Who are some of the top area cross country runners to watch heading into this season? Find our top eight below.
This list also appears in the O-Zone Fall Preview Magazine featuring more names. The magazine is available at all area Casey’s General Stores. CLICK HERE FOR A FULL LIST OF ADVERTISER LOCATIONS WHERE THE MAGAZINE IS AVAILABLE.
*This list is in alphabetical order.
Alexis Barber, Ozark, Senior
Barber looks to be poised for big things in her senior season. She is naturally more of a mid-distance runner, but that didn’t stop her from finishing 44th in a time of 20:10.80 at the Class 4 state meet last year. The senior posted a seventh-place finish at the district meet and 20th at the sectional meet. She was the area’s second-fastest miler this past spring with a best of 5:13.06.
Caleb Boys, West Plains, Senior
Boys was the No. 4 runner on the Class 4 state runner-up team last year. His finish time of 16:15.58 was good enough to finish 16th place overall. That time also is the fastest returning time for any area runner on the state course. He finished sixth at the sectional meet and fourth at a district meet where the Zizzers swept the top four spots.
Madeline Caruthers, Branson, Senior
Caruthers just missed out on an all-state finish last year as she came across in 26th place with a time of 19:51.03. She was third at the Central Ozark Conference meet with a sixth-place finish at district and 13th at the sectional meet.
Keifer Dooley, Branson, Senior
Dooley was the third among a tight pack of area runners at the Class 4 state meet last year. He came across the line in 18th place with a time of 16:16.19. Prior to that, Dooley finished fifth at the district meet and 12th at the sectional meet. He will be a contender for the Central Ozark Conference title after finishing third last year.
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Kaylee Hatley, West Plains, Senior
West Plains will be one of the area’s best teams once again and Hatley will be a big reason why. She was one of two all-state finishers for the area in Class 4 last year with an 11th-place finish in a time of 19:13.49. Her postseason run included a Class 4 District 5 individual championship. In the spring, she posted the area’s No. 2 3200-meter time in 11:30.17.
Kolin Overstreet, Lamar, Junior
Overstreet will be the leader for the defending Class 2 state champion Lamar Tigers coming off a fifth-place finish in 17:09.87 at last year’s state meet. The junior will be a contender for the individual title this season. He is one of the purely fastest distance runners in the area with a best of 1:57.32 in the 800 and 4:25.84 in the 1600 this past spring.
Sydney Pyrah, Willard, Junior
Pyrah gave the area two all-state finishers at the Class 4 State Cross Country meet as she came across the line in a time of 19:18.77, which was good enough for 13th place. She is the reigning champion of the Central Ozark Conference after posting a time of 19:06.50 at that meet. Her postseason series also included a 12th-place finish at districts and a 11th-place finish at sectionals.
Clayton Whitehead, Carthage, Senior
Whitehead came across the line at the Class 4 state meet just behind West Plains’ Caleb Boys in a time of 16:15.72, which was good enough for 17th place overall. The senior also had a strong track season where he posted the area’s No. 4 time in the 3200 (9:27.91) and No. 5 time in the 1600 (4:25.41). He finished all-state in the 3200.
