Dexter senior runner in pursuit of a strong finish to a frustrating season

This spring hasn’t exactly gone as planned for Dexter High School senior runner Chris Stone.

After earning MSHSAA Class 3 All-State Track and Field honors last year on a pair of relays, as well as finishing 10th in the state finals in the 800 meters, Stone and the Bearcat coaches had high hopes for his swan song.

And it still may have a fantastic ending, but the journey has been arduous from the outset.

“He is resilient,” first-year Bearcat coach Chad Jamerson said of Stone.

Stone will compete in a pair of relays at the MSHSAA Class 3 Track and Field State Championships at Adkins Stadium in Jefferson City Friday and Saturday.

Stone’s final track season has never quite gotten on track, no pun intended.

He injured his ankle in the Bearcats’ Class 4 basketball Sectional loss to Central (Park Hills), and by the time his ankle healed, he then came down with a case of mono.

“With any athlete who is coming into their senior season, in a sport in which they thrive,” Jamerson said of Stone, “you could tell that he was impatient (with the injury). It was kind of dealing with his confidence a little bit.”

Just 24 hours after being released from an ankle boot, Stone contracted mono.

“He missed over a week with that,” Jamerson continued. “Somehow, the doctors cleared him to continue practicing after 10 days or so.

“He is practicing as best that he can, while dealing with this illness, all the while trying to get back to his old form.”

To put his health in perspective, Stone ran the 800 meters in a 2:03 at last year’s state finals, and in last week’s Sectional, he lumbered to a 2:18.

The kid is trying.

“It is frustrating for him, at times,” Jamerson said. “It has probably been discouraging, at times. But he is resilient.

“He continues to work and has continued to work his way back into running a high-caliber 800 and a high-caliber 400 for this team.”

Perhaps most pleasing to Jamerson this spring is that Stone, who is on his third coach in as many track seasons, has been coachable.

“He has bought into some of the ideas and philosophies that I brought with me,” Jamerson said. “It is tough, being a senior, and having someone new take over the program. Any program that you are part of.

“That speaks to his resiliency.”

Stone will team with juniors RJ Farmer and Anistin Kyle, and sophomore Cameron Bell in the mile relay, which recently won the Class 3 Sectional 1 title and has the top time entering this week’s state finals.

He will also join Kyle, junior Chase Farmer, and Bell in the 3,200-meter relay, which also won the Sectional championship and has the seventh-fastest time heading into the state finals.

Other Bearcat boys, who will compete in this week’s state finals include 800-meter relay (Lee-Michael McDonald, Juan Cuevas, Maliki Hinson-Flores, and RJ Farmer), Kyle (800 meters), RJ Farmer (300-meter hurdles), and Andrew Saylors (javelin).

The Dexter girl’s squad will be represented by: Allison Turnbo (100-meter hurdles), Nia Stromas (300-meter hurdles), Karis Kennedy (long jump and triple jump), and Abbie Lloyd (pole vault).