* Erik Semling won the MSHSL 1A state title over the weekend
Photo Credit: Teresa Brubaker/MileSplit Minnesota
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Another weekend full of state championships was the perfect setting for these four underclassmen to make a little bit of history.
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Whether they were winning their first state title or moving up their state's all-time record books, there was a plethora of outstanding performances, highlighted by this quartet from the Midwest.
Check out these four talented runners who make up this season's eighth edition of Future Stars.
Class of 2027
Decker's solid sophomore campaign ended with him checking another box off of the list, finishing third at the Iowa State Championships in 15:10.1. Decker failed to finish inside of the top three just once, placing second or third eight different times. Decker went as fast as 15:01.21 this fall, which is the No. 2 time ever run by an Iowa sophomore. Decker is the seventh fastest sophomore in the nation this season, and is one of just 77 high schoolers in history to run sub-15:05.
AVA SCHAFER
St. Johns (Mich.)
Class of 2027
The perfect season lived another weekend as Schafer picked up her 10th straight win, this time doing so at the MHSAA LP DII Finals. The sophomore won her second MHSAA LP title of her young career. Schafer's mark of 17:20.7 puts her at No. 14 amongst all underclassmen in Michigan history. This season, Schafer broke 18:00 on six separate occasions, and won her 10 races by a combined 9:21, with her closest margin of victory being eight seconds.
Class of 2028
After bursting onto the scene during his eighth-grade year in 2023, Semling made even more strides this fall as a freshman, all leading to his first-ever MSHSL 1A state title. The freshman phenom won five races this year, and never finished outside of the top three and ended his in-state season. with a new PB of 15:23.5, the fastest time ever ran by a Minnesota freshman. After finishing sixth a year ago, Semling is now on his way to what could be a historic prep career.
Class of 2028
Throughout her first year of high school cross country, Pickler had never won a race but came close quite a few times as she finished in the top four in four consecutive races. Over the weekend at the KSHSAA 6A State Championships. Pickler emerged victorious over a field packed with experienced upperclassmen, running 18:37.27 on a rain-soaked course at Rim Rock Farm. Pickler is the first freshman to win the 6A state title since 2020 and lowered her PB from 19:57.86 to 18:15.52 over the course of the season.