Class 2
Brendan Cary, North Platte
Second, second, third. That's where head coach Brendan Cary's North Platte girls had placed at the state cross country meet the previous three years. This year's team featured six seniors of 12 athletes on the roster. After earning three straight and all of the program's state trophies, the senior class and the 2022 team may have the best chance in school history to win the state title. If the girls didn't get it done this year, it may never happen.
But Coach Cary's girls took care of business. They were strong all season long with an outstanding top-4. North Platte had a 1-4 split of 58 seconds at the Brian T. Simpson Harrisburg Invite at Gans Creek. Four weeks later they were back in Columbia with the state title on the line. The Lady Panthers didn't let the chance get away. They put 4 in the top-19 and scored just 64 points, for a comfortable 25-point victory over the defending champions Hermann.
Freshman Chloe Heckman led the way like she had much of the season. Heckman was 7th in 20:16 while sophomore Brianna DeBord was close behind in 9th. Seniors Jessa Cassity and Shelby Lingle were 11th and 19th. State Champion 4x100 sprinter Lonee French, a senior, was 5th on the team, placing 50th. Senior Alaina Scroggins was 78th and freshman Lily Schaffart was 105th.
Coach Cary's squad was so strong, their score of 64 points multiplied 2.5 times would have put them right between the 3rd and 4th-place teams, who scored 159 and 160.
After earning the state title and Coach of the Year, Cary turns his focus to preparing North Platte to defend their Class 2 state track and field title. The Panthers cruised to the 2022 title, totaling 71 points for a 23-point victory.