By Amanda Perkins & Chris Parker
If you look at results of state cross country meets for the past two years, you will not find Joplin’s Ava Doll listed anywhere.
That is because she had never run cross country in high school prior to this season.
After Friday’s results, you can find her listed as the fourth-fastest runner in all of Class 5.
“I definitely was not expecting that (a fourth-place finish) coming in (to the season) at all. I had really no intentions other than I loved the sport and this is what God carried me to,” Doll said.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GIRLS RACE
The junior did have some experience running as a freshman but took last season off.
“I ran distance my freshman year and then I had to take last year off. This year I came back. I love to run. My sister ran. My whole family runs. It felt like it was my nature,” Doll said.
Doll came through the first kilometer in 12th place before going to work moving up to fifth after two kilometers and third after three. She settled in at fourth place finishing with a time of 18:17.7.
Just behind her was Webb City’s Brooke Hedger in fifth place. Her focus was to break the race down into smaller parts on her way to a finish time of 18:20.2.
FULL RESULTS: GIRLS RACE – CLICK HERE
“I just wanted to go out smooth and stay with everyone. My coach has really been addressing running tangents. That helped me stay focused during the race going from point to point and staying engaged,” Hedger said.
Her and Doll, conference and district rivals, stayed within three seconds of each other for the entire race.
“It (having Doll close) really helped me run better. I know Ava. We live right by each other. We get to see each other a lot. It is just good to have her to compete against and (see) a familiar face in a sea of people that I don’t usually run against,” Hedger said.
Ozark’s Ellsie Estes was the area’s all-state finisher in either boys or girls Clas 5 race taking 15th in a time of 18:34.4.
Kickapoo scored 220 points to place eighth as a team to lead the area. Webb City (10th place), Ozark (13th place) and Joplin (16th place) also competed in the team competition.
The race was won by Balla Navaro-Sanchez from Liberty (Wentzville) with a time of 18:08.3.
On the boys’ side of Class 5, Nixa’s Aaron Ashley was the top finisher for the area taking 29th place in a time of 15:55.2. The Eagles were also the area’s best finisher in the team race placing seventh overall with 196 points. That was one point ahead of eighth place Kickapoo. Webb City rounded out the area’s teams taking 15th.
Rockhurst senior Henry Acorn ran 14:52.4 to win the race individually.
