It felt like fall at Richardson Ranch as 690 runners from across the Ozarks gathered in Lebanon for the biggest cross country meet of the season Saturday morning.
The results on the girls side were as expected, with Summit Prep’s Claire Workman finishing in 18:40.86, over 37 seconds ahead of Marshfield’s Tabi Weber, who finished second (19:17.08). Third place for the girls went to Summit’s Katie McCune (20:24.14).
Kickapoo junior Brenden Crews was a bit of a surprise on the boys end. Crews didn’t stand out as a sophomore, but Chiefs head coach Jeremy Goddard had said this summer to keep an eye on the junior.
Good advice. Crews finished first in the boys meet with a time of 16:13.61, comfortably ahead of second-place finisher Luke Miller of Glendale (16:24.27). Kickapoo’s Jarod Ozee finished third (16:32.52).
Workman is far and away the area’s best cross runner and showed that again Saturday. The distance between her and the field brought in images to mind of Team USA swimmer Katie Ledecky, but Workman wouldn’t go so far as accepting that comparison.
“I was actually planning on pacing it today, believe it or not. I was going to go out and just slowly drop down my miles, but that’s not at all what I did,” Workman said. “My first half mile I ran at my mile pace for track, and then died and tried to survive the rest of the race. I added a minute and 20 seconds onto my mile pace from my first mile to every mile after.”
From a competitive standpoint, it would seem to be a significant mental challenge for Workman to keep up a high pace without a legitimate challenger in the field.
“It’s really hard,” she said. “I love it so much more when there’s someone pushing me. When there’s someone next to you and you’re dying and all you can do is hang onto them, because when you’re out on your own, and it hurts a lot and you let up just a little bit, when you finish you know you could’ve been that much faster.
“I struggle to push myself, but I make it my goal to make it as painful as possible for myself. If it’s not hurting enough to where I want to cry, it means I should be going faster.”
But where Workman has multiple cross country state championships under her belt, Crews is new to this whole first-place gig. However, his time Saturday might be one that’s good enough for a top-10 time at the Class 4 state meet later this fall.
“[My strategy] was really just run,” Crews said while eating Cheez-Its. “Run hard. I didn’t plan on getting first, but it was like, just stick with [your team], so I did and I just started going.
“At the beginning, I felt really great. My body felt great, so I just pushed harder. Near the end it started getting worse, but being in front kind of helped boost it. It was just like, ‘Hey I’m here, so let’s go.’”
Top 10 Girls Winners by Class
Class 4
Kaitlyn Jones, Nixa, 20:17.95
Kelsey Winfrey, Lebanon, 20:25.45
Madeline Caruthers, Branson, 20:29.67
Sydney Pyrah, Willard, 20:48.89
Laurel Singh, Joplin, 21:02.77
Adeline Holder, Branson, 21:03.55
Destiny Baylon, Branson, 21:03.74
Alexis Barber, ozark, 21:07.36
Annslee Glenn, Nixa, 21:12.21
Kenzie Ihasz, Nixa, 21:22.67
Class 3
Tabi Weber, Marshfield, 19:17.08
Kelie Henderson, Bolivar, 20:16.67
Maegan Derfelt, Carl Junction, 20:43.30
Kaitlyn Franks, Carl Junction, 20:56.95
Laci Lindsay, Bolivar, 21:03.36
Madison Beecher, Carl Junction, 21:09.95
Alena Fugitt, Bolivar, 21:17.99
Emma Leach, Carl Junction, 21:20.67
Anna Bandy, Bolivar, 21:30.02
Brionna Halverson, Bolivar, 22:08.99
Class 2 (Top 5 listed due to only 15 competitors)
Ashley Knoll, El Dorado Springs, 21:32.58
Sarah Shaddy, College Heights, 23:33.24
Emily Sutton, El Dorado Springs, 23:57.83
Michaela Trother, El Dorado Springs, 24:23.83
Sarah King, El Dorado Springs, 24:50.39
Class 1 (Top 5 listed due to only 16 competitors)
Claire Workman, Summit Prep, 18:40.86
Katie McCune, Summit Prep, 20:15.21
Claire McCune, Summit Prep, 20:24.14
Ariel Fowler, School of the Ozarks, 22:03.14
Autumn Alden, School of the Ozarks, 22:18.52
Top 10 boys finishers by class
Class 4
Brenden Crews, Kickapoo, 16:13.61
Luke Miller, Glendale, 16:24.27
Jarod Ozee, Kickapoo, 16:32.52
Grant Miller, Webb City, 16:35.11
Tadd Capron, Webb City, 16:36.86
Ryan Riddie, Webb City, 16:40.49
Blake Procell, Nixa, 16:46.14
Blaine Jimerson, Joplin, 16:54.02
Nick Ondr, Glendale, 17:01.36
Brett Thornton, Branson, 17:01.70
Class 3
Nathan Painter, Bolivar, 16:34.70
Caleb Pyle, Bolivar, 17:11.83
Trenton Wells, Buffalo, 17:55.45
Breaden Bakos, Carl Junction, 18:22,05
Preston Horne, Marshfield, 18:49.42
Diego Nelson, Carl Junction, 18:54.49
Santiago Granados, Monett, 18:59.86
Elijah Horne, Marshfield, 19:01.74
Tanner White, Bolivar, 19:14.05
Lane Weber, Marshfield, 19:23.58
Class 2 (Top 5 listed due to only 21 competitors)
Tyler Goatley, El Dorado Springs, 16:51.49
Alex Leitner, Plato, 17:44.55
Jacob Supancic, Plato, 18:17.58
Matthew Reddick, El Dorado Springs, 18:18.83
Josh Pyatt, Plato, 18:47.27
Class 1 (Top 5 listed due to only 22 competitors)
Easton Sabala, Hermitage, 16:58.92
Bailey Jones, Hermitage, 17:41.33
Jonathan Brown, Summit Prep, 18:10.99
Dillon Meyer, Hermitage, 18:15.70
Zac Sutt, Hermitage, 18:27.45
