Cape Central High School siblings heading to cross country State Championships

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (Heartland News) - There was a loud send-off on Thursday, November 6, for a group of Cape Central High School athletes looking to make some noise at the Missouri State Championship meet in cross country.

For two of those runners, the competition doesn’t just end on the course.

Senior Jamie Dawson and Freshman Braylon Coleman are siblings.

The brother and sister duo say they have been pushing themselves since they were young.

Although both say they find each other a little annoying at times, it’s special to be able to compete and guide each other at an event that is reserved for the best runners across the Show-Me State.

“It feels amazing because it’s my last year and it’s his first year running cross country in high school with me, and I get to enjoy having my little brother with me to annoy me,” said Jamie.

”My relationship with her is pretty good, but competitive," said Braylon. “We’re like always on the track. We like race each other and stuff and just over time we got better.“

Between the two athletes, it is still a highly contested debate when you ask who is the fastest, but both say they wouldn’t be where they are today without the other’s help.

The 2026 MSHSAA Cross Country Championships are taking place at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Missouri, on Friday, Nov. 6 and Saturday, Nov. 7.