By Amanda Perkins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Runners competed in blustery conditions Saturday at Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia as the wind, rain and mud became factors in the state championship race.
East Newton High School’s Chase Sorrell took third place with a 16:12.8 finish behind Southern Boone’s Connor Burns (15:01) and Bowling Green’s Ben Chance (16:02.4).
“The game plan was to go out with a group, and I was going to just try to stick with them and to see what I could do at the end,” said Sorrell.
Sorrell was 39th as a freshman, 13th last year, and now the junior finished third. “I was hoping to maybe sneak into all-state as a freshman and it didn’t happen, and then sophomore year, our team did pretty good,” said Sorrell. “I had Gabe (Bergen) and Kelton (Sorrell) when I was a freshman and sophomore helping to push me, and this year I was hoping for maybe top five. I was able to get third and I’m pretty happy about it.”
The area had three more all-state finishers in the race. Cassville’s Caleb Leach finished 12th in a time of 16:56.9. Buffalo’s Sean Walker was right behind him in 13th place with a time of 16:57.3. Willow Springs sophomore Carson Smith rounded out the area’s all-state finishers in this class, placing 16th with a time of 16:58.2.
El Dorado Springs (11th), Lamar (14th), East Newton (15th) and Cassville (16th) all represented the area in the team competition.
Kiersten Potter took 9th place for Lamar in the girls’ race with a 19:44.3 finish.
“It was definitely a little bit chilly,” Potter said as the wind gusted. “I am proud of how I finished. I knew as soon as I started I was going to have a good race,” said the senior Southwest Baptist commit and four-time all-stater. “I felt really calm through the whole thing and kept my good pace.”
Cassville’s Jolie Evans was the area’s next finisher in the race in 19th place with a time of 20:14.3. Buffalo’s Sadie Abercrombie (21st – 20:16.4) and Clever’s Chloe Smith (22nd – 20:16.4) also finished all-state.
El Dorado Springs and Cassville just missed out on bringing home team trophies, finishing sixth and seventh, respectively.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE RACES
FULL RESULTS: CLASS 3 BOYS – CLICK HERE
FULL RESULTS: CLASS 3 GIRLS – CLICK HERE
