Even the foggy conditions didn’t stop Dawson McCown from turning in an outstanding performance in the boys race of the Gans Creek Classic on Sept. 25.

The Montgomery County senior left the Columbia course with a medal after placing second with a time of 16 minutes, 21 seconds. He came up five seconds shy of his personal-best time of 16:16.

McCown finished runner-up for the third time this season.

“Winning is not everything for me,” said McCown, who also finished second at the New Haven and Linn meets. “I do it for myself. I had to do it for God. I really don’t put a place on it because I do it for myself and my personal excellence. Everybody wants to be first. If it’s not meant to be, it’s not meant to be.”

McCown was one of three MCHS runners who earned medals at the Gans Creek meet. Junior Lyric Ford and sophomore Malia Rodgers finished second and third, respectively, in the girls race and ran season-best times. Ford ran an 18:57 and Rodgers finished with a 19:01.

“It’s very exciting,” Rodgers said. “We’ve been working towards that under 19 because that would get us on the boys record list.”

Several other MCHS runners also set season-best marks, including freshman Jadrian Thurman (33rd, 18:30) and juniors Logan Camp (128th, 20:42), Destiny Shaw (155th, 22:48) and Carie Schroer (195th, 23:46).

“We’re really high right now,” McCown said. “I think we all had these big goals and we’re finally coming together as a team and trusting God’s plan. We’re all doing good and we’re getting where we want to go.”

Last week, the Wildcats competed in the Missouri Southern Stampede in Joplin, which was also a big meet. McCown, Ford and Rodgers earned medals in that race.

“At Joplin, our competition was higher,” Ford said.
MCHS fielded a full boys team for the first time this season. Freshmen Cothren Beckham (209th, 22:52) and Brendan Craven (212nd, 23:02) and junior Mikah Schneider (213th, 23:20) also competed for the Wildcats, who finished 20th with 445 points.

“When we started this year, we didn’t think we were going to have a full boys team,” McCown said. “So we had a lot of people who came out and surprised us. They’re doing really good and they’re enjoying being with each other. We’re all becoming really close and being good friends. It’s really good.”

McCown finished second to Lincoln College Prep’s Isaac Rivera by just five seconds. McCown was in first place after the first two miles before Rivera took the lead in the final mile.

McCown’s last trip to Gans Creek was something he would like to forget. Last fall, McCown competed at the Class 3 state meet at the Columbia course, but he didn’t finish the race as he collapsed after the second mile.

“When I came in here (last year), I was kind of anxious and I kind of freaked out a little bit,” McCown said. “I remember my feeling that whole entire day and what happened after the day. But I think I came back mentally stronger. I think I was able to push through and say this course isn’t going to get me again. It already has gotten me enough.”