Liberty Christian's brand-new boys cross country team is loaded with talent heading into the 2026 season.

The Eagles have so much talent between some new faces and a core group of runners who helped the school win the Missouri Christian Schools Athletic Association (MCSAA) track title this spring that a very serious goal is on the lips of all involved headed into the season.

Freshman Brady Russell, who was a part of the track team, likes what he hears when coach Jeremy Russell lofts the expectation of the team not only winning the team cross country title, but three Eagles runners finishing atop the podium and all five runners placing in the top 10.

“If we could go one, two, three and if that solidifies a state championship, I feel like that would be amazing to get in our first year,” Brady Russell said. “I think it would be really nice, really cool. I don’t know how everyone else feels, but if we could win a championship, it would be cool to see what we could do if we were in MSHSAA against schools like that.”

While Brady Russell, senior Ryan Hoffman, junior James Guinn – who transferred from Wright City – and eighth grader Isaiah Hakim all provide Liberty Coach Jeremy Russell with a deep pool of talent, they also bring something even more important.

The chance for each talented runner to push one another and make each other better has the coach excited. After all, in addition to the school’s track success, Guinn finished 57th at the Class 3 District 3 meet at Linn High School last fall while running for Wright City.

“I really do expect the boys to win the state title,” Jeremy Russell said. “I think the friendly competition is exactly what they need to push themselves. James is a new addition. I really want somebody to really push Brady, and it took me watching James run one time to see (that he is capable).”

For his part, Hoffman, who has excelled as a sprinter on the track, said he’s ready to try his hand at aiding his team on the cross country course.

While he’s a novice to running this type of race, Hoffman isn’t a novice to what the team is going to need from him.

“My main focus is on keeping the team together and keeping our focus on it,” said Hoffman of putting in the work necessary to win. “We’ve got some kids who might be a little behind the others but they’re going to tough it out and keep working hard to improve. I want to make my mark in my senior year and this (being a leader) is what I’m being asked to do, so that’s what I want to do.”

As far as making the transition to running long distance goes, Hoffman said he’s ready to grow into the role.

“I’m not there yet,” he said of contending for a state medal. “I think with a lot of hard work, I can grow into a spot where I could see myself medaling. That’s my goal. I would like to see myself do well, but I really want to see the team succeed and make its mark in the first season.”

On the girls’ side, sophomore Lucy Hoernschemeyer will head up a young team looking to make an impression of its own.

Regardless of results, though, Hoernschemeyer said she’s glad to be able to blaze a trail with her teammates for others to follow.

“I’m proud to represent my school,” Hoernschemeyer said. “The girls on the team already have a pretty good bond.”

Jeremy Russell said that the girls face a different set of challenges than do the boys.

With Hoernschemeyer being the most experienced runner on the team, the rest of the girls will have to switch gears as the postseason begins.

“A lot of the girls are younger than eighth grade,” the coach said. “That means that their races in-season will be only two miles. That’s going to be a change when the state meet rolls around and it’s a 5K run. (For that reason) it’s going to be really tough to put expectations on the girls right now.”

The older runners will take part in the COMO kickoff on August 29. The eight-meet in-season schedule will conclude with the 46th annual Frank Lemons Invitational on October 17 before the Missouri Christian Schools Athletic Association (MCSAA) state meet one week later.

“We have a full schedule of meets; we’re going to slowly build the kids up,” Russell said. “We’re going to take baby steps with a lot of the kids.”