Central boys win SEMO North cross country championship

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Central won the SEMO North Conference cross country boys championship in a close race Thursday, but Jackson's girls ended the Tigers' decade-long title run.

Notre Dame's Wynn McClellan won the meet for the second straight year, running the 3.08-mile course at Ozark Ridge Golf Course in 15 minutes, 40 seconds. The Bulldogs, however, fell four points shy of Central in the team standings.

"It wasn't much," McClellan said of Central's 36-32 win. "We knew we were going to have a hard time. Conference is a big deal to us, but the bigger deal is districts. That's the one to go to state."

Central's Mary Dohogne won the girls race in 18:44, but Jackson won the team title by placing all five runners in the top seven. The Indians won with 21 points, ending Central's 10-year title run.

Taylor Dickerson finished second in 18:47 to lead Jackson, followed by teammates Tori Parry (19:23), Lindsey Seabaugh (19:41) and Jordan Whitener (19:46). Landon Wachter was seventh in 19:51 as all five Jackson runners earned all-conference honors and finished ahead of Central's No. 2 scoring runner.

"We were sort of like a wall," Seabaugh said. "We were just right there, one spot after another."

After winning his race by 7 seconds, McClellan quickly looked to urge on teammates as they headed across the No. 1 fairway to the finish line. Ryan Johnson was third for the Bulldogs in 15:53 while Cody Moore also earned all-conference honors in ninth place at 17:07.

But the Tigers had four runners in the top 10, led by junior Roy Leighton in fourth place. Eric Schott (16:00) was sixth, Alex Crawford (16:41) finished eighth and Collin Summers (17:07) was 10th.

"We thought we won it and then we heard they got it," said Leighton, who finished in 15:54. "We were really surprised. Hearing we won it was pretty exciting."

During the award ceremony, Notre Dame was announced the winner and the Bulldogs were taking photos with the plaque while the coaches were going over the results.

Lars Monla's 11th-place finish at 17:18 clinched the title for the Tigers as he finished 9 seconds ahead of Notre Dame's fourth runner. Jordan Pope's 13th-place finish didn't count toward Central's team score, but he bumped Notre Dame up two more points by finishing ahead of two scoring Bulldogs.

"So many people can't see cross country as a team sport, but it really, really is," Central coach Mark Hahn said. "That's the most fun you can have in cross country is when it becomes a team sport."

Scott City sophomore Brandon Shemonia was second at 15:47, while Poplar Bluff's Travis Blalock earned all-conference honors for a fourth time with his fifth-place finish. Cody Kern of Kelly was seventh.

In the girls race, Elizabeth Kiblinger of Notre Dame finished sixth at 19:50 for all-conference honors, while Central's Megan Daley (20:03) was eighth followed by teammates Laura Chavez (20:13) and Jordyn Richmond (20:18).

The course was shorter than the normal 3.1-mile length due to rain earlier in the week that flooded some of the course. It was the first meet in Poplar Bluff since 2003.

Boys

Team standings -- Central 32; Notre Dame 36; Scott City, 70; Jackson 92.

Individual results -- 1. Wynn McClellan, Notre Dame, 15:40; 2. Brandon Shemonia, Scott City, 15:47; 3. Ryan Johnson, Notre Dame, 15:53; 4. Roy Leighton, Central, 15:54; 5. Travis Blalock, Poplar Bluff, 15:58; 6. Eric Schott, Central, 16:00; 7. Cody Kern, Kelly, 16:14; 8. Alex Crawford, Central, 16:41; 9. Cody Moore, Notre Dame, 17:00; 10. Collin Summers, Central, 17:07; 11. Lars Monla, Central, 17:18; 12. Skylar Cobb, Scott City, 17:22; 13. Jordan Pope, Central, 17:25; 14. David Williams, Notre Dame, 17:27; 15. Josh Johnson, Notre Dame, 17:42; 16. Justin Bader, Jackson, 17:51.08; 17. J.D. Pitman, Jackson, 17:51.35; 18. Eric Essner, Scott City, 17:54; 19. Desmond Howard, Central, 17:55; 20. Luke Pelton, Poplar Bluff, 17:59; 21. Lance Essner, Notre Dame, 18:02; 22. Jason Keena, Poplar Bluff, 18:04; 23. Robert Matheney, Scott City, 18:20; 24. Austin Koening, Jackson, 18:25; 25. Ray Hecht, Jackson, 18:26; 26. Josh James, Jackson, 18:40; 27. Chris Limbaugh, Scott City, 19:05; 28. Landon Robert, Scott City, 19:10.26; 29. Brock Nanney, Jackson, 19:10.8; 30. Eric Law, Jackson, 19:57.

Girls

Team standings -- Jackson 21; Central 43, Notre Dame 76; Dexter 91

Individual results -- 1. Mary Dohogne, Central, 18:44.14; 2. Taylor Dickerson, Jackson, 18:47.21; 3. Tori Parry, Jackson, 19:23.13; 4. Lindsey Seabaugh, Jackson, 19:41.91; 5. Jordan Whitener, Jackson, 19:46.40; 6. Elizabeth Kiblinger, Notre Dame, 19:50.81; 7. Landon Wachter, Jackson, 19:51.81; 8. Megan Daly, Central, 20:03.9; 9. Laura Chavez, Central, 20:13.46; 10. Jordyn Richmond, Central, 20:18.08; 11. Caitlyn Bess, Jackson, 20:58.88; 12. Brittney Waldner, Dexter, 21:07.90; 13. Ami Godbey, Poplar Bluff, 21:14.45; 14. Malinda Mayo, Dexter, 21:29.03; 15. Ashley Schmittzehe, Notre Dame, 21:36.48; 16. Audrey Westrich, Central, 21:40.26; 17. Libby Miles, Scott City, 21:54.61; 18. Mallory Dickson, Central, 21:58.87; 19. Sarah Mittrucker, Notre Dame, 22:01.81; 20. Chleo LeGrand, Central, 22:06.97; 21. Alicia Landewee, Notre Dame, 22:12.07; 22. Morgan Morris, Notre Dame, 22:31.20; 23. Lizzie Kohlbaker, Dexter, 22:40.76; 24. Jenny Blattman, Dexter, 23:14.35; 25. Hannah Baker, Dexter, 23:31.12; 26. Linda Love, Dexter, 24:12.52; 27. Brooke Kirby, Poplar Bluff, 24:28.40; 28. Jordan Canoy, Poplar Bluff, 27:05.84.