Dora girls place second at state; Tomlinson and Martin earn repeat All-State honors
Photo by Andrea Martin The Dora Lady Falcons cross country team took second place in the class 1 cross country meet held at Gans Creek Recreation Area in Columbia Saturday, Nov. 8. Members of the team are, from left, Bailey Bettis, Brynlee Walker, Kinley Luna, Isabelle Martin, Haley Perkins, Kara Anderson, Alexis Anderson and Coach Sheree Nold.
Photo by Andrea Martin Class 1 All-State Dora juniors Daniel Tomlinson and Isabelle Martin are no strangers to the podium at the MSHSAA Class 1 State Cross County Championship meet. This is Daniel’s second year to earn a medal He placed ninth with a time of 17:08. This is Isabelle’s third year to step onto the all-state stage. This year, she ran her race in 21:06 and placed 13th.
The Dora High School girls cross country team returned to the MSHSAA Class 1 State Championships over the weekend and came away with another strong performance, finishing second overall.
The boys team also qualified to compete, with junior Daniel Tomlinson earning All-State honors for the second consecutive year. Tomlinson placed ninth with a time of 17 minutes, 8 seconds.
After making history last fall by winning the school’s first-ever girls team state championship in any sport, the Lady Falcons once again proved they belong among Missouri’s elite programs.
Junior Isabelle Martin led the way for Dora, earning All-State honors for the third straight year. Martin placed 13th in the individual standings with a time of 21:01.
Fellow junior Haley Perkins narrowly missed joining her teammate on the All-State podium, finishing 31st in 21:54, just seconds outside the cutoff. Junior Kara Anderson also turned in a strong race, taking 47th in 22:31.
Freshman Alexis Anderson made an impressive state debut, finishing 68th in 23:30, while sophomore Kinley Luna rounded out the team’s scoring with a 23:52.
Brynlee Walker and Bailey Bettis also competed for the Falcons, contributing to the team’s depth and consistency.
Head coach Sheree Nold praised her team’s determination and effort in defending their title.
“When we were at lunch after the State Championships, I told our teams that the victories that they each had Saturday morning didn’t only happen at 9 and 9:45 that morning. The records that were set on the course, for the season, for each person was an accumulation of victories that they reached each day they practiced without complaining, they showed up ready to work, they gave their best efforts at practice...” Nold told the Times. “The best efforts that happened Saturday wouldn’t have come together without them continually giving their best day after day.”
Nold added the season has been fun with a wonderful group of students to coach in both the boys and girls teams.
“We had three new ladies join our returning juniors to make this year’s Lady Falcon XC Team, and we had four new freshmen boys join the boys varsity team,” she said. “The growth that happened across the board this year made each meet an exciting experience for the whole team. Milestones were placed this year, and I fully expect that next year both of these teams will press on past those milestones and set new ones for a new season in the fall of 2026.
“However, for now it seems there is excitement already brewing for a hopeful track and field season come March. Coaching a group of excited students with hopes, expectations and goals makes practice not seem like anything but building blocks to a great outcome,” Nold added. “It has been my privilege to coach these students to great outcomes at this year’s state championships.”