Ozark County runners compete in Alton Invitational cross country meet

Ozark County runners from Dora, Gainesville and Bakersfield High Schools competed at the Alton Invitational cross country meet held Wednesday, Sept. 18 at Tucker Creek Park near Alton High School. Dora senior Cade Nold took first place in the boys high school race; Gainesville freshman Jessica Suit was first in the girls high school race; the Dora High School girls team won the first place plaque for their team performance; and the Gainesville Middle School girls took first place as a team also.

The Gainesville High School boys team took third place at the meet and the Dora boys team took fourth place. Eighty runners competed in the high school boys 5,000 meter run. Ozark County boys earning medals in the race were: first, Cade Nold, Dora, 17:49.90; fourth, Archer Luna, Gainesville, 18:33.43; seventh, Isaac Pippin, Gainesville, 18:56.83; 10th, John Botts-Papke, Gainesville, 19:10.69; 11th, Joshua Nold, Dora,19:11.20; 14th, Daniel Tomlinson, Dora, 19:30.68; and 25th, Tyler Hodgson, Bakersfield, 20:40.69.

The Dora High School girls cross country team took first at the meet. Forty-nine girls from eight area schools competed in the girls 5,000 meter run. Ozark County girls winning a medal in the race were: first, Jessica Suit, Gainesville, 20:59.50; fourth, Isabelle Martin, Dora, 22:48.06; eighth, Haley Perkins, Dora, 23:49.77; ninth, Kayden Jones, Dora, 23:55.14; 14th, Alyssa Smith, Gainesville, 24:34.92; 15th, Kinley Luna, Dora, 24:37.95; 21st, Chloe Barton, Dora, 25;08.88; and 22nd, Kara Anderson, Dora, 25:16.81.

Middle school runners ran a 2,500 meter race. Gainesville’s Aiden Thome took  fourth place in the boys’ race with his time of 11:03.56. Dora’s Kinsley Mitchell, a fifth grader, took second in the middle school girls race with her time of 12:16.70. Gainesville’s Annabell Snelson placed fourth in 12:42.53; and Prentice Creed of Gainesville placed 12th in 13:52.97. Members of the first place Gainesville Middle School girls team are Annabell Snelson, Prentice Creed, Raine Similkier, Isabelle Workman, Calla Cochran, Nina Sponougle, Rachel McGinnis, Sierra Jarvis, Moxie Similkier, Emma Amyx, Pazlea Foster and Ainsley Luna.

Gainesville teams are coached by Gary Emrick and David Murphy. Dora is coached by Sheree Nold and Bakersfield is coached by Cainen McGinnis and Kurt Watlington.

Dora and Gainesville runners next meet was at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24 at the Ava Golf Course. Results of that meet were unavailable at press time. Bakersfield’s next meet is Oct. 2 at Ellington.