Tyler Blissett (center, back row) and Neil Mason (second from left) are honored with the rest of the Division V top ten. 

Neil Mason’s cross country career hasn’t always been easy. After suffering from chest issues, the senior struggled with shin splints in his junior year that sidelined him for both the cross country and track season.

This year, he’s feeling better than ever.

After finishing in second place at the regional meet, Mason said that his plan was to do big things in his final state meet.

“I’m going to go all out,” Mason said.

That’s exactly what he did, finishing in seventh place in Division V with a time of 17:57.5.

His mother, Mary Mason, could be heard all across the Northwestern State university campus as she cheered on her son for his final cross country race.

“I’m excited. It was awesome,” Mary Mason said after the race. “He wanted to be in the top ten, so I’ll take the top seven anytime. He gives 100% and then some. He really pushed hard.”

Neil was also excited with his performance, although he did say he was a little upset not to set a new personal record (PR).

“I just wanted to PR, but I missed it by three seconds,” he said after the race. “I feel great right now, even though I didn’t PR.”

Mason, who is the only senior on the Highland Baptist cross country and track team, has been a crucial leader to his peers all year.

“Neil has always been a leader for us,” said head coach Toby Blissett. “He has won our leadership award for each of the last three years and he’s in line to get it again this year. He’s a great teammate and a great leader for the team. We’re all middle schoolers and freshmen besides Neil, so he’s a great leader for them.”

Now that he has reached his goal in cross country, Mason will turn his attention to track, which is his preferred sport.

Mason, who competes in the 800-meters, said that he prefers track because of the short distances. This season, he has a goal to create a new school record for that event.

“I’m trying to break the school record,” Mason said. “I already hold the record by a couple of milliseconds, but I’m going to beat that.”

His mother has no doubts that her son will perform well on the track this year.

“When he’s determined to do something, he’s going to do it,” she said.

Mason said that he plans to attend college once he graduates, and is hoping to major in business. When asked about what kind of business he thinks he would like to start, he said he isn’t sure, but wants to do something to help the kids in the community.

Mason also isn’t ruling out competing at the next level, but doesn’t currently have any offers. Blissett said that if he still wants to make the jump to that level after the track season, he will make sure that Mason gets his wish.

“We’ll see how his track season goes and then make the determination,” Blissett explained. “We’ve had some discussions over the last couple of years and now that it’s his senior year and the end is in sight, it becomes a little bit more within his scope of vision. If he really, truly wants to run in college, we’ll find somebody to take him.”