For a couple of years Salem High School cross country coach Will Hubbs has said the work ethic of Zoey Elliott will get her to the Missouri Cross Country State Championships.
Turns out he knew what he was talking about!
Elliott, a junior, qualified for this week’s Missouri Class 3 State Meet during the District 2 Meet Saturday, Nov. 1 at El Dorado Springs.
The top four schools and 30 individual runners moved on from district to the state championships. And Elliott made it with plenty of room to spare, earning an all-district medal by placing 14th individually with a time of 22:10.72.
Elliott now will compete in the Class 3 State Meet girls’ race, to be held at 9:45 a.m. Friday, Nov. 7 at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia.
The Class 3, 4 and 5 boys’ and girls’ state races will be held in Columbia Friday, Nov. 7 while the Class 1 and 2 boys’ and girls’ state races will be Saturday, Nov. 8.
Friday’s State Schedule: Class 3 boys 9 a.m.; Class 3 girls 9:45 a.m.; Class 4 boys 11 a.m.; Class 4 girls 11:45; Class 5 boys 1 p.m., and Class 5 girls 1:45 p.m.
Saturday’s State Schedule: Class 1 boys 9 a.m.; Class 1 girls 9:45 a.m.; Class 2 boys 11 a.m.; Class 2 girls 11:45 a.m.
It is the fourth consecutive year that Hubbs has sent a Salem runner to the Missouri Cross Country State Championships. The previous three years the Tigers were represented by Alex Diehl in the Class 3 boys’ state race. As a junior, Diehl was an all-state finisher.
The top 30 finishers in each race earn all-state honors.
Elliott is the first Lady Tiger to make it to state since Elizabeth Pappert did in 1998.
During the district race Elliott was close to the top pack throughout, with a slight scare at the start.
“I stayed up close the whole time,” Elliott said. “I kept telling myself to try and pass a few more girls. In the first mile I did get closed in. I got boxed in at a spot most of the girls ran to and had to slowly move my way to the front. It was probably 400 meters in where I got back close to the (top) pack.”
Elliott was consistently one of the top runners in each race field throughout this season for the Lady Tigers. She has been running distance events since she was in the seventh-grade, and has been on the Salem high school team since her freshman campaign.
She said her biggest improvement has been in race preparation and execution.
“Most definitely, the mental part of running is what got me to state,” Elliott said. “I kind of had the idea (of going to state) since the first week. Coach kept telling me I was going to go to state. I think I’m more of a mentally-tough runner. I can keep myself going when times are hard. And I usually have a pretty good kick at the end.”
“The best way to describe her is that she is a workout warrior,” Hubbs said of Elliott. “She works non-stop. It’s her work ethic. This summer she put in so much time in the weight room and on the track. She just works super hard.”
In addition to making all-state this week, Elliott is hopeful of setting the girls’ cross country school record. Her P.R. of 21:22 - set earlier this season in St. James - currently ranks third in school history, behind Lisa Platt, who set the school mark of 20:58 in 1984, and Angie Pappert, who ran 21:15 in 1985. Angie Pappert also had No. 4 and No. 5 best times in school history - 21:23 in 1984 and 21:3 in 1986.
And Elliott has enjoyed a state-qualifying season despite battling a hip injury throughout. The hip flared up during her track season last spring and has continued on this fall.
“In (the conference meet) it was really hurting,” she said. “I nursed it all last week and it actually felt good (at district). Hopefully it will feel good this week.”
“We took some days off last week,” Hubbs said. “The hip was really bothering her. Usually you want to get some work in before district, but I think the days off helped her.”
Elliott hopes to improve on her P.R. Friday and gain valuable state experience for her senior cross country season, as well as her upcoming track seasons. She said she comes in knowing very little about the state course, having never run it.
“I’ll be pleased with a P.R., and hopefully even run a school-record time,” Elliott said. “(The state course), I haven’t heard anything about it. I’m just going in there with an open mind. I think this gives me more confidence for my senior year and maybe track, to know I can do it.”
“I’d like to see a good time for her,” Hubbs said. “For her to get a state medal, I think she will have to break the school record. Those times are pretty good up there.”
