Liberty’s Neisen receives Tri-State Cross Country Coaches Girls Runner of the Year honor

LIBERTY, Ill. — The 2022 prep cross country season was a true coming-of-age party for Arianna Neisen of Liberty.

Following a super sophomore track campaign that ended with a state medal in the 3,200-meter run at the IHSA Class 1A state track and field championships in Charleston, one would think big things would be on tap for the fall of 2022. What transpired was much more than a traditional improvement curve. 

Neisen dropped minutes off her times from the 2021 to 2022 season. Even with the tremendous improvements the Liberty junior made, it didn’t come easy. Battling a foot injury for the back half of the year, Neisen wasn’t able to race as much as she may have wanted and training was limited for long stretches of time. However, that did not hinder the Eagles’ leader from trying to accomplish her goal of earning her first trip to the IHSA state meet — a goal she accomplished.

The fall season started off strong as Neisen placed fourth at the Rochester Invitational where she improved by more than 2 minutes from her 2021 time. Following that, she rattled off impressive races at the First To The Finish meet at Detweiller Park where she placed 10th, running 18:20 for 3 miles. Her success continued throughout the remainder of the fall as she finished no worse than third in any race she ran. She was the individual champion at the QND Running Raider Invitational and was runner-up at the Tom Oakley Invitational.

However, her most impressive regular-season result came at the St. Joseph-Ogden Spartan Classic where Neisen finished third overall, clocking an impressive 17:41 for 3 miles.

Still battling her lingering foot injury, Neisen entered the postseason on the sideline when she did not compete at the West Central Conference meet. She placed fourth at the Macomb Regional in her first race in more than three weeks before going on to finish third at the Elmwood Sectional, running 18:22 to book her ticket to the state championships. The next weekend, Neisen covered the rain soaked Detweiller Park course in 18:54 to finish 39th overall — a finish she was not happy with, but one that gained her valuable experience to take forward into her junior track season and springboard her into the fall of 2023.

For her efforts, Neisen has been named this year’s Tri-State Cross Country Coaches Girls Runner of the Year.

All-Area first team

(Runners are in alphabetical order)

Jocelyn Dorsey, Jr., Hannibal — Dorsey led the Pirates with four top-10 finishes, including runner-up finishes at the Mexico Invite and the North Central Missouri Conference championships where she ran a personal best 20:54 for 5k. She was also 11th at the Bowling Green Invitational, running 21:00. She finished her season at the Missouri class 4 state meet where she finished 59th overall running 21:12 on the Gans Creek course. 

Matera Ellis, Sr., Mark Twain — Ellis’ senior campaign was a strong one. She was seventh at North Callaway and third at the Marion County Invite. Buoyed by a strong 12th place finish at the EMO Conference meet, where she ran 22:40 for 5k, she went on to finish fourth at the Missouri district meet at North Callaway to advance to the Missouri state meet at Gans Creek. She finished her high school career with a 72nd place finish running 22:52 for 5k. 

Hailey Eyring, Sr., Illini West — In her lone season for the Chargers, Eyring put together strong finishes throughout the year. She enjoyed top-15 finishes at the Running Raider, Tom Oakley, and Liberty Invitationals and was sixth overall at Rushville early in the 2022 season. The Chargers’ lead runner placed 11th at the Macomb regional to advance to the sectional contest at Elmwood, where she saved her best for last, running a personal best of 20:53. 

Abigail Genenbacher, Jr., QND — Genenbacher was a consistent piece at the front of QND’s pack. Her 2022 season was highlighted by an individual title at the West Central Conference meet, and the Macomb Earlybird meet. She also placed top 10 at the Running Raider, Tom Oakley, and Liberty Invitationals. Genenbacher set a season’s best at the Patriot Invite, running 20:04 for 3 miles. 

Alexandria Meyers, Sr., QHS — No stranger to the All-Area First Team, Meyers again finds herself on the list. With five top-five finishes, including third-place finishes at the Jacksonville, Liberty and Tom Oakley Invitationals, she was among the area’s best. Another third-place finish at the Western Big 6 Conference meet helped the Blue Devils secure the team title again in 2022. Meyers placed 10th at the Quincy regional and finished her high school cross country career with a season’s best 19:07 for 3 miles at the Normal Sectional.

Aly Noland, Sr., Palmyra — The leader of the Panther squad, Noland made a strong return for her senior season following an injury that plagued her junior campaign. Noland was runner-up at her home meet in Palmyra and placed 10th overall at the Running Raider. She also placed 10th at a pair of meets at the Gans Creek course, running 21:23 and 21:24 for 5k. She finished her season with a seventh-place finish at the Clarence Cannon Conference meet at Kahoka, running 21:49. 

Meghan Spears, Fr., QND — Spears consistently got better throughout the entire 2022 season. The freshman placed in the top 20 at the Running Raider, was 10th at the Tom Oakley, and placed 11th at the Liberty Invitational. She was also the West Central Conference runner-up. Spears ended her season with a personal best time of 20:18 at the Elmwood Sectional.

Keeauna Scheufele, Jr., QHS — A vital part of the Blue Devil pack was upperclassmen, and Scheufele was a linchpin in that group. She had top-10 finishes at five meets, including fourth-place finishes at Jacksonville, Tom Oakley, and Liberty Invitationals. Scheufele also finished sixth overall at the Running Raider Invitational and the Western Big 6 Conference meet, where she ran a personal best of 19:49 to help the Blue Devils win the team title.

Olivia Schuering, Jr., QHS — Taking over the reins as the lead Blue Devil from her sister, Schuering put together a strong and consistent junior campaign. She placed in the top five in all but two races the entire season, including wins at the Tom Oakley and Moline Invitationals. She also was runner-up at the Running Raider and Liberty Invitationals, along with being the Western Big 6 Conference runner-up, where she ran a personal best of 18:09. Schuering placed fourth overall at the Quincy regional before being sidelined for the remainder of the postseason with a stress fracture. She likely would have been a state qualifier in 2022, but will have to wait for her senior campaign for a trip to Detweiller Park in November. 

Nataly Uppinghouse, Fr., QHS – A new face on the Blue Devil squad, Uppinghouse graced the roster, putting herself in the Devils’ scoring five. She was sixth overall at the Tom Oakley and Liberty Invitationals and delivered late in the season, placing 10th overall at the Western Big 6 Conference meet, where she ran a personal best 20:04. She placed 29th at the Quincy Regional to help the Blue Devils advance to the Normal sectional, where she placed 81st overall.

All-Area honorable mention

Bowling Green — Natalie Hickerson, So.; Addison Lilley, Fr.

Clark County — Cady St. Clair, Jr.; Delana Hess, Sr.; Mia Johnson, So.

Hannibal — Piper Berhorst, Fr.; Ava Bonvillian, So.; Matti Harvey, Fr.; Jordan Puterbaugh, Fr.

Highland — Kaycie Stahl, Jr. 

Illini West — Emma Whitaker, Jr.

Macomb — Jasmine Alcantara, Jr.; Kristen Rebman, Sr.

Mark Twain — Lauren Booth, Sr.; Ava Roberts,Fr.

Pittsfield — Avery Wyatt, Fr.

QHS — Amick McClelland, So.