Lexington High School has definitely had one of, if not the strongest group of distance runners in the entire State of Missouri, during the past two years. After all, how many schools can brag about their distance runners winning 3 State Team Championships in a two year period, while having 8 individual runners who achieved All State status during that time, with many of them being All State in both Cross Country and Track. Following is a summary of the individual accomplishments, over the past two years, of each of the All State distance runners, as well as what they have achieved together as a Team.

NATALIE ADKINS (9) Cross Country 2025: (1) 15th in District; (2) 22nd in State; (3) All State Runner

ZOEY EARNEST (12) Track 2025: (1) 1st 4 x 800 Relay at District; (2) 3rd 4 x 800 Relay at State; (3) All State Runner PHOEBE ENGELBRECHT (10) Cross Country 2024: (1) 5th in District; (2) 10th in State; (3) All State Runner Track 2025: (1) 3rd 3200 Run District; (2) 1st 4x 800 Relay at District; (3) 3rd 4 x 800 Relay at State; (4) All State Runner; Cross Country 2025: (2) 4th in District; (3) 5th in State; 4) All State Runner; Track 2026: (1) 4th 800 Run at District : (2) 2nd 1600 Run at District (3) 3rd 3200 Run at District; (4) 1st 4×800 Relay at District; (5) 1st 4 x 800 Relay at State; (6) 3rd 3200 Run at State; (7) 4th 1600 Run at State; (7) All State Runner

CHAEL LICHTE (12) Cross Country 2024: (1) 1st in District; (2) 1st in State; (3) All State Runner Cross Country 2025: (1) 1st in District; (2) 2nd in State; (3) All State Runner Track 2026: (1) 1st 3200 Run at District; (2) 2nd 1600 Run at District; (3) 2nd 800 Run at District; (4) 1st 4×400 Relay at District; (5) 1st 3200 Run at State; (6) 6th 1600 Run at State; (7) All State Runner ELLIE LICHTE (9) Cross Country 2025: (1) 1st in District; (2) 2nd in State; (3) All State Runner Track 2026: (1) 1st 800 Run at District; (2) 1st 1600 Run at District; (3) 1st 3200 Run at District (4)1st 4×800 Relay at District; (5) 1st 1600 Run at State; (6) 1st 3200 Run at State State; (7) 3rd 800 Run at State; (1) 1st 4 x 800 Relay at State; (7) All State Runner

TESSA LOVELL (12) Cross Country 2024: (1) 6th in District; (2) 11th in State; (3) All State Runner; Track 2025; (1) 2nd 1600 Run at District; (2) 2nd 3200 Run at District; (3) 1st 4 x 800 Relay at District; (5) 3rd 4x 800 Relay at State; (6) All State Runner; Cross Country 2025: (1) 6th in District); (2) 9th in State; (3) All State Runner 2026 Track; (1) 1st 4 x 800 Relay at District; (2) 1st 4 x 800 Relay at State; (3) All State Runner

ADDISON SMITH (11) Cross Country 2024: (1) 1st in District; (2) 1st in State; (3) All State Runner Track 2025; (1) 1st 1600 Run at District; (2) 1st 3200 Run at District; (3) 1st 4 x 800 Relay at District; (4)) 1st 3200 Run at State; (5) 6th 1600 Run at State; (6) 3rd 4 x 800 Relay at State; (7) All State Runner; Cross Country 2025: (1) 2nd in District; (2) 1st at State; (3) All State Runner;

Track 2026; (1) 1st 4 x 800 Relay at District; (2) 2nd 3200 Run at District; (3) 2nd 800 Run at District; (4) 3rd 1600 Run at District; (5) 1st 4 x 800 Relay at State; (6) 2nd 3200 Run at State; (7) 2nd 1600 Run at State; (10) 7th 800 Run at State; (11) All State Runner

CONNER SOENDKER (12) Cross Country 2024: (1) 2nd in District; (2) 7th in State; (3) All State Runner; Track 2025: (1) 2nd 1600 Run at District; (2) 2nd 3200 Run at District; (3) 3rd 800 Run at District; (4) 3rd 4 x 400 Relay at District; (5) 2nd 1600 Run at State; (6)) 3rd 800 Run at State (7) All State Runner; Cross Country 2025: (1) 4th in District; (2) 17th in State; (3) All State Runner; Track 2026; (1) 1st 800 Run at District; 2) 1st 1600 Run at District; 3) 2nd 3200 Run at District; 4) 1st 4 x 400 Relay at District; 5) 2nd 1600 Run at State; 6) 7th 800 Run at State; (7) All State Runner

TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS

During the past two years, the Lexington Girls won 2 State Team Cross Country Championships and 1 State Team Track Title. They also claimed 2 District Team Cross Country Championships, while the Lexington Boys also won a District Team Title. The Girls Cross Country Team won 1 MRVC Conference Team Championship and 1 MRVC Team Track Title, while the Boys also won a Conference Cross Country Title.

INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

During the past two years, Lexington male and female distance runners have taken first place in 8 State Individual events, in Cross Country and Track combined. They also won a total of 12 District Individual events in Cross Country and Track combined, and took first place in 13 MRVC Conference events.

THE X FACTOR IN THE SUCCESS OF THE LEXINGTON DISTANCE RUNNERS I would be remiss, if I did not mention the X Factor that has played such a major role in the success of both the Lexington male and female distance runners. There is no doubt that these runners, as a whole, are a very talented and extremely hard working group of athletes. However, I don’t believe that their high level of success, would have been possible, if it had not been for the direction and leadership of their two coaches. Brad Young, who is the Head Cross Country Coach and Assistant Track Coach, and Chad Caldwell, who is the Head Track Coach and the Assistant Cross Country Coach. These two seem to be interchangeable, and they work so well together as a team. They both are very knowledgeable in terms of the skills and qualities that it takes for an athlete to be a good distance runner, but the main ingredient that makes these two so successful, is their ability to develop such a strong personal relationship with each of their athletes, that motivates these young people to buy in to what their coaches are teaching them, and to be willing to work hard, and to always give it their best effort, even when it hurts.