The West Platte boys and girls cross country teams will carry a torch that was first lit a quarter of a century ago as the Blue Jays commemorate 25 years of the school’s cross country programs.
“We have a rich and decorated tradition of running here that was built on the vision, generosity, and sacrifice of our local Weston community,” head coach Mike Reber said. “As a group, we look forward to honoring that with our efforts in 2025.”
The boys and girls have enjoyed great success over the years, combining for five state championships. The boys have won four state titles in Class 1, most recently in 2012, and have eight additional top-four finishes. The girls’ only state championship came in 2017, but they have six additional top-four finishes and were state runners-up last year.
Both squads return nearly all athletes who ran at state last year and gained some athletes who could contribute. The boys return four of the six state qualifiers after finishing eighth. The group is led by senior two-time all-conference and all-district runner Noah Rees, followed by sophomore all-conference and all-district returners Samuel Miller and Charles Trease, and junior Benjamin Pendergast rounds out that group alongside Wyatt Larsen.
After finishing second in Class 2 last year, the girls return all six runners for the 2025 season. The girls’ returning all-district crew hoping to earn another state medal consists of seniors Addison Bailey and Payton Reber, juniors Caroline Ransome and Hana Hoover, and sophomores Kate Carletti and Jersey O’Neal.
The Blue Jays’ season preparations got off to a strong start, but a long season ahead remains. Reber is delighted with the foundation that his athletes have set for a season that has great potential.
“They took it upon themselves to train, both as individuals and small groups, and arrived at the start of fall practices in good shape,” Reber said. “They are starting in a good place, and have set the conditions for improvement as the season progresses.”
West Platte would love to honor the 25th anniversary of its cross country programs by earning more state medals, but Reber said that will take dedication, perseverance and humility.
Reber is happy with the culture developed in the programs and wants his athletes to prioritize unity and embrace their roles on the team. He has urged his teams to approach each day with the right attitude and to focus on controlling what can be controlled.
“They can’t do anything about the weather, the courses, or their fellow competitors,” Reber said. “However, if they have a good attitude and do their best in the moment, everything else will take care of itself.”