Making A Group Advance: Lady Hornets' State trip in '22 extends DC's quick rise in XC

Dodd City's Lady Hornets (L to R): Autumn Brown, Lindsey Mauppin, Addyson Chaney, Breezy Jenkins, Hannah Burney and Riley Murray. Courtesy photo

DODD CITY -- Senior Lindsey Mauppin's fourth-consecutive and final advance to the Class 1A State girls' cross country competition comes with company.

The whole Dodd City girls' team will join her on Nov. 5 in Round Rock, having qualified on Oct. 25 as the Region III-1A girls' runner-up.

She wouldn't have it any other way.

"It's exciting," said Mauppin, who finished fourth in 15:05.4 to lead the Lady Hornets during their fourth-straight team girls' regional advance, on Oct. 31.

"I am thankful to have the whole team going," she said. "What better way than having the whole team with me!

"I'm technically not ranked [heading into State] due to a longer course at regionals. But I'm going to State hoping to get a medal."

The rest of Dodd City's girls' team includes these and their regional places and times: senior Autumn Brown, 12th, 15:46.60; junior Hannah Burney, 31st, 16:43.19; freshman Breezy Jenkins, 51st, 17:18.75; junior Addyson Chaney, 53rd, 17:18.9; and freshman Riley Murray, 111th, 19:15.44.

Brown had a previous role in helping what has become an every-year season-finishing Round Rock trip for Mauppin.

With Mauppin in 2020 in a family COVID-19 quarantine when the 23-1A meet occurred, Brown's sixth-place effort at district led the Lady Hornets to a runner-up finish to extend their season. Mauppin rejoined her team for regional competition, placed sixth and later finished a career-best 10th at State in her then second-straight advance.

This year, besides helping her team again via her finishes at district and regionals, Brown garnered her own chance to run at State to complete her cross country career.

"It took a lot and I had to push myself in practice," said Brown, "And after that, I had to shake my nerves out."

Led by Mauppin and Brown, the Lady Hornets, with the first-time State advance for a Dodd City cross country team, made more history for a sport which only started at the school in 2019.

"It's grown year-to-year and gotten better," said Bruce Mauppin, the school's only head cross country coach since the start and superintendent.

"For the girls, we knew we had an outside chance," he said. "We thought we would be fourth at regionals.

"But for them to finish second -- I'm extremely proud."