By Richard Polen
rpolen@joplinglobe.com
NEOSHO, Mo. — Harry Lineberry enjoys a little competition as much as anyone, but he knows his Neosho High School girls cross country team will be up against some of the best runners the state has to offer Saturday at the Missouri cross country championships in Jefferson City.
Lineberry, who has been Neosho’s track and cross country coach since 1979, is counting on experience to make a difference.
“This is our third straight year to qualify as a team,” Line berry said. “Five girls are returning from previous years. It helps a great deal when you’re dealing with that competition. It’s an extremely difficult course. The first half mile is uphill.
“The competition is the best in Class 4.”
Neosho’s top two runners, Courtney Wood and Jessica Jackson, finished in the top eight at last year’s state meet with nearly identical times. Jackson, who did not run due to an injury earlier in the season, is coming off a victory just ahead of Wood in the sectional meet last week.
“These two girls are two of the top runners in the Midwest,” Lineberry said. “Jessica missed half the year with a stress fracture. She didn’t run in a meet until the Nixa Invitational. She has just gotten better and better.
“Both girls have put in a lot of miles to be where they are today,” he said. “Both have great work ethics.”
Experience carries over from state track meets as well. Wood was third in the 3200 meters and fourth in the 1600 last spring, while Jackson was sixth in the 800. Neosho’s 4x800 relay team, which included Shynnel Bohannon, Jackson and Wood, placed second.
“They’re all-state performers in track,” Lineberry said. “They’ve been on the medal stand a few times. Shynnel is our No. 3 girl and has been important in keeping our score down. We have three all-state runners in our top three girls.”
Bohannon is a senior, while Wood and Jackson are juniors. The Wildcats’ state qualifiers include sophomore Hannah Krueger, junior Tara Sanders, freshman Raven Crosby and junior Emily Paullus.
Lineberry, who has retired from teaching, was inducted into the Missouri Coaches Hall of Fame last December.
“We’ll have a game plan on what we’re trying to accomplish,” he said.
Class 1-3
Carl Junction’s girls will compete in the Class 3 event today. Coached by Frank Pittman, the team’s members are seniors Candice Aton, Lauren Clement and Sagan Graskemper, juniors Chelo Falkner and Casey Keeling, and freshmen Emily Keeter and Morgan Prather.
Both East Newton teams, coached by Jake Holt, are in the Class 2 state meet. The Patriots’ girls are seniors Haley Patterson and Kristina Peterson, juniors Anelle Miller and Hannah Selby, sophomore Magen Lobitz and freshmen Melissa Adams and Caitlin Mann.
On the boys’ side, the Patriots are represented by seniors Patrick Lobitz, Josh Martin and James Selby, juniors Taylor Higginson and Jacob Watson, and sophomores Jared Hopkins and Weston Spencer.
College Heights Christian School in Joplin also qualified for both the boys’ and girls’ competition in Class 1.
