Fatima Teams Head to Class 2 State Meet
Fatima's boys and girls cross country teams will compete at the Class 2 state championships at Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Running
Fatima Comets and Lady Comets are bringing full teams to the Class 2 state cross country championships in Columbia. The Lady Comets won the District 3 title with 79 points, and the Comets finished one point behind first place in the team standings.
Why it matters
The qualifications reflect strong depth across both the boys and girls programs at the district level. Individual runners also earned state berths based on their district finishes.
Lexi Massman finished fifth at districts in 20:14.74, while Michael Gabelsberger placed second in 17:09.10 and Levi Hubbard third in 17:10.76. Wyatt Dake (13th, 17:55.26) and Jackson Prater (22nd, 18:12.24) also finished among the district runners.
The players
Fatima Comets
The boys cross country team from Fatima, which finished one point behind first place in the District 3 team standings and qualified for state.
Fatima Lady Comets
The girls cross country team from Fatima, which won the District 3 title with 79 points and qualified for state.
The details
Fatima qualified its boys and girls teams through the District 3 meet, where the Lady Comets won the title. Individual runners earned state berths from their district finishes, and the Class 2 girls race begins at 9 a.m. with the boys race following at 9:45 a.m.
Timeline
The District 3 meet was held the week before the state championships.
Class 2 girls race begins at 9 a.m. on November 6, 2026.
Class 2 boys race begins at 9:45 a.m. on November 6, 2026.
Season Trajectory
The Lady Comets' district title and the Comets' near-sweep of the District 3 team standings position Fatima as a consistent contender heading into the state meet. The state championship represents the final stage of the Class 2 cross country season.
Fans following Fatima's programs can track the Class 2 girls race starting at 9 a.m. and the boys race at 9:45 a.m. on November 6. Individual state qualifiers from the District 3 meet will be the runners to watch at Gans Creek.
The takeaway
The District 3 results show Fatima fielding competitive teams in both boys and girls cross country heading into the state championships. Following individual runners from the district meet offers a clear way to track the state races.
What happens next
The Class 2 girls race begins at 9 a.m. and the boys race at 9:45 a.m. on November 6, 2026, at Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia.
Further reading
Find more coverage in our Running section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Jefferson City News Tribune.
