Ford’s state medal leads MCHS runners to strong season

By Theo Tate
Posted 11/26/22

Lyric Ford wasn’t looking forward to competing under chilly conditions at the Class 3 state cross country meet on Nov. 5 at Gans Creek Course in Columbia.

“I was freezing,” the …

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Ford’s state medal leads MCHS runners to strong season

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Lyric Ford wasn’t looking forward to competing under chilly conditions at the Class 3 state cross country meet on Nov. 5 at Gans Creek Course in Columbia.

“I was freezing,” the Montgomery County senior said.

But the conditions didn’t slow down Ford in her final high school cross country race. She earned her fourth all-state medal, placing fourth with a time of 19:06.

Ford wrapped up her outstanding four-year career with 35 medals and 11 victories. She said she enjoyed her time with the MCHS cross country program.

“If you’re going to run cross country, you’ve got to run for the Wildcats,” Ford said. “If you’re not running for the Wildcats, then what are you doing? That’s the way I see it.”

Ford was the Wildcats’ top runner all season long as she earned medals in all nine races she competed in. She also won four meets, including the Eastern Missouri Conference championship meet, where she ran a school-record time of 18:16.

Ford led a MCHS cross country team that had seven girls and five boys. The other runners were seniors Destiny Shaw and Carie Schroer, juniors Malia Rodgers and Olivia Shaw, sophomores Jadrian Thurmon, Madison West, Zack Welker, Beckham Cothren, Brendan Craven and freshmen Taylor River and Cooper Sellenriek.

Ford said she was happy with the support she got from her teammates, coaches and family members all season long.

“I love my support system,” Ford said. “I wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t have them, for sure. I love them and I appreciate them greatly.”

Thurmon joined Ford at the state meet this year. He qualified for Columbia for the first time after placing 29th at the District 3 meet in Fulton. He also earned medals at the Fulton Invitational, Gans Creek Classic, Capital City Invitational and the EMO meet. Thurmon said he’s already preparing for the 2023 season.

“I’m going to work hard, I’m going to stay motivated, be positive and continue to do what I do,” Thurmon said.

Rodgers, a two-time all-state medalist, earned five medals this year before being sidelined in the final three weeks of the season due to a groin injury. She ran a season-best 19:28 in her fifth-place finish at the Gans Creek Classic in September.

Destiny Shaw, a state qualifier in her sophomore year, placed fifth with a season-best time of 22:29 at the EMO meet. Schroer also turned in her season-best performance at the conference meet, running a 23:38 in her 13th-place finish. Both girls ran with the Wildcats all four years.

Olivia Shaw, who also played volleyball this fall, competed in four meets. She picked up an eighth-place medal at the conference meet.

Welker earned a medal in all three meets he competed in, including a 10th-place medal at the EMO meet.

River finished ninth at the EMO meet for her only medal of the season.

The MCHS girls captured the conference championship for the second year in a row, placing first in the league meet on Oct. 15 at North Callaway High School by 37 points. They also finished third at the Fulton Invitational, fourth at the New Haven Invitational and fifth at the Capital City Invitational.

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