Upbeat Jackson girls cross country team sweeps home invitational

The races had been over for a while before members of the Jackson girls cross country team realized just how well they had performed at the meet they hosted Saturday morning at Jackson City Park.

After a recount of the total, it was discovered that the Indians swept all four divisions at the meet, which is raced by grade divisions rather than varsity and junior varsity levels.

"They were just so positive," Talley said, describing her team. "That's kind of like the characteristic of this team this year is they're so positive with each other. They all have smiles on their faces. They're not grouchy or 'Oh, do we have to do this?' They're excited and upbeat about everything."

Just as the award ceremony was wrapping up, an error in the sophomore girls race was discovered and Jackson was awarded one-point win over conference rival Poplar Bluff. The team's freshmen, juniors and seniors all won by larger margins.

Jackson's Chelsea Drum runs in the senior girls cross country race in the Jackson Invitational Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015 at Jackson City Park. (Fred Lynch)

"We really didn't know where we were because we've had the flu or whatever is going around -- sickness and just all kinds of things," Jackson coach Andrea Talley said. "For the first meet we were pretty happy. We told them just to run it like a hard workout so that everybody would finish and still feel good because next week is so hard. It's a much tougher competition in Memphis, and that's the one we really want to gear up for."

The Indians will travel to Memphis, Tennessee, for the Twilight Classic on Saturday.

A familiar name led Jackson in the seniors race. Chelsea Drum, the two-time Semoball Awards Girls Cross Country Athlete of the Year, finished the 2.35-miles race in 14 minutes, 34 seconds.

"Definitely to be at the top of the state meet," Talley said of Drum's senior-season goals. "There's some very talented kids up there. It just would be so extremely tough to place in the top five. So much luck is involved -- not getting hurt, not getting sick. Everything has to go just right, but we really feel like she has a shot just to be right up there."

Jackson senior Carli Knott finished second in 14:53.

"Carli has come on so strong this year," Talley said. "They're kind of like a one-two punch right now. I could see Carli being at state right there with Chelsea, which is exciting. Chelsea's not had that before, so it's real exciting to see. She has more of a training buddy now to push her along. There was a little gap before, but now that gap is just closing so that's going to be really good for those two."

Jackson's Jackson Givens runs in the senior boys cross country race in the Jackson Invitational Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015 at Jackson City Park. (Fred Lynch)

The pair have set the tone for the team, according to Talley.

"They did the work this summer, and they've really kind of showed the younger kids what it takes to be a really good distance runner," she said.

Jackson finished second in the freshman, junior and senior boys races, and St. Vincent's sophomore boys placed second as a team.

BOYS

Freshman

Team scores -- 1. Lindbergh 29; 2. Jackson 30; 3. Kirkwood 35; 4. Oak Ridge 103; 5. Mehlville 144

Local medalists (top 25)

Central -- 5. Jared Neikirk 11:42

Jackson -- 3. Landon Carlton 11:34; 4. Scout Petitt 11:40; 9. Clay Rinehart 12:04; 14. Joseph Boyd 12:22; 21. Case Englehart 12:42; Gavin Jones 13:05

Oak Ridge -- 6. Drew Kranawetter 11:45: 23. Sylvester Morse 12:57

Sophomores

Team scores -- 1. Kirkwood 18; 2. St. Vincent 71; 3. Scott City 119; 4. Mehlville 134; 5. Jackson 169

Local medalists (top 25)

Advance -- 23. Gage Bien 14:47

Jackson -- 22. Gage Kinder 14:44

Scott City -- 18. Jeremiah Tims 14:26; 20. Joe Parker 14:36

St. Vincent -- 3. Andrew Lipe; 8. Joseph Baer 14:03

Juniors

Team scores -- 1. Kirkwood 30; 2. Jackson 46; 3. Lindbergh 49; 4. Poplar Bluff 65; 5. Jefferson 74; 6. Mehlville 187; 7. Dexter 203

Local medalists (top 25)

Jackson -- 6. Kyle Kester; 7. Brent Werner 13:36; 10. Glen Boyd 14:02; 23. Braeden Dobbs 14:58

Seniors

Team scores -- 1. Kirkwood 29, 2. Jackson 54; 3. Central 63; 4. Zalma 66; 5. Lindbergh 89; 6. St. Vincent 95

Local medalists (top 25)

Central -- 12. Clayton Monia 13:46; 14. Trevor Foeste 14:05; 18. Will Shivelbine 14:11; 22. Jovanny Miranda 14:22

Jackson -- 2. Jackson Givens 12:57; 7. Alex Philipps 13:38; 21. Ian Myers 14:21; 24. Caleb Bess 14:30; 25. Seth Bollinger

Oak Ridge -- 23. Nathan Bolen 14:24

St. Vincent -- 5. Levi Krauss 13:17; 9. Isaac Baer 13:41

Zalma -- 8. Alex Steinberg 13:39; 10. Peyton Ford 13:41; 15. Jacob Steinberg 14:07

GIRLS

Freshmen

Team scores -- 1. Jackson 8; 2. Central 19; 3. Kirkwood 28; 4. Fox 36; Mehlville 58

Local medalists (top 25)

Advance -- 25. Katlyn Cook 17:50

Central -- 2. Mattie Huff 13:39; 8. Alyssa Davis 13:57; 9. Allison McDonald 14:06

Jackson -- 1. Kaylee Wilson 12:54; 3. Maddie Barnum 13:44; 4. Kennedy Bauer 13:45; 6. Faith Littleton 13:50; 18. Faith Oynneson 16:44; 21. Sarah Fetterhoff 17:06

Oak Ridge -- 10. Taylor Seyer 14:08

Zalma -- 19. Hannah Steinberg 16:55

Sophomores

Team scores -- 1. Jackson 11; 2. Poplar Bluff 12; 3. Kirkwood 30; 4. Fox 75; 5. Oak Ridge 101

Local medalists (top 25)

Central -- 23. Kyra Pearl 19:15

Jackson -- 2. Emma Masterson 16:02; 4. Margo Motes 16:24; 7. Abbie Sadler 17:11; 8. Erin Thurman 17:12.13; 9. Julia Kidwell 17:12.36

Oak Ridge -- 17. Jordan Layton 18:13

St. Vincent -- 3. Corin Caroll 16:19; 19. Maddie Lappe 18:14; 22. Cierra Boland 19:14

Zalma -- 14. Chelsea Lemons 18:07

Juniors

Team scores -- 1. Jackson 8; 2. Kirkwood 13; 3. Poplar Bluff 56

Local medalists (top 25)

Jackson -- 1. Courtney Hahs 15:57; 3. Megan Barnum 16:08; 4. Ana Compton 16:09; 10. Audrey Allen 18:16; 22. Lily Schell 21:17

Marquand -- 16. Autumn Slinkard 19:39

Oak Ridge -- 14. Maci Jo Schamburg 18:41

St. Vincent -- 21. Shelby Schumer 20:56

Seniors

Team scores -- 1. Jackson 10; 2. Kirkwood 23; 3. Jefferson 31; 4. Fox 68; 5. Poplar Bluff 76

Local medalists (top 25)

Delta -- 16. Jamie Hodge 18:37

Jackson -- 1. Chelsea Drum 14:34; 2. Carli Knott 14:53; 7. Leah Hecht 16:48; 13. Carlee Williamson 17:55

Scott City -- 9. Bella Bowers 17:11

St. Vincent -- Emily Welker 18:01