NHS dominates inaugural cross country invitational
The Nevada High School-Middle School First Annual Cross Country Invitational held Tuesday at Marmaduke Park couldn't have gone much better for NHS. The Tigers emerged with five championship plaques to go along with 27 individual medals. Joining Nevada, were Sheldon, Joplin, Pittsburg, Thomas Jefferson, El Dorado Springs, and Harrisonville.
"Overall, the performances of both the (Nevada) middle and the high school teams were very encouraging," NHS cross country coach Ryan Watts said.
Watts said the Tiger cross country program entered the meet with the goal of doing its very best not only individually, but as a team.
"When you see how many of our finishes were right next to one another, it was very apparent we were doing a great job of working off one another and pushing each other," he said. "We ran together for much of the race, keeping everyone on the pace they were expected to run.
"Most of our runners ran about how we were expecting them to. But we had a few very surprising moments, where some of our athletes stepped up and took their performance to another level."
Watts said everything went smooth at the inaugural meet.
"The meet was very successful," he said. "Anytime you host a meet as a first-year head coach, you are going to be very nervous as to whether it will go as planned. As per all reports, it was a great success. Coaches were pleased with the course as it was both challenging and fast, and a good change of pace from a typical meet set-up on a golf course where a lot events are held."
Helping to organize the meet was Watts father, Robert, who was the school's previous cross country coach before retiring in May. Several parents of NHS cross country student-athletes also volunteered their time.
"The fact that the meet went as smooth as it did is a testament to all the help we had in setting it up," Ryan Watts said. "From Robert Watts, to parent volunteers, to the hard work that the athletes themselves put in to constructing the course."
Watts said the Tigers triumph at Marmaduke is slowly sinking in.
"Now that the stress of getting everything ready is over, and we can reflect a little ---- it was something I think both the school and the community can be proud of," he said, "and hopefully this is an event that will continue to grow in the years to come.
"We hope this meet encourages all of our runners, that if we continue to do our best in practice and work hard, we will see improvement at upcoming meets. And by the end of the season, we will be running our best times of the year."
NHS-NMS results
(Note: Times not available)
* Varsity boys 5K: Nevada High School, first overall. Bronson Smith, fourth-place; Luke Sudkamp, fifth; Noah LaNear, seventh; Trent Ellis, ninth; Devin McHugh, 10th; Brayden Ast, 11th; Charles Morton, 16th.
* Varsity girls 5K: NHS, first-place overall. Calli Beshore, first-place; Patience Lockhart, second; Virginia Haverstic, fifth; Amara Pippin, sixth; Haleigh Leisure, 10th.
* JV boys 5K: NHS, first-place overall. Jayden Ast, first-place; Cayden Sanderson, third; Clay Landoll, fourth; Colson Fisher, fifth; Ben Sudkamp, sixth; Caleb Theis, seventh; Gabe Barnes, ninth; Cory Klotz, 10th; Dillon Warren, 11th; Jerron Thorton, 12th.
* JV girls 5K: NHS, first overall. Heaven Farmer, first-place; Courtney Leeker, second; Hailee Richter, third; Amanda Blystone, fourth; Taityn Charles, sixth.
* Nevada Middle School boys (1.6 mile course): Mokey Dawn, 16th-place; Jamin Mosher, 34th.
* NMS girls: First-place overall on 1.6 mile course. Ashlynd Taylor, third-place; Grace Barnes, fourth; Brooklyn Kutina, sixth; Bailey Ast, 11th; Lilly Hart, 14th; Christina Cain, 17th; Emma Follmer, 30th; Ashley Mather, 33rd.