JOPLIN, Mo. — Under clear skies at the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course on Saturday, the 36th Annual Missouri Southern State University Stampede brought together over 270 high school girls for a grueling 5,000-meter showdown.
JOPLIN’S DOLL HAS TOP HONORS
Joplin High School's Ava Doll secured a runner-up finish with a standout performance, blazing through the 5K in 18:00.08, nipping at the heels of winner Ava Claasen of Kapaun Mt. Carmel (17:36.86) and edging out Notre Dame (Cape Girardeau)'s Martina Ressel by just 1.8 seconds for second place in the green race.
It was a career highlight for Doll, who ran a personal best at the meet.
Joplin's depth shone through as a pack of Eagles followed closely, turning in solid times that
positioned the team as a dark horse in the crowded field. Junior Eliana Lujan crossed in 21:14.55 (115th), freshman Shelby Fields followed at 21:16.45 (117th), junior Aly Modras clocked 21:29.48 (133rd), freshman Emily Reding hit 21:40.17 (146th), and sophomore Makayla Carter rounded out the scoring with 21:41.85 (149th). Seniors Annabelle Rutledge (147th, 21:41.24) and junior Arianna Matters (163rd, 21:53.43) added to the team's resilience, while junior Nalyjah Madison (155th, 21:46.77) battled through a tough stretch to finish strong.
Webb City saw junior Brooke Hedger lead the way with a seventh-place finish in 18:22.36, earning valuable points in a race stacked with elite competitors. Junior Araceli Perez followed in 19:25.43 (34th), senior Emma McKinzie posted 20:02.11 (57th), freshman Tatym Buster hit 21:08.64 (112th), and junior Olivia Klotz (126th, 21:25.37) and junior Alexis Shuster (127th, 21:25.77) provided the depth to keep Webb City in contention. Sophomore Aspen Ritchie (198th, 22:48.63) and senior Kristina Bundy (170th, 22:07.54) closed out the effort.
Carthage relied on a blend of veterans and newcomers to navigate the challenging 3.1-mile loop. Sophomore Stefany Lopez Reyes spearheaded the group with a 20:44.27 finish (94th), followed by freshman Laney Daniel (139th, 21:34.92), junior Hadley White (141st, 21:37.26), senior Lauren Carney (162nd, 21:52.69), and junior Karis Dougless (205th, 22:54.13). Seniors Genesis Fuentes-Elias (191st, 22:37.91) and Chloe Fitzsimmons (215th, 23:14.82), along with junior Ailyn Gonzalez Oxlaj (254th, 25:07.61).
Carl Junction posted respectable times led by senior Marissa Newman in 20:07.05 (64th) and freshman Caitlin Napton close behind at 20:07.30 (65th). Junior Molly Cameron crossed in 22:46.97 (197th), junior Kaelynn Schwartz followed at 23:25.93 (225th), and freshman Bella Montez (239th, 24:00.41) rounded out the top five. Seniors Lydia Churchill (248th, 24:49.98) and Gracie Fletcher (258th, 25:21.86), plus freshman Emily Newman (246th, 24:41.01) and freshman Julia Churchill (276th, 33:08.64).
THOMAS JEFFERSON, MCAULEY AND NEW HEIGHTS COMPETE IN GOLD RUN
Thomas Jefferson demonstrated their strength with a trio of runners placing in the top half of the field. Leading the charge was junior Vivian Sharp, who crossed the finish line in 41st place with a time of 21:57.80. Not far behind, sophomore Kirra Moser finished in 73rd with a time of 22:56.49. Senior Haley Orr rounded out the team’s strong showing, placing 143rd at 25:20.45, while junior Abigail Riley finished in 163rd at 26:23.21.
McAuley Catholic’s runners brought determination to the course, led by junior Riley Sears, who finished 86th with a time of 23:18.04. Sophomore Edith Nolan followed closely, placing 114th at 24:05.87. Senior Samantha Perrin added to the team’s effort with a 135th-place finish at 25:02.72, while freshman Josie Sears closed out McAuley’s day in 203rd at 29:38.50.
New Heights Christian also had a notable showing, with freshman Valerie Jackson leading the team in 65th place at 22:40.77, a remarkable result for a first-year runner. Senior Jesalin Bever followed in 118th at 24:08.75. The team’s depth was evident with freshman Izzy Morris (168th, 26:27.93), sophomore Truly Prater (195th, 28:36.82), senior Lily Lackey (202nd, 29:38.19), and freshman Vivian Lackey (209th, 31:25.63) all contributing to a solid team effort.