For the second year in a row, Neosho’s Courtney Wood is the best runner in the area, according to local coaches.

Wood was named to the Southwest Cross Country Coaches Association Class 4 girls’ Athlete of the Year.

“She is not only an outstanding runner, she is a great person and very coachable,” said Neosho coach Harry Lineberry. “She is all of the adjectives you can think of. She is someone you want to coach.”

Wood and teammate Jessica Jackson were both named to the first team. Other first team runners were Nixa’s Liz Reida, Lebanon’s Krenda McClure, Branson’s Erin Huddleston and Kickapoo tri of Hilary Carr, Lauren Collette and Erica Freiert.

Dora Eastin of Neosho earned honorable mention honors.

Kickapoo coach Jeremy Goddard was named the girls Coach of the Year.

On the Class 4 boys’ team, Danny Thater of Kickapoo was the Athlete of the Year and Teresa Moore of Lebanon was the boys’ Coach of the Year.