Article contributed by John Mackey
First year Mansfield long distance coach Abby Cagle-Hollenbeck stuck to the process in creating a notable cross-country squad. By the end of 2024 season, the head newcomer assembled just enough pieces for the team to record another strong finish and add to the legacy of MHS athletics.
As expected, the Mansfield Lady Tigers found their roar as the season progressed. A runner-up conference showing, a sixth-place state finish, and now four All-Star selections highlighted the year.
The pinnacle to a schedule that started in full rebuild mode reached its apex on Saturday, November 16 as Mansfield hosted the Farm Bureau River Valley All-Star Race once again. Typical to this time of year, the competition stage was heavily influenced by Lady Tiger runners, a scenario to which Coach Cagle-Hollenbeck was quite proud.
Mansfield senior and two-time All-State runner Laney Wood made the All-Star roster for the third time in her highly decorated career. Sophomore teammate Bailey London, a two-time All-District selection, made her first All-Star race. The two competitors were Mansfield’s highest rated runners throughout the season. Joining them were Mansfield natives Rylan Jones and Trinity Triska. Jones was a first time All-Star while Triska was making her third appearance.
“Laney Wood was an athlete who loved to run,” stated Coach Cagle-Hollenbeck about her first All-Star participant. “Laney was able to balance work and cross country. She was an impressive runner who placed in the top ten at almost every meet this year. She was the 3A-4 conference individual champion.”
Wood’s season best mark of 22:12 for the 5K distance allowed her to be a team captain at the FBRV Race. According to criteria established by the River Valley All-Star games committee, the top three qualifying runners would be honored by having one of three constructed All-Star teams named after them.
“Team Laney” was formed with players from County Line, Danville, Mansfield, Mena, and Mt. Ida. As a unit the group scored 40 points for second place in the three-team race. Four of the Team Laney teammates finished inside the top ten with the group’s fifth scoring member crossing at number eleven. Wood was eighth place in the overall standings with a recorded time of 24:21.40 for the 5K race.
“I went into my final race with a good mindset, and very happy to finish my last race with my friends,” reflected Wood as she completed a Lady Tiger career that saw two state runner-up trophies, two district championships, an individual conference medalist award, and multiple state and local individual honors. “I tried to just enjoy my last race running with friends, but the younger girls got excited and just left me a Trinity behind. My competitive spirit kicked in and I had to go for a strong finish after such a casual start. It was so much fun to run with my friends one last time.”
Mansfield’s next best finisher was Bailey London. The Lady Tiger sophomore finished in ninth place overall just two seconds behind her older Mansfield teammate. As odds would have it, the two Mansfield mainstays both competed on Team Laney.
A rating system used by the All-Star games committee was imposed to create a competitive balance between the three assembled All-Star rosters. Because of their predominantly close finishes throughout the regular season, the pair of Mansfield teammates ended up on the same postseason team.
“Bailey London was a great runner,” offered the Mansfield coach on her second All-Star selection. “She would show up to every practice and race. She was very dedicated to the sport and a positive influence on the younger athletes. She too medaled at almost every meet in which she ran.”
Lady Tiger freshman Rylan Jones was a late addition to the All-Star festivities. Mansfield’s most consistent junior high scorer was elevated off an All-Star watchlist in the final week of the season. She made the climb after the conclusion of her junior high season when she was moved up to the senior high roster for the district and state 5K races.
MHS senior Trinity Triska was another late inclusion into the River Valley showcase. The Lady Tiger upperclassman spent the majority of her fall sports season competing on the high school volleyball team. That left her cross county availability limited to the Today’s Bank Mansfield Invitational and the Class 3A State Finals due to the conflicting schedules. Her efforts at the Arkansas Activities Association sponsored state finals drew the All-Star committee’s attention. A path then opened up for the All-Star aluminst to enter this final 5K race of her celebrated career.
Triska competed on “Team Valin”. It was so named for Western Yell County’s Valin Spangler, the class 1A’s ninth place finisher at the AAA state finals. It was Team Valin, with Triska’s effort as the group’s first displacer, that actually won the team competition. The Valin roster collectively scored 35 points for the overall team championship.
Jones competed on “Team Phoebe”. Although this was Jones’ first time experiencing an All-Star event, she showed her worth as a long-distance racer. Like Triska, the Mansfield ninth grader produced as her postseason team’s first displacer.
Team Phoebe was labeled as such for Phoebe Hopper, the class 1A individual state runner-up out of Magazine. Despite being the highest ranked individual entering the competition and then backing it up by winning the race with a time of 22:28.25, Hopper and company landed in third place in the team standings. Team Phoebe accumulated 45 points.
The River Valley All-Star event made its debut nearly a dozen years ago in Magazine, Arkansas as a tribute to small school long distance racers. Top runners from classes 1A through 4A have been invited from the greater River Valley area to honor small school cross country racers ever since. This small school showcase has been a way to celebrate individuals that may have been left out of other larger postseason productions that are typically populated by 5A and 6A players.
This event was rebranded the Farm Bureau River Valley All-Star Invitational several years back when Mansfield first acted as host. It was during that time that Roger Thompson of Farm Bureau Insurance came on board as a title sponsor. His efforts have allowed Mansfield the means to provide participants All-Star keepsake jerseys, participation medals, top-10 race medals, and individual champion’s trophies.
The River Valley Runners Club and Mansfield’s local chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes have since added extra amenities in recent years. With their collective resources, participating athletes, coaches, parents, and volunteers are provided a catered lunch as well as words of wisdom from a local celebrity and running enthusiast. This year’s guest speaker was Derek Goodlin, President of the Stein LTC Group.
“I was a little nervous to host my first All-Star meet,” confessed Cagle-Hollenbeck as she took on the task of hosting the postseason exhibition. “However, Mansfield has some very experienced volunteers that have been through this before. Coach (Keith) Willsey of Acorn, the committee chairman, took much of the load. This collective experience reduced much of my stress. That allowed me to simply enjoy some of my best runners competing in an All-Star race. That was victory in itself.”
Both a women’s race and a men’s race were run at the FBRV All-Stars meet. Mansfield did not send a male runner to the event this year.
