By Michael Cignoli (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
NIXA – The West Plains cross country teams didn’t need to blow anyone away on Saturday morning.
They managed to do it anyway.
The Zizzers swept the team titles at the Class 4 District 2 meet at Inman Intermediate School, an accomplishment with some added significance for one of the state’s premier programs.
The showings ensured Zizzers runners will compete at the state championship meet for the 45th consecutive season, a stretch that dates back to the program’s inception in the late 1970s.
Longtime coach Joe Bill Dixon, who founded the program and coached it for more than four decades, was in attendance as the Zizzers further padded a resume that includes a combined 40 state championships – 27 team titles and 13 individual victories. The West Plains girls are the two-time defending state champions, and will now compete for a third on Friday in Columbia.
“We’re really excited,” current West Plains coach Alicia Gunter said. “It’s kind of been a slow-coming season and we’ve had to work out some kinks, so I’m just super excited that they were able to come here and win today. My instructions today were ‘Let’s run a solid team race. We don’t need to hit a home run, but let’s run a solid team race.”
The Zizzers executed that strategy to perfection.
At one point early in the girls race, five Zizzers runners ran alongside each other – forming a moving blockade that stretched from one side of the course boundary to the other.
They eventually split up, but not by much.
All five finished in the top 17, giving the Zizzers a meet-low 49 points.
Emily Ritter (fourth), Jorden Tollenaar (seventh), Addison Sanders (10th), Emma Dixon (11th) and Kaylea Dixon (17th) helped the Zizzers finish 42 points clear of second-place Rolla.
“We believe there’s power in the pack – power in the teammate being beside you,” Gunter said. “We think it wears on the person you’re going by, but just strength knowing your buddy and your sister or your brother is right there behind you.”
They were also 52 points ahead of Webb City and Bolivar, who tied for third with 101.
“I am so happy that today was the best team race I’ve seen all season,” Alicia Gunter said. “Today, they trusted the plan. They adjusted their paces to run the plan and it was the best team race that we’ve ran – and that’s why we’re district champions.”
It was more of the same for the West Plains boys, who had five runners finish in the top 18. Their score of 61 placed them 16 ahead of defending district champion Willard, who finished second.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE RACES
Hoyt Stiner (sixth), Carson King (eighth), Ridge Smith (14th), Kyler Gunter (15th) and Jackson Free (18th) all finished in less than 17 minutes, 26 seconds for the Zizzers.
Smith is the only senior in that group, and the girls team had just two seniors score points in the district race. Ritter and Emma Dixon are freshmen, while Sanders is a sophomore.
That dynamic led to some early-season growing pains.
“We’re just a young team,” Alicia Gunter said. “We don’t have a lot of racing experience and we just really had to work through that and learned to trust each other and trust the program and the system.”
Heading into their biggest meet of the season, the Zizzers are fully bought in.
“It really helps us go into state knowing that we have to get out and get in position,” Alicia Gunter said. “I think that was a lot of the key today. We trusted the plan and we got out and got in position and ran strong from the gun.”
The top four teams in each race all advanced to the state meet, as did each race’s top 30 overall finishers.
Webb City runners swept the individual district titles, as senior Abigail Street won the girls race in 18 minutes, 53.91 seconds. Junior Evan Stevens was first among boys with his time of 15:57.20.
“That’s really cool,” Stevens said. “I’m not sure if that ever happened before – having a boy and girl individual champion (from Webb City) – but if it has, it’s only been like once or twice. Today’s pretty cool to be a part of.”
Street prevailed in a head-to-head showdown between conference champions.
She ran away with the Central Ozark Conference title, winning the Oct. 18 meet by more than 20 seconds. Three days earlier, Rolla senior Isabella Frost won her Ozark Conference meet with a 16-second win. Both races were held at the same Inman Intermediate course as Saturday’s meet.
“Izzy’s a really good runner, so I was a little nervous,” Street said. “But I just do what my coach says – or I try to – and just don’t second guess it.”
With no second guessing, Street wound up placing first – three seconds ahead of Frost. No other runner finished within 35 seconds of the new district champion.
“Obviously, really excited,” Street said. “My coach told me to go out with first place for the first lap and then go out with a surge on the second lap. That’s what we did.”
Stevens also stayed near the front of the pack on the first lap, and said he was given a choice on when to make his push. He had the choice to go at the 1.5-mile mark or wait for the 2-mile mark.
He opted for the former, creating some distance between him and the field. Stevens held on for a five-second win, with Rolla’s Cameron Martensen finishing second.
“I felt fine in my legs,” Stevens said. “Just kind of opened up straight on the straightaway. Just kind up adapted off that gap the rest of the race.”
Bolstered by Stevens’ performance, Webb City’s boys team finished third with 122 points and qualified for the state meet. Rolla took the final berth with a score of 129.
That ensured both Webb City teams advanced to Columbia, joining the Street-led girls.
“I’m happy the hard work is starting to pay off,” Street said. “We’ve had some ups and downs this season. Especially as a team, I think we’re really starting to figure it out and work together.”
GIRLS STATE QUALIFIERS
1. Abigail Street, Webb City, 18:53.91
2. Isabella Frost, Rolla, 18:56.92
3. Emily Willman, Sullivan, 19:29.84
4. Emily Ritter, West Plains, 19:40.33
5. Rebecca Waterman, Parkview, 19:49.92
6. Ayden Spotila, Bolivar, 19:51.41
7. Jorden Tollenaar, West Plains, 19:58.80
8. Emma Howes, Bolivar, 20:08.60
9. Brooke Hedger, Webb City, 20:16.55
10. Addison Sanders, West Plains, 20:19.04
11. Emma Dixon, West Plains, 20:24.91
12. Kendall Langley, Rolla, 20:24.96
13. Grace Dryer, Pacific, 20:25.38
14. Bridget Ragan, Rolla, 20:25.39
15. Avery Morris, Nevada, 20:26.71
16. Ella Jobe, Jefferson City, 20:35.59
17. Kaylea Dixon, West Plains, 20:37.92
18. Aisley James, Logan-Rogersville, 20:38.84
19. Kathryn Hirtz, Rolla, 20:39.21
20. Seri King, West Plains, 20:39.92
21. Tessa Ludden, Bolivar, 20:40.48
22. Daphnie Dollins, West Plains, 20:46.67
23. Brooklyn Cannon, St. Clair, 20:51.38
24. Lindsay Parkin, Hillcrest, 20:53.28
25. Rachel Miller, Webb City, 20:56.05
26. Melodi Miller, St. Clair, 20:57.89
27. Kelsey Brake, Union, 20:58.05
28. Jenna Schnipper, Jefferson City, 20:59.49
29. Allie Rains, Nevada, 21:01.64
30. Mary Jastal, Monett, 21:03.77
TEAM RESULTS
1. West Plains*, 49
2. Rolla*, 91
T-3. Bolivar*, 101
T-3. Webb City*, 101
5. Jefferson City, 181
6. Carl Junction, 202
7. Union, 212
8. Nevada, 245
9. Logan-Rogersville, 246
10. St. Clair, 257
11 Pacific, 262
12. Parkview, 276
13. Monett, 280
14 .Sullivan, 308
*Denotes state qualifier
BOYS STATE QUALIFIERS
1. Evan Stevens, Webb City, 15:57.20
2. Cameron Martensen, Rolla, 16:02.26
3. Nolan Hansen, Willard, 16:21.42
4. Bryson Pickard, Union, 16:24.04
5. Gavin Crawford-Yates, Bolivar, 16:32.36
6. Hoyt Stiner, West Plains, 16:32.53
7. Payson Reisner, Bolivar, 16:38.61
8. Carson King, West Plains, 16:42.77
9. Garry Adams, Willard, 16:42.97
10. Julio Cruz, Monett, 16:43.99
11. Zach Mitchell, Marshfield, 16:56.57
12. Mason Hedger, Webb City, 16:57.51
13. Taylor Meyer, Union, 16:59.12
14. Ridge Smith, West Plains, 17:04.57
15. Kyler Gunter, West Plains, 17:11.21
16. Alex Keeling, Willard, 17:11.44
17. Nick Hunkins, Pacific, 17:18.00
18. Jackson Free, West Plains, 17:25.26
19. Ben Smith, Pacific, 17:25.74
20. Nathaniel Aguilarleon, Rolla, 17:25.78
21. Aiden Kirk, Sullivan, 17:28.14
22. Abram Denney, Sullivan, 17:28.33
23. Cooper Hall, Willard, 17:30.46
24. Victor Salas, Monett, 17:33.22
25. Isaac Willoughby, Carl Junction, 17:35.50
26. Luke Govero, Willard, 17:35.69
27. Hunter Leach, McDonald County, 17:35.97
28. Stewart Call, West Plains, 17:38.73
29. Thomas Perkins, St. Clair, 17:41.22
30. Trevin Smith, West Plains, 17:43.07
TEAM RESULTS
1. West Plains*, 61
2. Willard*, 77
3. Webb City*, 122
4. Rolla*, 129
5. Bolivar, 135
6. Pacific, 179
7. St. Clair, 199
8. Monett, 245
9. McDonald County, 262
10. Union, 265
11. Carl Junction, 293
12. Logan-Rogersville, 305
13. Nevada, 320
14. Marshfield, 335
15. Sullivan, 337
16. Hillcrest, 414
17. Parkview, 419
*Denotes state qualifier
