Marking the culmination of years of hard work and dedication, McAuley Catholic senior distance runner Kendall Ramsey signed a letter of intent on Monday to join the Pittsburg State University cross country and track and field programs.
“It’s very special and bittersweet because of all the time I’ve put in running and how all of the accomplishments came together,” Ramsey said of making her college decision official. “There were some happy tears today. I’ve had a lot of support from my family, and I can’t thank them enough.”
Kendall Ramsey
Ramsey said Pittsburg State was her choice for several reasons.
“Their program has had a lot of success,” Ramsey said. “Their running program is great. My brother went to Pitt State, and I liked the environment there. I’m going to be majoring in biology and their biology program stood out to me. I want to do their pre-dental program and then go to dental school.”
As Warriors coach Andy Youngworth pointed out to the school’s student body ahead of the signing ceremony, Ramsey has definitely left her mark on McAuley’s cross country and track programs.
Ramsey is the school record-holder in the 5K (20:46), the 1600 (5:39) and the 3200 (12:23).
In cross country, Ramsey advanced to the state meet all four years of high school, earning all-state honors as a junior and senior. Ramsey finished eighth and ninth in Class 1 the last two years.
Ramsey was listed on the Southwest Missouri Coaches Association’s all-region team in three straight seasons.
On the track, Ramsey is a two-time state qualifier and one-time state medalist who has also earned multiple conference, district and sectional championships in her signature events, the 1600 and the 3200.
Ramsey finished sixth in the 1600 and ninth in the 3200 at last May’s state track meet.
Of course, Ramsey still has her senior season of track ahead of her this spring.
Ramsey noted she hopes to finish her prep career on a high note.
“I want to qualify for the state meet again,” she said. “It’s going to be hard because we have some really fast girls in our district and sectional. I want to PR one last time. And if I can make it to the state meet, I want to medal. I’m going to work hard to try and accomplish my goals.”
On Monday, McAuley Catholic senior Kendall Ramsey signed to run track and cross country for Pittsburg State University.
A large group of local athletes were named to the Southwest Cross Country Coaches Association’s all-region teams.
Listed below are the Joplin area athletes who were recognized in each class.
CLASS 5
Joplin’s Chance Tindall and Ian Horton and Webb City’s Evan Stevens were named all-region first-team for Class 5.
Webb City’s Mason Hedger, Spencer Kendall and Andrew Dawson and Joplin’s Grey Edwards were second-team selections.
Carthage’s Eddy Fuentes and Webb City’s Noah Lankard were honorable mention picks.
On the girls side, Webb City’s Brooke Hedger and Joplin’s Katherine Schaefer were named second-team all-region.
Named to the honorable mention team were Webb City’s Emma McKinzie, Olivia Klotz, Amelia Antillon and Emily Countryman.
CLASS 4
Carl Junction’s Isaac Willoughby was named to the first-team all-region squad in Class 4.
On the second-team were Carl Junction’s Jack Lawson and Luke Battagler. McDonald County’s Caleb Garvin was an honorable mention selection.
On the girls side, Carl Junction’s Madilyn Dalton and Marissa Newman were second-team selections.
Named to the honorable mention team were Carl Junction’s Delaney Harris and Audrey Fletcher, McDonald County’s Kate Cheney, Monett’s Mary Jastal and Nevada’s Brynley Hedges.
CLASS 3
East Newton’s Chase Sorrell was the region’s Class 3 boys runner of the year.
Sorrell and Lamar’s duo of Cameron Bailey and Ryder Friend were first-team picks.
Honorable mention selections were Cassville’s Ethan Bohmke, Aurora’s Carsen Gillam, Lamar’s Pierce Heins and East Newton’s Nicholas Schaeffer.
On the girls side, Lamar’s Abigail Diggs and Cassville’s Jadyn Williams-Reed were first-team picks.
Mount Vernon’s Rylee Simons was selected to the second team.
College Heights Christian’s Marla Anderegg and Jesalin Bever were honorable mention selections, along with East Newton’s Brooklyn Blanchard and Lamar’s Carly Durham and Leilani Toves.
CLASS 2
College Heights Christian’s Colton McMillan was a first-team pick in Class 2.
Diamond’s Wyatt Housh was listed on the second team, while CHC’s Owen Horton and Connor Jordan, Purdy’s Jayden Griffis and Logan Manwarren were selected to the honorable mention team.
Pierce City’s Emma Hunt was a first-team selection on the girls team.
Sarcoxie’s Laney Dorris, Pierce City’s Lauren Blackburn and Purdy’s Courtney Patterson were honorable mention picks.
CLASS 1
McAuley Catholic’s Michael Parrigon was a first-team all-region selection in Class 1.
Thomas Jefferson’s Liam Cook and Braden Honeywell-Lynch, McAuley’s Trae Veer and Will Mollnow and Jasper’s Leland Harris were listed on the second team.
McAuley’s Olivia Parrigon and Kendall Ramsey were first-team selections on the girls side, along with Liberal’s Ally Barton and Taylor Swarnes.
Second-team picks were Liberal’s Abby Barton and Bailey Couch and Thomas Jefferson’s Macie Shifferd.
Honorable mention picks were Liberal’s Jordan Goodell, Thomas Jefferson’s Sarah Mueller and McAuley’s Riley Sears.
LAMAR, Mo. — McAuley Catholic is taking two full squads to the state cross country championships.
McAuley Catholic’s boys finished second and the girls placed third at the Class 1 District 2 meet on Saturday at Jeremy’s Creek Golf Course.
At the district meet, the top four teams and the top 30 individuals advanced to the state meet.
The top four boys teams were Hermitage (35), McAuley Catholic (74), School of the Ozarks (111) and Dadeville (117). Of course, the Warriors finished fourth in Class 1 last season.
“It is a great accomplishment to return to state,” McAuley Catholic coach Andy Youngworth said. “Last year was our first time qualifying for state, and I thought we handled the pressure of expecting to qualify this year very well.”
Marion C. Early’s Landon Duchscherer and McAuley Catholic’s Michael Parrigon were the top two finishers in the Class 1 boys race at Saturday’s district meet in Lamar. Courtesy photo.
On a chilly Saturday morning, McAuley junior Michael Parrigon was the district runner-up with a time of 16:35. Marion C. Early’s Landon Duchscherer took first in 15:59.
McAuley sophomore Trae Veer finished eighth in 17:45, while Jasper junior Leland Harris placed 14th in 17:55 and McAuley freshman Will Mollnow finished 17th in 18:03.
Thomas Jefferson had two individual state qualifiers, as junior Braden Honeywell-Lynch placed 19th (18:14) and freshman Liam Cook finished 29th (18:39).
Also for McAuley, Connor Taffner finished 31st, Alex Bohachick was 41st, Cliff Nolan placed 59th and Max Anreder was 62nd.
“We really had a few kids step up,” Youngworth said of his team’s performance. “Michael had a good early battle with the runner from Marion C. Early, but fell back a bit, forcing him to run alone most of the meet on a cold, windy day. All of our boys ran tough. Will Mollnow finished 17th. It was his best race of the year. Connor Taffner also ran well, as did Alex Bohachick, who benefitted from the cold conditions. Cliff Nolan and Max Anreder rounded out our top seven and were able to put together solid races in their first championship meet.”
Also competing for Thomas Jefferson were Spencer Long (32nd), Jack Twiss (34th), Ashan Appuhamy (57th), Ringo Snow (58th) and James Sheppard (76th).
McAuley’s girls also qualified its full team to state.
The top four girls teams were Chadwick (33), Liberal (47), McAuley Catholic (78) and School of the Ozarks (104).
Liberal freshman Ally Barton was the district medalist with a time of 20:11.
McAuley Catholic senior Kendall Ramsey placed fifth in 21:00, while freshman Olivia Parrigon was sixth in 21:12 and freshman Riley Sears took 27th in 23:30.
Also scoring points for McAuley were Marbellie Villanueva (41st) and Samantha Perrin (49th).
“Kendall Ramsey and Olivia Parrigon ran as expected, finishing fifth and sixth, respectively, and really had nice races,” Youngworth said. “Riley Sears ran her best race of the year, running almost a 90 second PR, and was key to our finish. Marbellie Villanueva struggled a bit in the middle of the race but finished well. Sam Perrin ran another good race and continues to gain confidence.”
Thomas Jefferson had a pair of qualifiers, as junior Macie Shifferd (22:40) and senior Sarah Mueller (22:53) finished 14th and 15th, respectively.
The McAuley Catholic girls cross country team poses after finishing third at the Class 1 District 2 meet in Lamar on Saturday. Courtesy photo.
CLASS 2
The College Heights Christian boys had three individual state qualifiers in Class 2, as Colton McMillan finished 11th in 18:27, Owen Horton placed 19th in 19:11 and Connor Jordan took 21st in 19:17.
Other local qualifiers were Diamond’s Wyatt Housh (14th), Purdy’s Logan Manwarren (16th) and Jayden Griffis (22nd) and Pierce City’s Joseph Leavitt (29th).
The top four boys teams were New Covenant (57), Mansfield (83), Alton (85) and Southwest (106). College Heights finished sixth with 133 points.
In the Class 2 girls race, Pierce City’s Emma Hunt placed third with a time of 20:28. New Covenant’s Clara Trent (19:29) and Ash Grove’s Millison Sapp (20:09) were the only runners to finish ahead of Hunt.
Also advancing with their top 30 finishes were Pierce City’s Lauren Blackburn (12th), Purdy’s Courtney Patterson (13th), Sarcoxie’s Laney Dorris (16th), Pierce City’s Ginger Leavitt (17th) and Sarcoxie’s duo of Lily Garrison (21st) and Ariel Wilson (22nd).
The qualifying girls teams were Sparta (39), Pierce City (59), Sarcoxie (73) and Mansfield (87).
CLASS 3
East Newton’s Chase Sorrell was the runner-up in the Class 3 boys race with a time of 16:02, as El Dorado Springs’ Wyatt Klaiber took first in 15:45.
Lamar’s Cameron Bailey and Ryder Friend finished sixth and seventh, while Aurora’s Carsen Gillam was 15th. East Newton’s Nicholas Shaeffer finished 18th and Pierce City’s Pierce Heins was 19th. Cassville’s Ethan Bohmke (21st), Michael Butts (25th) and Trever Garnett (28th) all advanced.
The top four boys teams were El Dorado Springs (35), Springfield Catholic (101), Lamar (118) and Strafford (143).
In the Class 3 girls race, Lamar’s Abigail Diggs finished third in 20:33 and Cassville’s Jadyn Williams-Reed placed fourth in 20:34.
Mount Vernon’s Rylee Simons took ninth, Lamar’s duo of LeiLani Toves and Carly Dunham were 13th and 16th and East Newton’s Brooklyn Blanchard finished 21st.
College Heights Christian’s Marla Anderegg finished 22nd and teammate Jesalin Bever was 27th to advance. Aurora’s Drew Mayes finished 23rd and Cassville’s Tori Mitchell took 29th.
Fair Grove’s Katrina Cantwell took first in 19:57.
The top four teams were Osage (94), Lamar (103), Clever (112) and Springfield Catholic (113).
NOTE: The MSHSAA Cross Country Championships for Class 1-2 is Nov. 3 at Gans Creek in Columbia, while the Class 3-5 races are scheduled for Nov. 4.
The McAuley Catholic boys cross country team took second in the team standings at the Class 1 District 2 meet on Saturday in Lamar. The top four teams advanced to the state championships in Columbia. Courtesy photo.
Jasper’s Leland Harris and McAuley’s Trae Veer are among the runners pictured competing at Saturday’s Class 1 District 2 meet in Lamar.
Class 1 District 2 Meet
Boys team standings: Hermitage 35, McAuley Catholic 74, School of the Ozarks 111, Dadeville 117, Thomas Jefferson 125, Blue Eye 168, Stoutland 178, Walnut Grove 198, Gloria Deo 223, Fair Play 231, Humansville 259.
Girls team standings: Chadwick 33, Liberal 47, McAuley Catholic 78, School of the Ozarks 104, Blue Eye 106, Hermitage 135, Gloria Deo 162.
NIXA, Mo. — The Carl Junction High School boys cross country team advanced to state after finishing fourth at the Class 4 District 2 meet on Saturday at the Inman Elementary School course.
At the district meet, the top four teams and the top 30 individuals advanced to the state meet.
The top four boys teams were West Plains (38), Bolivar (78), Helias Catholic (141) and Carl Junction (170).
Carl Junction’s Jack Lawson placed eighth in 16:27, while Isaac Willoughby was 12th in 16:39 and Luke Battagler finished 25th in 17:00.
Also competing for the Bulldogs were Nikash Yeary (60th), Alexander Allison (65th), Chance Golden (71st) and Jacob Garrett (83rd).
Marshfield’s Zach Mitchell was the medalist in 16:04.
Again, the top 30 runners advanced. McDonald County’s Caleb Garvin finished 33rd and Monett’s Kash Adams was 39th.
The Carl Junction girls had two individual state qualifiers, as Madilyn Dalton finished 27th in 21:07 and Marissa Newman placed 30th in 21:13.
Monett’s Mary Jastal just missed advancing after finishing 33rd. Carl Junction’s Delaney Harris finished 37th and teammate Audrey Fletcher was 40th. McDonald County’s top performer was Kate Cheney (48th).
Fulton’s Emery Mayfield was the district champ in 18:12.
The top four girls teams were Bolivar (46), West Plains (60), Jefferson City (114) and Fulton (121).
The MSHSAA Class 4 Cross Country Championships are scheduled for Nov. 4 at Gans Creek in Columbia.
NIXA, Mo. — Webb City’s girls and boys cross country teams advanced full squads to the state championships and Joplin had individual qualifiers in both races at the Class 5 District 2 meet on Saturday at Inman Elementary School.
At the district meet, the top four teams and the top 30 individuals advanced to the state meet.
The top four girls teams were Raymore-Peculiar (56), Webb City (97), Kickapoo (99) and Ozark (115).
Joplin senior Katherine Schaefer finished eighth in 19:12 to advance.
Webb City sophomore Brooke Hedger finished 11th in 19:20, while freshmen Emma McKinzie (19th), Olivia Klotz (20th) and Amelia Antillon (22nd) and senior Emily Countryman (25th) all recorded top 25 finishes to lead the Cardinals to the runner-up team showing.
Webb City’s sixth and seventh runners were Brooke Collard (52nd) and Rachel Miller (76th).
Among the local athletes unable to move on were Joplin’s Kyrie Britton (33rd), Carthage’s Maggie Boyd (41st) and Joplin’s Averi Burks (42nd).
Republic’s Gracie Troester was the girls medalist in 18:12.
The top four boys teams were Nixa (65), Raymore-Peculiar (88), Lee’s Summit (97) and Webb City (108).
Joplin junior Chance Tindall finished fifth in 15:36, while Webb City senior Evan Stevens was sixth in 15:39 and Joplin senior Ian Horton took seventh in 15:41.
Webb City’s Mason Hedger placed 16th in 16:05, Joplin’s Grey Edwards was 21st in 16:11 and Webb City’s duo of Andrew Dawson and Spencer Kendall finished 25th and 26th, respectively.
Webb City’s fifth runner was Noah Lankard (35th), while Fenton Rice (46th) and Dakota Grove (60th) were the Cardinals’ sixth and seventh runners.
Nixa’s Aaron Ashley was the district champ in 15:32.
Carthage’s Eddy Fuentes finished just outside of the top 30 in 33rd and Neosho’s Adam Farrell finished 53rd.
The MSHSAA Class 5 Cross Country Championships will be held on Nov. 4 at Gans Creek in Columbia.
The McAuley Catholic cross country program had a historic day.
McAuley Catholic’s boys and girls both captured the team championships at the 2023 Ozark 7 Conference Meet on Friday night at the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course at Missouri Southern State University.
“I was extremely pleased with the efforts of both teams, and of our middle school kids,” McAuley Catholic coach Andy Youngworth said. “We were able to win all four divisions, quite an accomplishment for the kids and coaches! It was a hot, sunny day, but I thought our kids handled it well. I was very proud of our student body who came out and cheered us on today.”
College Heights Christian’s Colton McMillan (5), McAuley’s Trae Veer (38) and Thomas Jefferson’s Braden Honeywell-Lynch (74) are pictured during the Ozark 7 Meet. Photo by Jessica Greninger.
The McAuley boys repeated as conference champs with 31 points. College Heights was second with 38 and Thomas Jefferson (55) was the third team with a full squad competing.
“Our boys team had some pressure on them this year, as we were the defending conference champion,” Youngworth said. “College Heights and Thomas Jefferson have some very good runners, and I knew we would have to run a great race in order to win.”
McAuley junior Michael Parrigon was the individual conference champion, as he crossed the line at 16:41, more than a minute faster than the runner-up.
College Heights Christian’s Colton McMillan took second in 17:46, McAuley’s Trae Veer was third in 17:48, Thomas Jefferson’s Braden Honeywell-Lynch took fourth in 17:54 and CHC’s Connor Jordan placed fifth in 18:32.
Finishing sixth through 10th were McAuley’s Will Mollnow, Thomas Jefferson’s Liam Cook, CHC’s Owen Horton, McAuley’s Connor Taffner and CHC’s Caleb Quade.
Rounding out the top 15 were TJ’s Spencer Long, McAuley’s Alex Bohachick, CHC’s Steven Calandro, Wheaton’s Jayson Peterson and CHC’s Drew Sawkins.
McAuley’s Cliff Nolan, TJ’s duo of Ashan Appuhamy and Jack Twiss, McAuley’s Max Anreder and Exeter’s Josue Alcaraz completed the top 20.
Youngworth, who noted the Ozark 7 schools appreciate MSSU allowing the meet to be held on campus at the Rutledge course, said his boys team performed well overall.
“Michael Parrigon continues to run well, racing alone for the bulk of the meet,” Youngworth said. “Trae Veer finished third, beating some good kids. Trae continues to improve each week, and just runs very smart races. Will Mollnow earned all-conference recognition, as did Connor Taffner. Alex Bohachick finished as our No. 5 and continues to improve after a long illness kept him out of competition for a few weeks. Cliff Nolan ran a solid race as our No. 6 and dropped 45 seconds from last year. Max Anreder rounded out our top seven.”
McAuley Catholic freshman Olivia Parrigon won the girls race at the Ozark 7 Conference Meet.
The postseason awaits for the Warriors.
“We will face a very tough Hermitage at districts next weekend, they are the defending Class 1 state champions,” Youngworth said. “We will have to have great races from all of our kids in order to challenge them.”
GIRLS HIGHLIGHTS
McAuley’s girls edged defending champion College Heights Christian by just three points, 26-29. The Warriors had four top-10 finishers, while the Cougars had three runners in the top five.
“I think the surprise of the day was our girls defeating College Heights, our first-ever girls conference championship,” Youngworth said. “They are very well-coached and were the defending conference champions, but I challenged the girls a little bit this week, telling them they had nothing to lose by being aggressive and running to win.”
McAuley freshman Olivia Parrigon was the conference champion with a time of 21:07.
College Heights Christian junior Marla Anderegg was the runner-up in 21:37 and McAuley senior Kendall Ramsey took third in 21:59.
CHC’s Jesalin Bever and Lilly Royer finished fourth and fifth, while Thomas Jefferson’s duo of Macie Shifferd and Sarah Mueller were sixth and seventh.
Exeter’s Kaylyn Weiser finished eighth and McAuley’s tandem of Riley Sears and Marbellie Villanueva finished ninth and 10th, respectively.
Also of note, College Heights’ Madi Carson finished 13th, McAuley’s Samantha Perrin was 14th, CHC’s Katie Moss placed 17th, CHC’s Lilly Lackey took 19th and McAuley’s Genevieve Billings finished 20th.
Youngworth noted he was proud of how the girls team performed.
“Olivia Parrigon is our first-ever conference champion, and she ran most of the race with Kendall Ramsey and was able to pull away in the last 800 meters,” Youngworth said. “I think the key to our win though was the work of our No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 runners. Riley Sears ran a career PR and earned all-conference honors, as did Marbellie Villanueva, who ran a PR for the season. Our No. 5 was Samantha Perrin, who finished 14th, but dropped over three minutes from last year’s race. We are starting to run with more confidence, and I look forward to the opportunity to see them compete at districts next week.”
OZARK 7 CONFERENCE MEET
Boys team standings: McAuley Catholic 31, College Heights Christian 38, Thomas Jefferson 55.
Girls team standings: McAuley Catholic 26, College Heights 29.
McAuley Catholic’s Kendall Ramsey (42) and Olivia Parrigon (40) and a number of College Heights runners, including Marla Anderegg (11) are pictured during the Ozark 7 Conference Meet at MSSU’s Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course. McAuley swept the team titles. Photos by Jessica Greninger.
Thomas Jefferson’s Liam Cook and McAuley’s Will Mollnow head to the finish line during Friday’s Ozark 7 Conference Meet at Missouri Southern. Photos by Jessica Greninger.
Thomas Jefferson’s Ringo Snow (83) and Ashan Appuhamy (69) compete at the Ozark 7 Conference Meet on Friday.
College Heights Christian’s Jesalin Bever finished fourth in the girls race at the Ozark 7 Conference Meet on Friday.
Thomas Jefferson’s Sarah Mueller finished seventh at the Ozark 7 Conference Meet.
McAuley’s Kendall Ramsey finished third at the Ozark 7 Conference Meet on Friday at MSSU. McAuley Catholic swept both team titles at the meet. Photos by Jessica Greninger.
McAuley Catholic’s girls cross country team won the Ozark 7 Conference Meet on Friday. From left to right, are Samantha Perrin, Riley Sears, Kendall Ramsey, Olivia Parrigon and Marbellie Villanueva. Not pictured: Genevieve Billings. Courtesy photo.
The McAuley Catholic boys cross country team poses after winning the Ozark 7 Conference Meet on Friday at MSSU. Courtesy photo.
NIXA, Mo. — Joplin’s Ian Horton and Chance Tindall finished first and second in the boys race at the 29th Central Ozark Conference Cross Country Championships on Tuesday at Inman Intermediate School.
A senior, Horton crossed the line at 15 minutes, 28 seconds to claim medalist honors. A junior, Tindall was the COC runner-up in 15:34.
Nixa’s Aaron Ashley finished third in 15:48 and Webb City’s Evan Stevens placed fourth in 15:55.
Joplin had three runners finish in the top seven, as junior Grey Edwards placed seventh in 16:03.
Webb City’s Mason Hedger (16:24) and Spencer Kendall (16:29) finished 10th and 12th.
Carl Junction’s Jack Lawson finished 15th, while Webb City’s duo of Noah Lankard and Andrew Dawson were 16th and 17th, respectively.
Carl Junction’s Isaac Willoughby placed 19th, Carthage’s Eddy Fuentes was 20th and Carl Junction’s Luke Battagler took 25th.
Neosho’s Adam Farrell finished 28th, Webb City’s Fenton Rice placed 29th, Joplin’s Aidan Koch was 30th, Carthage’s Javen Byrd took 31st and Joplin’s Brady Honeycutt placed 33rd.
With five runners in the top nine, Nixa won the boys team championship with 31 points. Webb City took second with 59 points and Joplin was third with 73.
GIRLS HIGHLIGHTS
Webb City’s girls finished third in the team standings with 73 points. Ozark (48) and Nixa (57) were the top two teams.
Republic’s Gracie Troester was the medalist in 18:28 and Ozark’s Ellsie Estes was second in 19:10. Nixa’s Mackinzie Harris took third in 19:14 and Republic’s Kristin Probst took fourth in 19:36.
Joplin’s Katherine Schaefer placed fifth with a time of 19:36 and Webb City’s Brooke Hedger was sixth in 19:53.
Webb City’s Amelia Antillon finished 10th in 20:24, while Carthage’s Maggie Boyd took 13th in 20:30.
Joplin’s duo of Averi Burks (20:41.3) and Kyrie Britton (20:41.7) finished 15th and 16th, while Webb City’s trio of Emma McKinzie (21:02), Olivia Klotz (21:09) and Emily Countryman (21:19) placed 18th, 19th and 20th.
Carl Junction’s Audrey Fletcher finished 25th, Joplin’s Mia Grubbs was 26th and CJ’s Madilyn Dalton took 28th.
Carthage’s Jennifer Rodas-Gomez finished 31st, Joplin’s Meridyth Mai was 32nd, Carl Junction’s Delaney Harris took 33rd, Webb City’s Rachel Miller was 34th and Joplin’s Annabelle Rutledge finished 35th.
Carthage’s duo of Genesis Fuentes-Elias and Katy Witherspoon placed 36th and 37th, while their teammates Kimberly Monterroso and Jenna Wilson were 39th and 40th.
CENTRAL OZARK CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Girls team standings: Ozark 48, Nixa 57, Webb City 73, Republic 85, Joplin 94, Carthage 156, Carl Junction 180, Branson 229.
Boys team standings: Nixa 31, Webb City 59, Joplin 73, Willard 151, Ozark 158, Carl Junction 161, Branson 167, Republic 201, Carthage 204, Neosho 253.
GRANBY, Mo. — Webb City captured both team championships in convincing fashion at the East Newton Cross Country Invitational on Saturday morning.
With five of the top seven finishers in the boys race, Webb City compiled 20 points to easily win the team championship. Carthage (102), Lamar (106) and Carl Junction (112) rounded out the top four teams.
Webb City’s Evan Stevens won the boys race in 15:55 and East Newton’s Chase Sorrell was the runner-up in 16:04.
Finishing third, fourth and fifth were Webb City’s Mason Hedger, Andrew Dawson and Spencer Kendall. Carthage’s Eddy Fuentes finished sixth and Webb City’s Noah Lankard took seventh.
Carl Junction’s Isaac Willoughby placed ninth, Lamar’s Cameron Bailey was 10th, Neosho’s duo of Carson Newell and Adam Farrell were 11th and 12th and Carl Junction’s Jack Lawson placed 13th.
Webb City’s Fenton Rice finished 14th and College Heights Christian’s Colton McMillan placed 15th.
Carl Junction’s Luke Battagler was 17th, Lamar’s duo of Ryder Friend and Pierce Heins were 19th and 20th and Carthage’s tandem of Devin Smith and Javen Byrd took 21st and 22nd.
McDonald County’s Caleb Garvin finished 23rd, while Webb City’s Dakota Grove and Neosho’s Jackson Weber rounded out the top 25.
Joplin’s Ethan Gibson was 32nd and CHC’s Connor Jordan placed 36th.
On the girls side, Webb City had five of the top 10 finishers and finished with 24 points, cruising to the team title.
Carthage (59), Carl Junction (104) and Joplin (105) finished second, third and fourth in the team standings.
Joplin’s Katherine Schaefer won the girls race in 19:02.
Webb City’s Brooke Hedger (19:18) and Emily Countryman (20:01) finished second and third, while Pierce City’s Emma Hunt took fourth in 20:11.
Webb City’s Amelia Antillon and Olivia Klotz placed fifth and sixth, respectively, while Carthage’s Maggie Boyd was seventh.
Finishing eighth through 10th were Lamar’s Abigail Diggs, East Newton’s Brooklyn Blanchard and Webb City’s Emma McKinzie.
Rounding out the top 15 were Lamar’s Carly Dunham, Mount Vernon’s Rylee Simons, Webb City’s Brooke Collard, Carthage’s Jennifer Rodas-Gomez and Carl Junction’s Audrey Fletcher.
Carthage’s Kimberly Monterroso was 17th and teammate Genesis Fuentes-Elias took 20th.
College Heights Christian’s Marla Anderegg finished 19th, with teammates Lilly Royer and Jesalin Bever taking 32nd and 33rd.
Carl Junction’s Madilyn Dalton finished 21st and McDonald County’s top performer was Kate Cheney (26th). Joplin’s second runner was Lydia Crabtree (30th).
East Newton Invitational
Boys team standings: Webb City 20, Carthage 102, Lamar 106, Carl Junction 112, Neosho 141, McDonald County 160, East Newton 184, Joplin 187, Southwest 189, College Heights 230.
Girls team standings: Webb City 24, Carthage 59, Carl Junction 104, Joplin 105, Pierce City 121, McDonald County 124.
NIXA, Mo. — Athletes from McAuley Catholic, College Heights Christian and Carl Junction competed at the Riann Lubinski Invitational on Saturday at Inman Elementary School.
Competing in the small school division, which featured schools in Class 1-3, McAuley Catholic junior Michael Parrigon won the boys race with a time of 16:23.
“Michael won his third meet of the season, continuing a great string of races,” McAuley coach Andy Youngworth said.
New Covenant’s David Kendall took second in 16:57.
College Heights Christian’s Colton McMillan finished fourth in 17:44, McAuley’s Trae Veer was 13th, CHC’s Connor Jordan took 14th and McAuley’s duo of Will Mollnow and Connor Taffner placed 19th and 24th, respectively.
Springfield Catholic won the boys team title with 52 points. New Covenant (61), Reeds Spring (92) and McAuley (92) rounded out the top four teams.
In the girls small school division, McAuley’s tandem of Olivia Parrigon (20:54) and Kendall Ramsey (21:43) finished fourth and fifth.
New Covenant’s Clara Trent took first in 19:52.
College Heights’ Marla Anderegg, Jesalin Bever and Lilly Royer finished 13th, 15th and 16th, respectively. McAuley’s Marbellie Villanueva finished 29th.
The top four teams were Chadwick (25), Springfield Catholic (57), McAuley (73) and Ava (88).
“We have been hit by some illnesses as of late, but are close to being back at full strength,” Youngworth said.
Competing in the large school division (Class 4-5), Carl Junction’s Jack Lawson finished fifth in 16:37 and teammate Isaac Willoughby was 14th (17:27).
Monett’s Kash Adams placed 24th and CJ’s Luke Battagler was 25th.
Lee’s Summit West’s Jack Williams won the race in 15:37 and the top four teams were Lee’s Summit West (25), Nixa (44), Carl Junction (86) and Branson (98).
On the girls side, Monett’s Mary Jastal finished 13th and Carl Junction’s Audrey Fletcher was 14th.
Carl Junction’s Madilyn Dalton finished 16th, while teammate Delaney Harris placed 22nd and Marissa Newman was 25th.
Lee’s Summit West’s Madison Cross won the race in 20:08. The four full teams were Lee’s Summit West (20), Nixa (38), Carl Junction (86) and Branson (104).
CAMDENTON, Mo. — Webb City’s boys and girls cross country teams both captured the team championships at the Camdenton Laker Invitational on Saturday at Ha Ha Tonka State Park.
With six runners in the top 15, Webb City’s boys finished with 37 points to finish on top of the team standings. Kickapoo was second with 94.
Webb City senior Evan Stevens was the runner-up in the boys race with a time of 16:21 and teammate Mason Hedger took fourth in 16:33.
Also for the Cardinals, Andrew Dawson finished eighth, Noah Lankard was ninth, Spencer Kendall took 14th and Fenton Rice was 15th.
Capital City’s Keion Grieve won the boys race in 16:01. There were 18 full teams and 120 runners.
With five runners finishing in the top 22, Webb City’s girls also captured a team championship at the event. The Cardinals finished with 51 points and Republic was second with 89.
Webb City sophomore Brooke Hedger was the runner-up in the girls race with a time of 19:34. Republic’s Gracie Troester was first in 18:59.
Emily Countryman finished fifth in 20:15.
Also for the Cardinals, Emma McKinzie was 14th, Amelia Antillion finished 17th, Olivia Klotz was 21st and Brooke Collard took 22nd.
There were 12 full squads and 90 runners competing.
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Joplin and Webb City were among the state’s cross country teams competing at the Gans Creek Classic on Saturday.
The large meet is considered a state preview, as it features some of the best teams in Missouri and is held on the state meet course.
Competing in the Gold Division, Joplin senior Ian Horton finished ninth with a time of 15 minutes, 52 seconds.
Webb City’s Evan Stevens finished 20th in 16:13, Joplin’s Grey Edwards was 22nd in 16:14 and Webb City’s Mason Hedger was 45th in 16:43.
Webb City’s other top finishers were Spencer Kendall (63rd), Noah Lankard (83rd), Andrew Dawson (92nd), Fenton Rice (106th) and Dakota Grove (171st).
The Cardinals finished seventh out of 43 full teams.
Rounding out Joplin’s lineup were Chance Tindall (168th), Noe Fischer (191st), Brady Honeycutt (294th), Jayden Miller (317th) and Aidan Koch (324th).
The Eagles were 23rd in the team standings.
There were 356 runners in the boys race.
Lincoln College Prep’s Isaac Rivera (15:15), Platte County’s Andrew Johnson (15:19) and Rock Bridge’s Andrew Hauser (15:33) were the top three finishers.
On the girls side, Joplin’s Katherine Schaefer finished 25th in 19:44 and Webb City’s Brooke Hedger placed 31st in 19:56.
Webb City’s Emily Countryman finished 47th in 20:26 and Joplin’s Allie Keizer was 74th in 20:50.
Also competing for Webb City were Amelia Antillon (83rd), Emma McKinzie (101st), Olivia Klotz (134th), Brooke Collard (166th) and Rachel Miller (217th).
Rounding out Joplin lineup were Averi Burks (92nd), Mia Grubbs (135th), Kyrie Britton (138th), Meridyth Mai (205th), Annabelle Rutledge (207th) and Lydia Crabtree (236th).
Webb City finished 13th in the team standings, with Joplin 18th. There were 35 full squads and 288 runners in the girls race.
Lafayette’s Natalie Barnard took first in 17:48 and Harrisonville’s Kayleigh Norris was second in 18:10.
BLUE DIVISION
In the Blue Division, East Newton’s Chase Sorrell finished second with a time of 16:25. Herculaneum’s Sam Vaughn took first in 16:17.
Carthage’s Eddy Fuentes finished 19th in 17:06 and teammate Javen Byrd was 65th in 18:18.
In the Blue Division’s girls race, Carthage’s Maggie Boyd finished 27th in 21:03 and East Newton’s Brooklyn Blanchard was 38th in 21:30.
Carthage’s second finisher was Jenna Wilson (100th).
There were 293 runners in the boys race and 279 runners in the girls race.
WHITE DIVISION
Competing in the White Division, Monett’s Kash Adams finished 21st in the boys race with a time of 17:58 and Monett’s Mary Jastal finished 29th in 22:40 in the girls race.
RIM ROCK FARM CLASSIC
LAWRENCE, Kan. — McAuley Catholic’s cross country team competed at the Rim Rock Farm Classic on Saturday.
“We ran well despite the continued start and stop of the meet,” Warriors coach Andy Youngworth said, noting the meet was delayed several times due to lightning. “The course is very tough and has been the host of the NCAA Championships in the past. It was a great experience for our kids to compete against kids from all over the Midwest.”
Competing in the Blue Division, McAuley’s Michael Parrigon finished eighth with a time of 16:55.
Wichita Collegiate’s Will Meyer won the race in 16:16.
Also competing for the Warriors were Trae Veer (79th), Will Mollnow (136th), Connor Taffner (193rd), Cliff Nolan (262nd), Max Anreder (296th) and Grant Horinek (304th).
There were 330 runners in the boys race.
In the girls race, McAuley’s Olivia Parrigon finished 37th in 21:58.
Also competing for the McAuley girls were Marbellie Villanueva (207th), Riley Sears (234th) and Samantha Perrin (235th). McAuley senior Kendall Ramsey did not compete due to an illness.
The Southern Stampede brings out the best in Joplin High School senior Ian Horton.
For the second straight year, Horton recorded a personal-best time at the annual cross country gathering.
Competing in the Green Division, Horton crossed the line third overall with a new personal-best time of 15 minutes, 23 seconds on Saturday morning at the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course on the campus of Missouri Southern State University.
“I’m really happy,” Horton said. “It’s still early in the season and I was just two seconds off the school record. I have a lot of training left, so I feel like I’m in a good spot. And I PR’d by 20 seconds today. My previous PR (15:42) was here last year…so about 20 seconds faster this year.”
Joplin’s Ian Horton and Webb City’s Evan Stevens led area runners at Saturday’s Southern Stampede on the MSSU campus. Horton finished third and Stevens was 15th at the event. Photo by Israel Perez.
In the annual event’s large school division, the only runners to finish ahead of Horton were Blue Springs’ Keagan Enicks (15:14) and Nixa’s Aaron Ashley (15:19).
“Going into the race, one of my coaches told me to hang and bang,” Horton said. “I wanted to hang with the top group, not leave too early, and just go from there.
“I love this course, too, it’s basically a home meet for us,” Horton added. “And we had great weather. It was just a great competitive environment with all the fans here. It was a great day to race.”
Horton, who finished 16th at last year’s Class 5 state cross country championships, said Saturday’s performance was one to remember. He added the showing is something he’ll look to build on, as well.
“I’m pretty confident I can get the school record,” Horton said. “I’m feeling really fit right now and I’m feeling confident.”
Horton wasn’t the only Joplin athlete to have a good day.
Joplin junior Chance Tindall finished 16th in 15:55, giving the Eagles a pair of runners in the top 20, both of whom recorded a time under 16 minutes.
Eagles junior Grey Edwards was Joplin’s third finisher, crossing the line 73rd.
The JHS boys finished 17th in the team standings for first-year head coach Dora Eastin, who replaced Dustin Dixon this fall.
In the Green Division’s girls race, Joplin senior Katherine Schaefer finished ninth with a time of 19:03.
Schaefer is a newcomer to the JHS program. Schaefer previously attended Hollister, where she earned a pair of state medals at last spring’s Class 3 state track meet by finishing fifth in both the 800 and 1600.
Joplin’s tandem of senior Averi Burks and freshman Kyrie Britton were 96th and 97th, respectively.
STEVENS, HEDGER LEAD WEBB CITY
The second local finisher after Joplin’s Horton in the boys race was Webb City senior Evan Stevens, who finished 15th with a time of 15:53.
Webb City coach Dustin Miller noted Stevens is not currently at full-strength.
“Evan is battling an injury,” Webb City coach Dustin Miller said. “He could have won today if he was healthy. But his injury didn’t allow that. That’s OK. It’s hard to tamper those expectations when you think you should be winning a bunch of races, but you can’t. But I thought Evan competed well for us today.”
Webb City senior Mason Hedger finished 34th in 16:15. Also for the Cardinals, sophomore Andrew Dawson took 50th.
The Cardinals finished sixth in the team standings.
“I’m really proud of Mason Hedger and Andrew Dawson,” Miller noted. “Andrew ran a monster race today. Our pack guys ran pretty well, we just have to close it up a little.”
In the girls race, Webb City sophomore Brooke Hedger finished 15th in 19:12, while senior Emily Countryman was 34th in 19:50.
Webb City’s freshman duo of Emma McKinzie and Olivia Klotz finished 85th and 86th.
“I’m really proud of Brooke Hedger,” Coach Miller said. “She ran faster than expected today. She is really turning into a solid No. 1 runner for us. Emily Countryman has been solid, and our freshmen are learning how to race. And I know they’re going to get better throughout the season.”
The Webb City girls were ninth in the standings.
“For the middle of the season, and with a really hard training cycle right now, I’m proud of our guys and our girls,” Miller said. “And I look forward to seeing us progress the rest of the season.”
Joplin’s Katherine Schaefer (1464) was the top local female finisher in the large school division at Saturday’s Southern Stampede. Schaefer finished ninth in the Green Division.
THIS ‘N THAT
The huge meet featured a large number of local squads.
Carthage’s Eddy Fuentes finished 59th in the boys race in 16:34 and Carl Junction’s Jack Lawson took 78th in 16:41. Carson Newell was Neosho’s top finisher (97th).
Nixa won the team title on the boys side.
On the girls side, Carl Junction’s top performer was Marissa Newman (143rd), while Carthage was led by Jennifer Rodas (153rd).
Harrisonville’s Kayleigh Norris was the girls medalist in 17:43. Rogers, Arkansas, won the girls team title.
There were 341 runners in the boys race and 270 runners in the girls race.
Joplin’s Mia Grubbs competes during Saturday’s Southern Stampede at Missouri Southern State University.
Webb City’s Olivia Klotz is pictured during Saturday’s Southern Stampede at MSSU.
Pictured is Joplin’s Chance Tindall. Tindall finished 16th in the large school division.
Webb City’s Andrew Dawson competes during the 2023 Southern Stampede on Saturday at MSSU. Photos by Israel Perez.
Joplin’s Averi Burks is pictured during Saturday’s Southern Stampede.
Carthage’s Jenna Wilson is pictured during the Southern Stampede on Saturday at MSSU. All photos by Israel Perez/SoMo Sports.
Well aware of his surroundings, East Newton senior Chase Sorrell looked right at home on the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course on Saturday morning.
Chase Sorrell
A varsity veteran who has competed on the MSSU course for several years, Sorrell won the Southern Stampede’s Gold Division boys race with a time of 15 minutes, 40 seconds.
“I like the course here a lot,” Sorrell said. “It’s pretty fast with the curves and hills. You can really use the hills. And I like one lap better than two lap courses. I’m happy. I was fresh today, and this was something I’d marked on my calendar. I’m happy I was able to go out and finish No. 1.”
Sorrell went to the front early in the race and held off El Dorado Springs freshman Wyatt Klaiber down the stretch. Klaiber was the runner-up in 15:45.
“I went out and tried to see where the first pack was and I was going to hold on there until I made my move,” Sorrell said.
Sorrell finished 34th in last year’s large school division at this event. This year, he competed against schools of East Newton’s size and captured the gold.
Sorrell, who finished third at last fall’s Class 3 state cross country meet, noted he has big goals for his senior season.
“I’m hoping to get in the top three at state again this year,” Sorrell said. “That’s my goal.”
Also of note, Chase’s older brother Kelton is a member of the Missouri Southern cross country and track program.
PARRIGON, RAMSEY LEAD MCAULEY CATHOLIC
McAuley Catholic had a solid showing in the Gold Division, which featured smaller high schools from the region.
McAuley Catholic’s Michael Parrigon.
McAuley junior Michael Parrigon finished sixth in the boys race with a time of 16:20.
After the race, Parrigon noted he crushed his previous personal-best time.
“I PR’d by 18 seconds, so I’m happy,” Parrigon said. “The race started out really fast, so I knew I needed to go at my own pace. It’s a tough course for sure…very loopy, a lot of rolling hills and cutbacks. You have to push it on the downhills and never let the guys in front of you get too far ahead. You just have to compete.”
“I feel really good about how Michael ran today,” McAuley Catholic coach Andy Youngworth said. “He ran really well at Father Tolton last week and he’s won two meets this year. I knew this would be a very good field today, so I knew it would be tough to win with some of the kids who are here. But Michael ran a 16:20, so I feel pretty good about him.”
Parrigon also plays soccer, so he’s been juggling both sports this fall.
“It’s hard, it feels like my legs are never fresh,” Parrigon said. “We had two soccer matches this week. You get banged up in every game. But once I get out there on the course, the adrenaline kicks in and you don’t really feel any pain.
“Our cross country team has high goals,” Parrigon added. “We put in a lot of miles this summer. We trophied as a team last year, and we want to finish even higher this year.”
“Balancing two sports is tough,” Youngworth added. “He’s balancing both sports really well. He’s having a great soccer season. The biggest concern is injury. But it doesn’t do any good to worry about that. But he’s doing well in both sports…he’s definitely running well.”
After Parrigon, McAuley’s second finisher was Trae Veer, who finished 36th in 17:43.
The Warriors finished 15th in the team standings.
“Trae Veer ran really well,” Youngworth noted. “Our pack guys struggled a little bit. There’s been some sickness floating around. Overall, it wasn’t a bad day. Right now, we just don’t have a lot of depth.”
On the girls side, McAuley senior Kendall Ramsey crossed the line 22nd in 20:43 and freshman Olivia Parrigon was 28th in 21:06.
“I thought our girls ran well, everybody PR’d for the season,” Youngworth said. “Kendall broke 21 minutes for the first time in her career. Kendall medaled and Olivia wasn’t too far behind her. The other three girls ran their best times of the year. We’re young, with just one senior. They have to keep working. And three of the five girls play volleyball and they had five volleyball matches this week and they have a tournament today. But they’ve handled it really well. I’ve tried to be smart about how I handle that and I’ve tried to give them some days off to just worry about volleyball.”
McAuley Catholic’s duo of Kendall Ramsey and Olivia Parrigon are pictured during Saturday’s Southern Stampede on the Missouri Southern campus. Photo by Israel Perez.
THIS ‘N THAT
In other notable finishes in the boys race, Jasper’s Leland Harris was 35th, College Heights Christian’s Colton McMillan finished 43rd, East Newton’s Nicholas Schaeffer was 45th, Thomas Jefferson’s Braden Honeywell-Lynch finished 51st and CHC’s Owen Horton was 53rd. Thomas Jefferson’s second finisher was Liam Cook (65th).
Potosi won the boys team crown.
Pierce City’s Emma Hunt was the medalist in the girls race with a time of 19:12. She finished eight seconds ahead of Webster Groves’ Parker Allen.
East Newton’s Brooklyn Blachard finished 41st, Mount Vernon’s Rylee Simons was 43rd, Nevada’s Brynley Hedges took 53rd, College Heights Christian’s Jesalin Bever finished 69th and teammate Marla Anderegg was 73rd.
Aurora’s Drew Mayes was 71st, Thomas Jefferson’s Macie Shifferd finished 80th, CHC’s Lilly Royer was 83rd and Sarcoxie’s Laney Dorris was 84th.
COLUMBIA, Mo. — With a strong finish, McAuley Catholic junior Michael Parrigon crossed the line first at the Father Tolton Cross Country Invitational on Saturday at Gans Creek.
Parrigon won the varsity boys 5K with a time of 16:43, 10 seconds ahead of Fatima’s Michael Gabelsberger.
“Michael took the lead after the 3K and PR’d by a minute from last year’s race,” McAuley coach Andy Youngworth said.
McAuley Catholic’s Michael Parrigon used a strong finish to win the Father Tolton Invitational on Saturday in Columbia. Parrigon won the 5K in 16:43. Courtesy photo.
McAuley sophomore Trae Veer finished 17th in 17:54.
Also for the Warriors, Will Mollnow was 42nd in 18:49 and Connor Taffner took 67th in 19:50.
“Trae Veer and Will Mollnow had career PR’s and Connor Taffner did a great job as well, running close to a PR,” Youngworth noted.
Also competing for McAuley’s boys were Max Anreder (113th), Cliff Nolan (115th) and Grant Horinek (118th).
The Warriors finished seventh out of 18 teams with 208 points.
The top four teams were Centralia (65), Fatima (66), Father Tolton (121) and Southern Boone County (128).
In the varsity girls race, McAuley senior Kendall Ramsey finished 18th with a time of 21:55 and freshman Olivia Parrigon finished 22nd in 22:06.
Also competing for the McAuley girls were Marbellie Villanueva (84th), Samantha Perrin (99th) and Riley Sears (105th).
“Kendall Ramsey and Olivia Parrigon both competed well in a field that was stacked with Class 3, Class 4 and Class 5 schools,” Youngworth said. “Marbellie, Sam and Riley ran great as well.”
Father Tolton had the top four individuals in the girls race, led by Elyse Wilmes’ first-place finish in 18:20.
The top four girls teams were Father Tolton (20), Blair Oaks (99), Fatima (101) and Osage (142).
Youngworth added he was pleased with the performance of both teams, adding running on the state meet course is always a good experience.
“Both teams had great performances at Father Tolton in what we hope will be a dry run for the state meet in November,” Youngworth said. “We ran at the 50th Carthage Invitational on Thursday and I knew we would be a little dead legged, but they fought through that and competed well.”
McAuley Catholic will be among the numerous schools competing at next Saturday’s Southern Stampede.
McAuley Catholic’s Kendall Ramsey and Olivia Parrigon compete in Saturday’s Father Tolton Invitational. Courtesy photo.
PECULIAR, Mo. — The Joplin High School boys cross country team had three of the top 14 individuals en route to a fifth-place finish at the Raymore-Peculiar Invitational on Saturday.
Joplin senior Ian Horton finished fourth in the varsity boys 5K with a time of 15:59. Platte County’s Andrew Johnson (15:26), Blue Springs’ Keagan Enicks (15:49) and Nixa’s Aaron Ashley (15:55) were the only runners to finish ahead of Horton.
Also for the Eagles, Chance Tindall finished 11th in 16:23 and Grey Edwards placed 14th in 16:32.
Also competing for the JHS boys were Noe Fischer (34th), Aidan Koch (64th), Brady Honeycutt (67th) and Jayden Miller (74th).
Joplin’s boys finished fifth in the team standings with 121 points. The top four teams were Nixa (65), Lee’s Summit West (67), Raymore-Peculiar (96) and Platte County (103). There were 12 full squads.
In the girls race, Joplin’s Katherine Schaefer finished seventh in 19:53.
Also competing for the JHS girls were Averi Burks (32nd), Kyrie Britton (41st), Mia Grubbs (47th), Meridyth Mai (63rd) and Annabelle Rutledge (68th).
Joplin finished ninth in the team standings (176). The top four girls teams were Ray-Pec (45), Blue Springs (76) and Park Hill South (152).
Blue Springs senior Abigail Brackenbury won the girls race in 18:38.
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Webb City had not only the top local individuals, but also the best team finishes in both varsity races at the 50th annual Carthage Invitational cross country meet on Thursday at the Carthage Golf Course.
Webb City sophomore Brooke Hedger finished third in the girls race with a time of 20:58, leading the Cardinals to runner-up finish in the team standings.
Cardinals senior Evan Stevens placed third in the boys race with a time of 16:55, leading Webb City to a third-place team finish, just two points behind runner-up Rogers (Ark.).
Carthage, Carl Junction, McAuley Catholic, Thomas Jefferson and East Newton also had athletes competing at the event.
Free State High School from Kansas won both team titles.
In the girls’ team standings, Carthage finished fourth, Carl Junction was sixth and McAuley Catholic took eighth.
Carthage’s boys finished fifth in the team standings, with Carl Junction seventh, McAuley eighth and Thomas Jefferson 11th.
Webb City’s Evan Stevens and Carl Junction’s duo of Luke Battagler and Jack Lawson are among the runners competing during Thursday’s Carthage Invitational. Photo by Jessica Greninger.
WEBB CITY HIGHLIGHTS
The Webb City girls had three of the top 11 runners, with all five placing in the top 22.
Hedger placed third behind Rogers’ Kayla Eggers (20:21) and Free State’s Cayman Barnes (20:56).
Webb City’s Emily Countryman finished eighth in 22:06, while Olivia Klotz took 11th in 22:45.
Also competing for the Webb City girls were Amelia Antillon (21st) and Brooke Collard (22nd).
The Webb City boys had five runners finish in the top 19.
Stevens finished third behind Free State’s duo of Blake Wohler (16:24) and Jake Loos (16:50).
Webb City’s Mason Hedger finished 10th (17:30), while Spencer Kendall took 16th (17:43), Noah Lankard was 18th (17:49) and Andrew Dawson finished 19th (17:51).
Also for the Cardinals, Fenton Rice finished 30th (19:00) and Dakota Grove was 33rd (19:01).
Athletes from Carthage, Webb City and Carl Junction take off at the start of the varsity girls race on Thursday at the Carthage Invitational. Photo by Jessica Greninger.
CARTHAGE HIGHLIGHTS
Eddy Fuentes led the Carthage boys by finishing 24th in 18:13.
Also competing for the Carthage boys were Devin Smith (34th), Javen Byrd (37th), Brayan Perez Flores (40th), Denis Velasquez Perez (55th) and Xander Vazquez (79th).
Maggie Boyd led the Carthage girls by finishing 14th in 22:55 and Jennifer Rodas-Gomez took 18th in 23:12.
Also competing for the CHS girls were Genesis Fuentez-Elias (25th), Katy Witherspoon (39th), Kimberly Monterroso (42nd), Jenna Wilson (52nd) and Sarah Wilson (57th).
Webb City’s Brooke Hedger was the top local finisher in the varsity girls race at the Carthage Invitational. A sophomore, Hedger finished third.
CARL JUNCTION HIGHLIGHTS
Jack Lawson led the Carl Junction boys by finishing 22nd in 18:05.
Rounding out the top seven for the CJ boys were Isaac Willoughby (43rd), Luke Battagler (46th), Nikash Yeary (57th), Jacob Garrett (60th), Alexander Allison (63rd) and Chance Golden (66th).
Marissa Newman was CJ’s top female finisher, as she crossed the line 26th in 23:51, while Delaney Harris was 29th in 24:11.
Rounding out the top seven for the CJ girls were Madilyn Dalton (32nd), Audrey Fletcher (41st), Summer Sampson (44th), Bella Montez (60th) and Gracie Fletcher (72nd).
MCAULEY CATHOLIC HIGHLIGHTS
Michael Parrigon led McAuley Catholic by finishing 20th with a time of 17:54. Trae Veer finished 28th in 18:55 to give the Warriors two runners in the top 30.
Also competing for the McAuley boys were Will Mollnow (52nd), Connor Taffner (64th), Cliff Nolan (85th), Max Anreder (87th) and Grant Horinek (88th).
Freshman Olivia Parrigon led the McAuley girls by crossing the line 19th in 23:15. Kendall Ramsey finished 35th in 24:39.
Also competing for the McAuley girls were Riley Sears (70th), Marbellie Villanueva (76th) and Samantha Perrin (77th).
THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGHLIGHTS
Braden Honeywell-Lynch led the TJ boys with a 44th place finish (19:43).
Also competing for the Cavaliers were Liam Cook (73rd), Ashan Appuhamy (86th), Ringo Snow (92nd), Spencer Long (93rd) and James Sheppard (99th).
Macie Shifferd paced Thomas Jefferson’s girls team with a 24th place finish (23:48).
TJ’s Sarah Mueller finished 48th in 26:11.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
Free State’s boys had four of the top six finishers.
Chase Sorrell paced the East Newton boys by finishing fourth in 17:00. Sorrell and Webb City’s Stevens were the only boys to finish in the top six not from Free State. The Patriots’ second finisher was Nicholas Shaeffer (38th).
Brooklyn Blanchard finished 13th in 22:48 for the East Newton girls.
Laney Dorris led Sarcoxie’s girls by finishing 51st. Dugan Pogue finished 75th for the Sarcoxie boys.
50TH CARTHAGE INVITATIONAL
Girls team standings: Free State 47, Webb City 61, Rogers 62, Carthage 115, Glendale 139, Carl Junction 142, Clever 145, McAuley Catholic 193. Incomplete teams: Grove, East Newton, Hillcrest, Rogers Heritage, Parkview, Sarcoxie, Thomas Jefferson, Wheaton.
Boys team standings: Free State 23, Rogers 60, Webb City 62, Glendale 104, Carthage 170, Rogers Heritage 173, Carl Junction 202, McAuley Catholic 213, Grove 271, Hillcrest 310, Thomas Jefferson 312, Parkview 318. Incomplete teams: Clever, East Newton, Sarcoxie, Wheaton.
Webb City’s Mason Hedger crosses the finish line 10th overall at Thursday’s Carthage Invitational cross country meet at the Carthage Golf Course. All photos by Jessica Greninger.
Webb City’s Olivia Klotz, East Newton’s Brooklyn Blanchard and Carthage’s Maggie Boyd are pictured during Thursday’s Carthage Invitational.
Carl Junction’s Marissa Newman and McAuley Catholic’s Kendall Ramsey are pictured during Thursday’s Carthage Invitational. Photos by Jessica Greninger.
BOLIVAR, Mo. — Area cross country teams opened the 2023 season by competing at the annual SWCCCA Richard Clark Invitational on Saturday at the Bolivar City Municipal Golf Course.
The Joplin Eagles had the top local finisher in both races, while the Webb City girls had the top overall team finish, regardless of classification, among area squads.
BOYS
Joplin senior Ian Horton crossed the line third in the varsity boys race with a time of 15 minutes, 53 seconds. Finishing ahead of Horton were Nixa’s Aaron Ashley (15:31) and Rolla’s Cameron Martensen (15:47).
East Newton’s Chase Sorrell took fourth in 15:54, while Joplin’s Grey Edwards finished 12th (16:15), Carl Junction’s Jack Lawson was 13th (16:20) and Webb City’s Evan Stevens placed 15th (16:23). Lawson and Stevens were fifth and sixth among Class 4 runners.
McAuley Catholic’s Michael Parrigon finished 25th (16:38) and Webb City’s Andrew Dawson was 30th (16:44).
Monett’s Victor Salas finished 43rd, Carthage’s Eddy Fuentes took 45th, Carl Junction’s Isaac Willoughby was 54th, Webb City’s Mason Hedger took 58th and Webb City’s Spencer Kendall was 66th. College Heights was led by Colton McMillan (77th).
College Heights’ second finisher was Owen Horton (101st) and McAuley’s second finisher was Trae Veer (106th).
Parrigon, who ran a personal-best time by 50 seconds, was the first Class 1 finisher, and McAuley was the second-place team among Class 1 schools behind Hermitage. The CHC boys were third in Class 1.
There were 338 runners in the varsity boys race, with 35 full teams.
The top four teams were Nixa (61), West Plains (97), Mountain Home (145) and Glendale (174). Webb City was sixth (221) and Joplin was 11th (359).
GIRLS
The top four girls teams were Ozark (90), Webb City (99), Bolivar (101) and Nixa (120).
Joplin senior Katherine Schaefer finished second in the girls race with a time of 19:24 and Webb City sophomore Brooke Hedger placed fourth in 19:31. Republic’s Gracie Troester was the girls champion with a time of 18:37.
Webb City’s Emily Countryman finished 12th (20:05), Liberal’s Ally Barton was 23rd (20:24), Lamar’s Abigail Diggs took 28th (20:37) and Webb City’s Amelia Antillon (20:50) and Olivia Klotz (20:56) finished 31st and 33rd, respectively.
Hedger and Countryman were second and fourth among Class 4 runners.
Also, Webb City’s Emma McKinzie finished 38th, Joplin’s Kyrie Britton and Averi Burks were 39th and 40th, Carthage’s Maggie Boyd took 42nd and teammate Jennifer Rodas-Gomez was 51st, while Webb City’s Brooke Collard took 54th.
Carl Junction’s top finishers were Delaney Harris (61st) and Marissa Newman (65th).
McAuley Catholic was led by Kendall Ramsey (67th) and College Heights was led by the duo of Marla Anderegg (106th) and Jesalin Bever (115th).
Ramsey was fifth among Class 1 runners. CHC’s Anderegg, Bever and Lilly Royer finished fifth, seventh and eighth among Class 2 runners.
There were 215 runners in the varsity girls race, with 21 full teams.
The Thomas Jefferson cross country team will be led by a pair of returning state-qualifiers this fall.
Junior Braden Honeywell-Lynch is expected to lead the TJ boys, while senior Sarah Mueller is the top returner for the TJ girls.
The Cavaliers will also feature a large, promising group of newcomers.
“I have very high expectations for this season,” Cavaliers coach Clayton Carnahan said. “The high school team forming this year has been a long time coming. Students have been working together since early in middle school, and they have grown stronger and stronger, both individually and as a team, every year.”
Honeywell-Lynch finished 68th at last year’s state meet after taking 15th at the district meet and seventh in the conference.
Other athletes expected to contribute at the varsity level for the Thomas Jefferson boys are sophomore James Sheppard and freshmen Jack Twiss, Spencer Long, Liam Cook, Ringo Snow and Ashan Appuhamy.
“I think you can expect great things from incoming freshmen like Jack Twiss, Spencer Long, Liam Cook, Ringo Snow and Ashan Appuhamy,” Carnahan said.
The Cavaliers will obviously look a bit different this season after the graduation of multi-year standout Kip Atteberry, who finished as the Class 1 state runner-up and the Ozark 7 champion last fall. The boys team also lost state-qualifier London Rodriguez.
Mueller is expected to lead the Thomas Jefferson girls.
Mueller finished 53rd at last year’s state meet after an eighth-place finish at the district meet and a sixth-place showing at the conference meet.
Katerina Pruitt and Macie Shifferd are other runners who should contribute for the TJ girls.
“The girls are the dark horse this season,” Carnahan said. “Very strong and capable, they put in their work every day, and getting a taste of state last year has given them high goals.”
If the team makes steady progress throughout the fall, Carnahan is confident his Cavaliers will put together a successful season.
“This season will be a great team season,” he said. “While TJ has had excellent long distance runners in the past (Chris Saladin, Edward Hershewe and Kip Atteberry), these incoming teams are great together, and they will push one another to exceed expectations. I will not be surprised if some school records and conference and district championships are close around the corner.”
For the Cavaliers, the keys to success are simple.
“We’ll need to keep upping our game,” Carnahan said. “TJ’s XC athletes are hungry for success right now, and they are willing to put in the work. We will need to celebrate small victories and successes as we progress through the season.”
Carnahan noted he’s been pleased with the work ethic of his student-athletes.
“These athletes are very willing to work hard,” Carnahan said. “They have been training and putting in the work all summer. Even these last couple of days, we have been able to start practices on a very strong note, and they will be in good shape by the first meet in Neosho.”
The Cavaliers will obviously look a bit different this season after the graduation of multi-year standout Kip Atteberry, who finished as the Class 1 state runner-up and the Ozark 7 champion last fall. 