SILOAM SPRINGS — Adrienne McGooden wasn’t exactly thrilled about running cross country when she first joined the Siloam Springs cross country program as a seventh grader.
“I didn’t like it at first,” McGooden said. “My dad (Shay McGooden) forced me into it.”
Turns out, dad was right all along.
Not only has McGooden, a freshman, ran well in the sport. She’s excelled in it.
After finishing either first or second in six of eight 2-mile junior high meets, McGooden was called up to the high school team at the end of the season and her third place finish at the Class 5A State Meet in Harrison helped the Lady Panthers win the state title.
McGooden, despite only running three high school 5K races on the season, was named an All-Conference and All-State runner for Siloam Springs and today is named NWA Media Small Schools Girls Runner of the Year.
“I’m very proud and excited for Adrienne to receive this honor,” said Siloam Springs cross country coach Sharon Jones. “She’s very deserving. The coaching staff is excited about her future. She’s a beautiful runner. She’s only ran maybe five 5Ks ever in her life, unless she’s ran a road race here or there. Her future seems very promising.”
McGooden finished behind teammate Grayson Tharp at the 5A-West Conference Meet with a time of 22 minutes, 50 seconds on the Wilderness Challenge Cross Country Course on the campus of North Arkansas College in Harrison. A week later, on the same course, McGooden got off to a quick start and finished in 22:04, 46 seconds faster than the previous week. She finished third behind Logan Bishop of Batesville and Little Rock Christian’s Randi Ferguson.
“At the state meet she took off like a rabbit,” Jones said. “I think she was comfortable with the course and comfortable with her ability to run a 5K.”
McGooden said the Wilderness Challenge, with its many large hills, was as difficult as any course she’s ever run.
“It’s like running with weights on your feet,” she said. “It’s really, really tough. All the hills are huge.”
PROFILE
ADRIENNE MCGOODEN
SCHOOL: Siloam Springs
CLASS: Freshman
NOTABLE: Finished first or second in six of eight junior high races. ... Ran three five 5Ks during the 2011 season, the Chile Pepper, the 5A-West Conference Meet and 5A State Meet. ... Ran a personal 5K record of 21:23.1 in the Chile Pepper. She was named All-Conference in the 5A-West after running a 22:50. Then on the same course a week later, she ran a 22:04 and placed third overall. ... Was one of four freshman called up to the varsity team, along with Matti Fuller, Taylor Gay and Rebekah Hill.