East Atchison Girls Win Class 1 Cross Country Title
The East Atchison High School girls team claimed the Class 1 state cross country championship in Columbia, Missouri, on November 7, 2026.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Track & Field
The East Atchison High School girls cross country team won the Class 1 team title at the state meet in Columbia, Missouri, scoring 74 points. St. Joseph Christian finished second with 101 points.
Why it matters
The title marks a team championship for East Atchison's girls program at the state level, built on a runner pool that performed consistently across the top of the field. The result reflects training that began over the summer.
The official team score was 74 points, with freshman Mikayla Windham placing 7th in 20:21 and junior Taya Windham placing 14th in 20:36. The stub does not include the full scoring lineup or the margin across the field beyond the second-place team.
The players
Kameron Schieffer
Head coach of the East Atchison High School girls cross country team that won the Class 1 state title.
Mikayla Windham
Freshman runner for East Atchison who was the team's highest finisher in the Class 1 5K, placing 7th.
Taya Windham
Junior runner for East Atchison who placed 14th in the Class 1 5K.
The details
East Atchison won by accumulating the lowest combined score across its top finishers in the 5K race. Head coach Kameron Schieffer's team built its performance on many miles of training that began over the summer.
Timeline
November 7, 2026: Class 1 state cross country meet held in Columbia, Missouri.
Summer 2026: Team training miles and workouts began ahead of the season.
Season Trajectory
The title places East Atchison atop the Class 1 girls field at the Missouri state meet in Columbia, ahead of St. Joseph Christian's 101 points. It marks a strong finish for a team whose top runners contributed to a low combined score.
The result sets a benchmark for the Class 1 girls field entering next season, with Mikayla Windham returning as a freshman. Fans tracking Missouri high school distance results can use the team scoring format to compare future state meets.
The takeaway
Team scoring in cross country rewards depth, not just the single fastest runner, as East Atchison's finish shows. Readers following high school distance running can watch how consistent top-five finishes translate into a state title.
Further reading
For more high school running coverage, see Track & Field on Wisevoter.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KQ2 | St. Joseph, Missouri News, Weather & Sports.
