9 runners set personal records at home meet

By Kyle Troutman [email protected]

For the Cassville boys and girls cross country teams, there’s no place like home.

The program is building momentum heading into the postseason, with improving individual times and nine personal records at the Cassville Pink Out Invitational home meet on Oct. 6.

The Lady Wildcats finished fourth as a team, led by Hattie Lyons’ fifth-place finish in 22:08.20. Molly Cox took 24th and Lydia Cupps 25th, with times of 25:59.40 and 26:13.70, respectively. Brooklyn Krallman was 44th in 33:03.20, and Elizabeth Fohn took 50th in 38:36.10. Sixteen total schools competed in the race.

For the boys, Nathan Lyons, Hattie’s twin, matched his sister’s finish by taking fifth in 18:34.40. Peyton Anderson took 33rd with a time of 21:52.00, Daniel Sledden was 43rd in 22:26.70 and Clay Wlliamson finished 56th in 25:42.10. Eighteen total schools participated in the race. 

“Overall, I feel like the season has gone well,” Kirk said. “We have several individual runners who have been competitive at our meets, and it’s been exciting to watch them grow throughout the season. We’ve seen a lot of improvement, and I feel like we’re starting to hit our peak as we head into the postseason.”

Cassville’s recent performances have reflected that development, and Kirk said watching athletes see the results of their training has been fulfilling.

“I’ve been pleased with the improvements we’ve seen in individual times throughout the season,” she said. “It’s rewarding as a coach to see their hard work start to pay off.”

Cassville’s home meet provided another opportunity for that progress to show.

“I was really excited about our performances at our home meet,” Kirk said. “We had nine runners set new PRs, which is a big accomplishment. It was especially rewarding to see them have that kind of success in front of our home crowd.”

The meet also featured a slight course change that received mixed reviews from coaches and runners.

Kirk said other coaches offered positive feedback about the adjustment, which helped reduce congestion around the area known as “tent city.” Runners, however, had to contend with an additional hill.

The change fits the character of a course in which Cassville takes pride.

“We take a lot of pride in our course,” Kirk said. “I feel like it’s a true cross country course with the wooded areas, creek crossings, and now an additional hill. It’s challenging, but that’s part of what makes cross country such a great sport.”

As the postseason approaches, Kirk said the Wildcats’ focus has shifted toward the mental side of racing, along with the smaller details that can make a difference late in the season.

Cross country demands physical endurance, but runners must also maintain confidence when races become difficult, she said. Staying healthy and being prepared to perform at the right time are priorities as the team enters championship competition.

“Cross country is just as much mental as it is physical, and I want our runners to continue building confidence in their ability to push through the difficult parts of their races,” Kirk said. “At this point in the season, it’s just little things, staying healthy, and making sure we’re running our best for when it matters most.”

Cassville’s next major test comes at the Big 8 Conference Championships on Oct. 20 at Seneca.

“Our biggest goal is to go out and compete well,” she said. “I feel like we have a few runners who have a legitimate opportunity to earn all-conference honors, and I’d love to see them accomplish that.”

Beyond individual honors, Kirk wants her athletes to approach the meet with confidence and put themselves in position to achieve their goals. Seneca’s hilly course could work in Cassville’s favor.

“It’s a pretty hilly course, which I actually think plays to our advantage,” Kirk said. “We incorporate hills into our training regularly, and I feel like our runners have developed a strong mentality when it comes to attacking them rather than dreading them.”

Seneca typically hosts its regular-season meet when temperatures are still relatively warm. Kirk is looking forward to seeing how Cassville performs on the same course in cooler conditions during the conference championship.

She believes the change in weather could provide another opportunity for the team to produce strong results.

After conference, Cassville will turn its attention to the district meet at Clever, where runners will pursue opportunities to qualify for the state championships.

“Our goal is always to give our runners the opportunity to compete at the highest level — the state meet,” she said. “I believe we have some runners who are capable of putting themselves in that position, but they’ll have to go out and earn it. At this point, we just want to make sure they’re prepared to run their best races.”

Clever’s course is flatter than several of the courses Cassville has faced this season, although it still offers enough variation to challenge runners.

Kirk hopes the runners’ work on hills and more demanding routes will pay dividends.

“I think that combination could work well for our runners,” she said. “We’ve spent a lot of time training on hills and challenging routes, so I’m hopeful that the strength we’ve built throughout the season will translate into some fast times on a flatter course.”