The Nixa cross country team hit the course in Bolivar, Mo., on Nov. 2 for the Class 5 District 2 meet, vying to extend its season an additional week. 

The district was fielded by 18 schools: Belton, Branson, Carthage, Central (Springfield), Glendale, Joplin, Kickapoo, Lebanon, Neosho, Nixa, Ozark, Parkview, Raymore-Peculiar, Republic, Sedalia Smith-Cotton, Waynesville, Webb City, and Willard. 

The top four teams and top 30 individual runners would secure berths to the state meet in Columbia.

On the boys' side, Nixa, the defending district champs, finished as the runners-up with 62 points and qualified as a team. Ray-Pec crowned the title with 23 points. Kickapoo (80) and Webb City (138) join the two to round out the top four.

Nixa had a strong outing on the course, ?as six of its seven runners alone earned individual berths by placing in the top 30. Senior Aaron Ashley led the Eagle pack, finishing third at 15:48.37 and securing his third consecutive trip to state.

Not far behind Ashley was junior Alex Flannery, who placed sixth at 16:00.71, and junior Reyes Martinez, who placed eighth at 16:05.71.

Junior Zane Novinger (18th) and sophomores Gage Holmes (27th), and Asher Coorts (30th) also placed in the top 30. Freshman Josiah Garrison placed 75th.

Click here for the complete Class 5 District 2 boys meet results.
Click here to recap the entire meet.
Click here to view meet photos.

This marks the second straight year the boys will compete as a team. A year ago, they made school history by capturing the program's first-ever state trophy with a fourth-place finish in Class 5. Four current Eagles (Ashley, Martinez, Novinger, and Flannery) were a part of making that history. Ashley led the way and captured an individual medal with a seventh-place performance.

The Eagles district performance capped off another successful year. The conference champs finished in the top two at all but one of their eight meets, including team titles at SWCCCA, Ray-Pec, Nixa, Branson, COC, and Reeds Spring. Nixa will pursue another team title on the course they finished eighth on during the regular season.

Click here to view all results from the season.
 

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The girls team just missed out on a team qualification and placed fifth with 144 points behind Joplin (138), Ozark (103), Webb City (84), and champion Kickapoo (79).

Sophomore Brianna Bidinger and senior Taylor Lemmon led the Eagles pack with state-qualifying times. Bidinger placed 14th with a time of 19:58.16, and Lemmon finished 26th at 20:27.52 setting a personal best for her first berth.

Bidinger's performance marks the second straight state berth as she finished 119th (20:21.60) in her freshman campaign.

The remaining five Eagles had middle-of-the-pack performances in the top 50, and a few barely missed out on a state berth: juniors Meliah Copley (32nd) and Mackinzie Harris (33rd), and sophomore Emma Etheridge (39th), freshman Molly Hill (44th), and Ariyanna Eckert (45th).

Click here for the complete Class 5 District 2 girls meet results.
Click here to recap the entire meet.
Click here to view meet photos.
Click here to view the entire season results.
 

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State Meet Information

The 2024 50th MSHSAA Class 5 State Cross Country Championships will be held on Nov. 8 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo.

The gates open at 8 a.m. The girls race begins at 9 a.m., and the boys race begins at 10:30 a.m. The awards presentation follows at 11:15 a.m.

Admission to the meet is $10 and must be purchased via MSHSAA here.

Live results of the meet can be tracked here.

Updates on the runners can be tracked on Nixa's social media.
X (Twitter): nixaathletics
Facebook: Nixa Athletics
Instagram: nixaathletics

Click here to view additional state meet information.

For a second straight year, the boys will compete together as a team. The 2024 boys state features Aaron Ashley (4x state qualifier, 2023 state medalist), Reyes Martinez (3x state qualifier), Alex Flannery (2x state qualifier), Zane Novinger (2x state qualifier), Asher Coorts, Josiah Garrison, and Gage Holmes. 

Two-time state qualifier Brianna Bidinger and debuting in her first meet Taylor Lemmon will represent the girls.

Preview/Runner Stats:

Times at Gans Creek Classic Sept. 27:
Boys:

• Aaron Ashley, 15:32.30 | State Times: 15:23.90 (2023), 16:33.10 (2022), 17:10.10 (2021)
• Reyes Martinez, 16:01.40 | State Times: 15:52.60 (2023), 16:54.90 (2022)
• Zane Novinger, 16:26.20 | State Times: 16:20.20 (2023)
• Alex Flannery, 16:28.80 | State Times: 16:23.90 (2023)
• Asher Coorts, 17:34.30
• Gage Holmes, 17:26.40
• Josiah Garrison, 18:06.10
• Team Finish, 8th of 19 Teams

Girls:

• Brianna Bidinger, 20:23.10 | State Times: 20:21.50 (2023) 
• Taylor Lemmon, 21:47.20

MO Top-150 Class 5 Pre-State Meet Ranking (Nixa), According to MileSplitMO:
Boys (State Best Time: 15:02.30):

• 13th, Aaron Ashley, 15:31.65
• 37th, Reyes Martinez, 15:53.46
• 48th, Alex Flannery, 16:00.71
• 62nd, Zane Novinger, 16:08.86

Click here for the entire boys Class 5 state rankings.

Girls (State Best Time: 17:06.50):

• 75th, Brianna Bidinger, 19:52.85
• 93rd, Mackinzie Harris, 20:04.06
• 136th, Taylor Lemmon, 20:27.52

Click here for the entire girls Class 5 state rankings.

All-Time Personal Best Times:
Boys:

• Aaron Ashley, 15:19.03
• Reyes Martinez, 15:52.60
• Zane Novinger, 16:07.47
• Alex Flannery, 16:00.71
• Asher Coorts, 16:42.74
• Gage Holmes, 16:46.77
• Josiah Garrison, 17:49.75

Girls:

• Brianna Bidinger, 19:52.85
• Taylor Lemmon, 20:27.52