BY JIM HENRY

Rogers, with five runners in the top-11, ran away with the girls title with 28 points, followed by Webb City 60, Carthage 71 and Carl Junction 83.

Carthage's Jenari Lopez surprised herself with a runner-up finish. Her time was 21:05, and she finished 10 seconds behind Ali Nachtigal of Rogers.

"I was expecting maybe to be top-5," Lopez said after her highest finish this season. "I guess was a little scared, a little nervous in the beginning. But then I tried to build confidence and try to believe in myself. Then I was like 'I got this.' I was a little shocked though. Oh my gosh, I'm 2. ... It was a great race overall."

Was her coach surprised?

"Yes and no," Youngworth replied. "There are some good kids in the field. She is just a really consistent, strong, hard worker and doesn't let the pressure get to her. Her goal this year is to be a state medalist. She's going to have to run with the people she ran with today to have the opportunity down the road. I'm pleased with her performance."

Alanza Montez of Carl Junction finished third in 21:28, and Webb City's Riley Hawkins was fourth in 21:42.

Hannah Franks of Carl Junction took 10th in 23:00. The second 10 included Webb City's Alexia Jimenez in 13th, Halley Philpot in 14th, Carthage's Kimberly Hernandez in 16th and Samantha Benhumea in 18th and Webb City's Abby Pendergraft in 19th and Mileah Metcalf in 20th.

Joplin Globe 09/13/2019 (Used by permission)