West Plains Zizzers Cross Country
The West Plains boys cross country program was started by Joe Bill Dixon in 1978 in the south-central Missouri town. Bill Sharp coached the ladies until Dixon took over the reins of both the boys and girls program in 1984. Dixon quickly built a winner that became a dynasty, and one of the county's best programs. After a sixth-place finish in its first season, the West Plains boys stopped Lindbergh's streak of state titles at five with a two-point victory in the state's largest division: Class 4A. Dixon and many of his former athletes who have joined him coaching the Zizzers, have guided West Plains to jaw-dropping success. The West Plains boys have made it to state each of their 41 seasons, have won 13 state championships, and been runners-up 12 times. The Zizzers have racked up 35 Top-4 finish State trophies. Let that sink in for a minute. Thirty-five state trophies in 41 years on the guys side.
On the lady's side, West Plains has qualified for the state meet 38 times in 41 years, winning 12 state championships, taken second nine times and earning 24 state trophies. The Lady Zizzers scored just 32 points in winning the 2002 Class 4 State title, 27 points to capture the 2003 Class 4 title. Then, in 2004, in their first year of a six-year stretch in Class 3, the West Plains Lady Zizzers totaled a perfect score of 15, individually placing 1st thru 5th. They had a 1-5 split of just 35-seconds. Dixon has shared coaching titles and responsibilities with many coaches over the years including Ramona Talburt, Marvin Hatley, and Alicia Anderson-Gunter to name a few.
West Plains athletes have captured 11 individual state cross country titles. They are Chris Zinn (1981-83), Jon Hatley (1985), Lisa Brown (1993), Sean Carlson (1993-1994), Jason Sandfort (2000), Jennifer Harper (2004), and Brittani Johnson (2005-2006). The program has produced several high school All-Americans and many athletes that have gone on to great collegiate success. The Zizzers have combined for five Foot Locker Cross Country High School National Championship competitors. Chris Zinn placed 5th in 1983 at Foot Locker, while Jon Hatley placed 7th in 1985, Lisa Brown 8th in 1991, Jason Sandfort 30th in 2000, and Josh Harper 16th in 2002.
Among the many college highlights for Zizzers alums are: Chris Zinn earning three All-American honors in cross country in NCAA Division I competition for Arkansas with 17th, 7th, and 5th-place finishes in 1985, '87, and '88. Zinn helped the Razorbacks to the 1986 and 1987 national team titles, as well as two other top-4 team trophies. Jason Sandfort was a rare four-time cross country All-American honoree at the NCAA Division I level, also competing for Arkansas. Sandfort placed 32nd at nationals in 2001, 31st in 2002, 24th in 2003, and 20th in 2004, helping the Razorbacks to two team trophies for legendary coach John McDonnell.
But if you know anything about Joe Bill Dixon and West Plains cross country, individual success takes a back seat to team success. The program is based on hard work, discipline, respect, and putting the team first. Everyone sacrifices for the greater good of the group. Besides state success the Zizzers have been a factor nationally. The 2002 Zizzer boys squad is the highest ever nationally ranked squad, finishing the season ranked second. The 2002 team scored just 47 points at the state meet, beating Tim Nixon's 5th-ranked Liberty Blue Jays by six points, who finished the season ranked 8th nationally.
West Plains Alum Jon Ewing, who himself ran on two State Title teams for Dixon, including the first one in 1979, built his own powerhouse program at Kickapoo High School in the 1990's. Ewing's 1993 Kickapoo boys squad beat his coach and alma mater for the state title, with the Chiefs edging the Zizzers 61-76, as they put six in the top 40. Two years later Ewing's Kickapoo boys won another title, putting three in the top 10, four in the top 20 and earning their own Top-10 national ranking.
Dixon was inducted in to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame himself in 2001. Both of his sons Greg and Chad were members of State Championship teams for the Zizzers, with Chad being a two-time All-Stater . Greg coaches football and track and field at West Plains.