By Brennan Stebbins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Carthage coach Brian Crigger told his runners he wasn’t worried about their times on a hot, dusty day Tuesday in Monett.
“I just wanted to see them get out and compete and run tough and I think they did,” Crigger said. “I was pleased with how they worked together as a team. They executed the plan so we’ve still got work to do but we’re definitely going in the right direction right now.”
The plan worked well enough for Carthage to place five runners in the top 13 individually and earn first place in the large school division at Monett’s Richard “Whitey” Mettlach Invitational, with the Tigers fending off Neosho by two points.
Mariques Strickland earned third (18:45.1) for Carthage, Miguel Solano followed in fourth, Joseph Wyrick was sixth, Eddy Fuentes was ninth and Emerson Ixcol finished 13th.
“I knew they were capable of it,” Crigger said. “They’ve been putting in the work, putting in the miles, and some of their past times indicate they could go faster than what they’re doing right now. I just need them to believe in themselves.”
Fuentes and Ixcol were key for the Tigers on Tuesday as the team’s Nos. 4 and 5 runners.
“They’re both just kind of slowly getting varsity experience and I thought they stepped up and ran tough,” Crigger said. “The reason we won right there is those two in the later parts of the race passing lots of people and running strong.”
Neosho nearly matched Carthage, and even had the overall winner in Kaden Cole, who finished in 17:16.8 – more than 50 seconds ahead of anyone else. Gabriel Mabrey was seventh, Harry Slinkard was eighth, Carson Newell took 10th and Connor Jordon finished 12th.
Monett, Nixa, McDonald County, Marshfield and Mt. Vernon rounded out the top seven; Carl Junction also competed but had just four finishers.
Monett’s Julio Cruz earned second overall in 18:08.9. Carl Junction’s Jack Lawson earned fifth in 19:22.1. Nixa’s top runner was Matthew Martin, who placed 14th in 20:49.2. McDonald County’s Hunter Leach finished 15th in 20:49.5, Marshfield’s Keelan Stewart was 17th in 21:20.4 and Mt. Vernon’s Isaac Barker was 23rd in 21:56.5.
Carl Junction top girls team among large schools
Bulldogs coach Kyla Walnofer said the course, which winds around Monett’s golf course, is probably the toughest her team will run this season.
“I’m just really proud of the girls,” she said. “Some of them were a little nervous coming into this course and it being really hot but I thought they did really well.”
As it turned out, there wasn’t much to be nervous about for the Bulldogs, who placed six runners in the top 11 and captured the large school girls championship by a decent margin.
Hannah Franks was fourth (23:50.9), Alexis Carpenter was fifth, Alanza Montez was sixth, Sadie Burchett was seventh, Delaney Harris was ninth and Riley Briggs was 11th.
“Usually it’s Ali Montez that’s first but Hannah Franks and Lexi Carpenter stepped it up and got first and second on our team,” Walnofer said.
“This is one to really build on,” she said. “We don’t have a lot of hills by Carl Junction so it’s nice to come down here and get some of this experience.”
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Neosho was again forced to settle for second place. The Wildcats finished seven points back, with Carthage and Nixa rounding out the top four. Marshfield, McDonald County and Monett didn’t have five finishers.
Neosho’s Riley Kemna took second overall in 22:37.1, Chloe Wood was third, Bailey Miller was eighth, Adrianna Adams took 12th and Makenna Davis was 14th.
Carthage had the top overall runner with Maggie Boyd winning in 22:04.5. Monett was led by Sadie Camp’s 13th-place finish in 25:47.7, while McDonald County’s Clara Horton finished 16th in 27:02.5, Nixa’s Camila Figueroa was 18th in 27:12.3 and Marshfield’s Alyxandrea Keifert placed 23rd in 28:06.7.
Lamar boys claim small school title
Head coach Rodney Baldridge said Tuesday’s showing was the best of the year for the Lamar boys. The team’s top four runners finished in the top eight overall.
“I’m very happy,” Baldridge said. “This is a tough course and we showed a lot of heart today.”
Blaine Breshears led the Tigers with a fourth-place finish in 19:25.2. Cameron Bailey was sixth, Quintin Webb was seventh and Pierce Heins was eighth. Jacob Morrison followed in 17th.
“Those top four running together, the two meets we had previously they spread out way too much,” Baldridge said. “Today those top four were within 16 seconds. It had been like a minute apart. Very happy that group stayed together.”
Breshears had opened the year as the team’s No. 4 runner but has led the Tigers in consecutive meets.
Blue Eye finished 12 points back in second place, followed by Cassville, Aurora Christian Academy, Crane, Sparta, Aurora and Diamond. Ash Grove, Clever, College Heights, Liberal, Marionville, Pierce City, Purdy, Sarcoxie, Washburn and Thomas Jefferson also had runners.
Blue Eye claimed the individual champion. Ryan Cardenzana finished in 17:27.3 – more than 90 seconds ahead of anyone else. Thomas Jefferson’s Kip Atteberry was second in 19:00.9, Purdy’s Bryce Ozbun was third in 19:17.1, Aurora Christian’s Edward Clark was ninth in 19:48.4 and Cassville’s Caleb Leach rounded out the top 10 in 19:53.8.
Crane’s top runner was Calen Faucett, who placed 11th in 20:12.0. Washburn’s Christian Long placed 14th in 20:25.0, College Heights’ Caleb Quade was 16th in 20:35.2, Sparta’s Payton Beeler took 22nd in 21:13.0, Sarcoxie’s Dugan Pogue was 26th in 21:36.6, Marionville’s Gabe Whitman was 30th in 21:53.8, Pierce City was led by William Holmes in 31st (22:08.4), Aurora’s Luke Miller finished in 22:09.7 for 32nd, Diamond’s Wesley Roughton took 36th in 22:23.6, Clever was led by Coleton GArdner in 46th (23:48.4), Liberal was led by Brett Leibbrand’s 58th-place finish in 25:52.7 and Ash Grove was led by Julian Rea’s 60th-place finish in 27:18.0.
Cassville girls win small school division
The Cassville girls didn’t have much trouble winning their division on Tuesday. They finished 36 points ahead of Clever.
Annie Moore led the Wildcats with a fourth-place finish in 23:07.6 and teammate Jolie Evans followed in fifth. Marianne McCrackin took 12th for Cassville, Dakotah Anderson was 14th and Tori Mitchell was 16th.
“We as a group always dread Monett and the hills but I said hey, everybody’s out here running in the heat, everybody’s out running the hills, let’s just go do what we normally do,” said Cassville coach Courtney Kirk.
“Annie Moore really came out today and pushed it,” Kirk said. “She’s usually our No. 2 runner but she came out here and gutted it out and was first for us today. She did great.”
Of course, it was no surprise who crossed the finish line first: Blue Eye’s Riley Arnold. She posted a time of 21:25.2. Aurora’s Kaci Singer (21:49.9) was the only other runner close.
Blue Eye took third in the team standings, College Heights was fourth and Liberal fifth. Aurora, Lamar, Marionville, Pierce City, Sarcoxie, Washburn, Sparta and Thomas Jefferson also were in attendance.
Lamar was led by Kiersten Potter in third place with a time of 22:59.0. Clever’s top runner was Chloe Smith, who finished sixth in 23:32.3. Teammate Riley Britton was eighth. Sparta’s Isabella House placed seventh in 23:57.7, College Heights’ Jayli Johnson placed ninth in 24:28.3 and Aurora’s Destiny Jaramillo also cracked the top 10.
Washburn was led by Cally Bowyer in 11th, Liberal’s top runner was Abby Barton in 15th, Thomas Jefferson’s Macie Shifferd was 17th, Pierce City’s Lauren Blackburn was 27th, Sarcoxie’s Larissa Dorris was 29th and Marionville’s Kristlyn Smith took 30th.
