By Pat Dailey (For OzarkSportsZone.com)
BOLIVAR — For Joplin junior Ava Doll, this season is her first go-around as a cross-country runner. But she’s already become quite familiar with Webb City’s Brooke Hedger.
Lately, Doll has also become well acquainted with Ozark’s Elsie Estes.
Doll outlasted Estes and Hedger to take the Class 5 District 2 girls individual championship. Doll was timed in 18:26, while Estes was second in 18:33 and Hedger third in 18:55.
Doll, Estes and Hedger also raced together at the COC Championships, albeit with Estes winning the East Division title and Doll taking the West Division championship.
Doll and Hedger have raced at the same meets all season.
“We’ve gone back and forth pretty much this whole season,” Doll said. “It’s exciting that we have this rivalry going, especially with someone (from a school) so close.”
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Doll, Estes and Hedger ran basically side by side for the first half of the race, before Doll broke away.
Doll broke her own school record of 18:31.
“I felt really strong today,” she said. “I’ve felt great these last couple of weeks.”
Doll was so happy to be at the Bolivar Municipal Golf Course that she destroyed her time of 19:12 from the season-opening SWCCCA meet at Bolivar two months ago.
“I was quite a bit faster for this one,” Doll said. “I got out fast enough for this race. It wasn’t hard for me to play catch-up. I took over the last mile. That helped me pull away. I wanted to PR and I did by :05. But I wasn’t expecting to finish first. It’s a great feeling.
“This is my favorite course for sure,” she added. “It’s so flat. It’s a nice course, there’s not a bunch of holes or anything.”
SWMO runners swept the top 14 places.
Defending district champ Gracie Troester, of Republic, finished sixth in 19:24. She has been on the comeback trail all season following an injury.
Alayna Stewart’s fifth-place finish in 19:19 led Kickapoo to the team championship. The Lady Chiefs’ 79 points edged runner-up Webb City’s 84.
Kickapoo’s Charlotte Cones was 13th 19:43 and Kaitlyn Davis 14th in 19:56.
Lebanon’s Abigail Tage was fourth in 19:11.
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On the boys side, defending district champ Aaron Ashley, of Nixa, took third in 15:48.
“It wasn’t the greatest time I’ve had,” Ashley said. “But it wasn’t horrible. I’m pretty satisfied with it. I was definitely going all-out. But my legs just kind of seized up at the end and I didn’t have anything left.”
Glendale’s Lincoln Crews finished fifth in 15:53.
Ray-Pec’s Gabriel Voelker and Carter Younger were 1-2 with times of 15:13 and 15:40.
“They’re really fast. I think I can be next to Carter at State,” Ashley said.
Ray-Pec also won the team title, totaling 23 points. Defending champion Nixa was second with 62 and Kickapoo third with 80
