagan Enicks, Kai Somasegaran, Otto Dreher, Frank Sparks, Montarion McAfee, Devan Mathis, Isaiah Hoard, Dominion Yarbrough, Daniel Marshall, Vance Herring, Zachary Granberg, Jasmine Ross, Samya Fontleroy, Ariana Jackson, Paige Stuart, Bailey Arceneaux, Hayley Neff, Faith Fotiades, Gracie Jacobs, Ella Rew, Emmerson Allen, Abigail Brackenbury, Kinzley Cantwell, Katelyn Wink, Izabella West, Harmonie Hughes, Jocelyn Nunez, Yasmine Hoard, Izzie Salsman, Alyssa Carver, Ma'elelei Fau, Kadence Shepherd, Madison Hoffman, Kendall Puryear, and Kendal Rush.
| Boys | Girls |
District 8
District 8 takes its rightful place in the Northland, north of the Missouri River, spanning from North Kansas City High School up to the northernmost Class 5 school, Central St. Joseph, and including some incredibly talented teams and athletes.
Featured athletes include Dominic Revels, Robert Collins Jr, James Christopher, Jeremiah Kelley, Eltoum Murgus, Shane Smith, Alexzander Thompson, Collin Kleinhen, Kaden Kleinhen, Evan McWhorter, Jaeger Hicks, Peyton Willbanks, Sean Forquer, Sage Wilde, Andrew Johnson, Thomas Garrett, Connor Nicholson, Colin Madison, Desire Tonye Nyemeck, Matthew Barno, Omari Kearse, Legend Freelon, Travon Pankey, Theo Gibson, TJ McGhee, Chase Granberg, Tyler Kerkhoff, Jordan Smith, Zylen Saddler-Robinson, Tonicia Taylay, Jamari Ervin, Jada Calbert, Amari Morrison, Adelyn French, Addison Bjorn, Nevaeh Goodwin, Ella Brown, Madilynn Conklin, Cambell Grosdidier, Gianna Ezekwe, Mackenzie Moretina, Lanicia Parker, Kennedy Herrig, Alondra Valdez, D'marihanna Newton, Brooke Boehm, Laura Babbitt, Mary Kimmerle, Alyssah Price, Katy Taylor, Addyson Schlake, and Malia Cabuyaban.
| Boys | Girls |