Class 5 Coach of the Year
Neal Blackburn, Rock Bridge (Columbia, Boone County)
Coach Neal Blackburn and the Rock Bridge Bruins were looking for a 2nd straight Class 5 state track and field title in 2022. The Bruins claimed their first-ever track title by 2.5 points at the single-day 2021 state meet with 52 points. That came three years after missing out on a title by just 1.5 points, taking 2nd with 58.5 in 2018.
The Bruins didn't have any problems repeating as state champs and put together one of the greatest seasons and state meets ever by a Missouri team. Rock Bridge dominated all season in the flat track events (non-hurdle races). They set the state record in the 4x200 with a 1:24.90 at districts. The Bruins team was so good, a disqualification in the event at sectionals, and the lost chance of scoring 10 points at state in that event, didn't remotely impact their place in the final state standings.
Blackburn's boys blew the field away at the two-day meet. They scored an astounding 97 points, more than doubling 2nd place's 46 points. They were led by a duo of superstar sprinters and a trio of superstar distance runners. Chris Giles and Casey Hood led a sweep in the 4x100 (41.79) and 4x400 (3:19.47), went 1-2 in the 100 in 10.46 and 10.53 while Giles also claimed the 400 crown (47.95) and Hood was 2nd in the 200 (21.18).
Distance stars Andrew Hauser, Ian Kemey, and Weston Jokerst added a bunch of points in the multi-lap events. They started with a 4th-place 4x800 finish before capping day 1 in the 3200, going 3-5-6 in 9:05, 9:10, and 9:12. On day 2, Hauser won the 1600 in 4:11 with Kemey taking 5th in 4:15 and Jokerst 10th in 4:23. Jokerst added a 4th-place finish in the 800 in 1:56.