BOLIVAR, MO – The SWCCCA Cross Country Invite at the Bolivar City Municipal Golf Course brought runners from Joplin, Webb City, Carthage, Thomas Jefferson Independent, McAuley Catholic, Carl Junction and New Heights Christian Academy together to represent their schools with a boys and girls run.
BOYS RESULTS
Webb City Leads Local Contingent with Strong Performances
Webb City’s varsity boys delivered a standout team effort, placing five runners in the top 50. Leading the Cardinals was junior Noah Lankard, who crossed the finish line in 16:07.69 for 22nd place, closely followed by teammate Andrew Dawson in 16:07.81 for 23rd. Aaron Dawson (16:27.80, 36th), James Dalrymple (16:28.61, 38th), and James Baldassaro (16:32.71, 41st) rounded out the scoring runners.
Joplin Runners Make Their Mark
Joplin’s boys team saw several athletes compete fiercely. Jacob Tatum led the Eagles with a time of 16:28.25, securing 38th place. Senior Kian Fischer followed closely with a 16:50.29 finish for 50th. Other notable performances included Eli Sneddon (17:09.27, 61st), Adam Meier (17:23.32, 75th) and Brady Honeycutt (17:23.37, 76th).
Thomas Jefferson Independent Shows Promise
Thomas Jefferson Independent’s boys team was led by sophomore Will Twiss, who ran an impressive 15:57.12 to claim 14th place, earning valuable points for the Cavaliers. Jack Twiss (17:11.52, 65th), Spencer Long (17:11.89, 67th), Liam Cook (17:37.25, 90th) and Gavin Sharp (19:08.11, 182nd) rounded out TJ’s performances.
McAuley Catholic Warriors Run Tough
McAuley Catholic’s Franklin Veer led the way with a strong 16:04.52, finishing 20th overall and earning key points for the Warriors. Gavin Anderson (17:24.75, 78th), Thomas Perrin (17:45.56, 95th), Rowen Veer (18:22.71, 140th), Will Mollnow (18:30.72, 145th) wrapped McAuley’s day.
Carthage Tigers Compete with Determination
Carthage’s boys team was paced by Javen Byrd, who finished in 17:13.00 for 71st place. Devin Smith (17:28.31, 82nd), Carter Moser (17:42.02, 91st), Marlon Kubicek (17:47.84, 99th) and Isaac Lankford (18:39.69, 157th) filled out the Tigers’ results.
Carl Junction Shows Resilience
Carl Junction’s boys were led by Chance Golden, who finished in 18:05.26 for 116th place. Rush Phillips (18:17.40, 136th), Evan Claymore (19:23.48, 198th), Logan Weaver (19:27.23, 202nd) and Parker Clory (21:03.92, 278th) also competed for the Bulldogs.
New Heights Christian Academy Makes Strides
New Heights Christian Academy saw strong performances from its runners, with Kian Edwards leading the way at 15:59.85, earning 15th place and showcasing his potential as a top regional runner. Colton McMillan (16:08.62, 23rd), Connor Jordan (19:03.25, 179th), Spencer Jackson (20:53.70, 269th), and Reuben Brake (21:22.13, 285th) added to the Cougars’ efforts
GIRLS RUN
Webb City Dominates with Top Finishes
Webb City’s girls team led the local charge, with senior Brooke Hedger claiming the top spot overall, finishing in an impressive 18:07.27 to win the race. Her teammate, junior Araceli Perez, followed closely with a 19:00.20 finish for 5th place, solidifying the Cardinals’ strong finish. Emma McKinzie (19:48.61, 23rd), Brooke Collard (19:59.91, 27th) and Olivia Klotz (20:21.27, 35th) closed out the Cardinals’ times.
Joplin’s Doll Shines Bright
Joplin’s girls were paced by sophomore Ava Doll, who secured an outstanding 2nd-place finish with a time of 18:12.94, just behind Hedger. Shelby Fields (20:47.38, 50th), Eliana Lujan (20:48.83, 52nd), Arianna Matters (20:50.17, 53rd) and Alyana Modras (21:10.35, 65th) also ran for the Eagles.
Carthage Girls Show Strength
The Carthage girls were led by Zei’lah Cifuentes, who ran a strong 20:26.37 to finish 39th. Stefany Lopez Reyes followed closely with a 20:46.78 for 49th place. Other notable performances included Lauren Carney (21:35.32, 79th), Hadley White (21:36.94, 81st) and Laney Daniel (22:06.72, 99th).
Thomas Jefferson Independent Makes an Impact
The Thomas Jefferson girls were represented by Vivian Sharp, who finished in 21:37.30, and Kirra Moser, who clocked 22:26.11. Abigail Riley also competed, finishing in 27:18.67.
McAuley Catholic Warriors Compete with Grit
McAuley Catholic’s girls team was led by Riley Sears, who ran a 23:16.05, followed closely by Edith Nolan (23:26.24). Elizabeth Bohachick (24:17.54) and Samantha Perrin (24:31.35) also contributed to the Warriors’ effort.
Carl Junction Runners Show Tenacity
Carl Junction’s girls were paced by Marissa Newman, who finished in 20:43.49 for 47th place. Caitlin Napton (22:01.30, 97th), Molly Cameron (22:48.77, 126th), Kaelynn Schwartz (22:59.07, 131st) and Isabella Montez (23:04.21, 136th)
New Heights Christian Academy Posts Solid Results
New Heights Christian Academy’s girls were led by Valerie Jackson, who finished in 22:19.18 for 107th place. Jesalin Bever (23:05.41, 137th), Isabelle Morris (26:46.00, 194th), Vivian Lackey (26:48.24, 195th), and Truly Prater (28:28.42, 208th) also competed.