Texas Panhandle and South Plains teams along with individuals left their mark by punching a ticket to the UIL state cross country meet following outstanding performances during the Region I cross country championships on Monday and Tuesday at Mae Simmons Park in Lubbock. Here is a recap of the two-day event from Region I-5A to Region I-1A. The UIL state cross country meet is set for Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock.
For a look at the full results from Monday and Tuesday’s regional meet, please visit https://mychiptime.com/searchevent.php?id=16559
Region I-4A
Canyon ISD highlighted the two-day regional cross country meet with all three schools from the girls’ race qualifying for the UIL state meet Tuesday.
As expected, the Canyon Lady Eagles continued their stellar season scoring an impressive 25 points to win their second straight Region I-4A championship. Randall followed in second with 58 points and surprising West Plains will make its first ever appearance in round rock placing third as a team with 132 points. Stephenville came in fourth (164) points to also qualify.
Like they did at the district meet, the Lady Eagles showed how strong they were at the top, placing four runners in the top 10 and five in the top 12. Leading the pack was the magnificent Addyson Bristow. Bristow, one of the best to ever wear a Canyon uniform, paced the Lady Eagles winning her unprecedented third straight Region I-4A individual title clocking a time of 10:55.9. Bristow was able to finish strong after running a strong first mile of the two-mile event in 5:28.
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Right behind Bristow was teammate Presli Pool. Pool ran an excellent two-mile making the one-mile turn at 5:40 and finishing with a second place silver medal finish getting a time of 11:19.8. Michaela Sharber was the third Canyon runner to cross the finish line coming in fifth overall with a time of 11:31.6, and Crickette. Morris rounded out the Lady Eagles in the top 10 with an eighth place time of 11:52.4.
Randall’s tradition rich program will make a 17th appearance at the UIL state cross country meet thanks to the second place team finish. Rebel Rea led the way for the Lady Raiders running across the finish line in fourth place clocking an 11:21.1, with a one-mile time of 5:41. Teammate Brooke French followed in seventh place (11:39.9) and Nayomi Granados rounded out the top 10 for Randall getting ninth with an 11:52.7
West Plains was able to earn its first trip to state behind four runners coming across the finish in the top 30. Sophomore Brielle stone led a young squad in 17th place (12:25.9), Charleigh Jackson was 25th (12:35.4) and Hannah Smith placed 29th (12:45.1).
Emily Gross of Dumas ran a very superb race to get on the medal stand and qualify for state. Gross was third overall as an individual clocking a time of 11:20.0 with a one-mile time of 5:40.
On the boys side, Canyon made it a clean sweep winning the Region I-4A championship for an eye-opening fifth straight year leaving the field behind with 24 points. Second place was Big Spring getting 82 points, t third was San Elizario (143 points) and Perryton earned its first trip to state in five years tallying 143 points.
Like they have all year, Canyon teammates Dominic San Miguel and Noah Cooper ran side-by-side the entire 5K race for a 1-2 finish. Miguel edged his teammate Cooper to win the Region I-4A individual gold medal with a winning time of 15:04.4 with Cooper right behind him with a 15:04.8. Eagle teammates Grady Simmons, Ethan Labue and Jamison Kirton also had top 10 finishes to help claim the team title. Simmons was sixth overall (15:57.6), Labue came in seventh (15:59.1) and Kirton rounded out the team placing eighth (15:59.9).
Perryton, which will make its first state appearance since 2020, was led by sophomore sensation Jacob Erickson. Erickson kept his pace behind Miguel and Cooper to earn the bronze medal individually taking third running a strong time of 15:20.9. Teammate Alex Grajeda helped out placing 27th (16:43.8) and Ethan Ruelas was 29th (16:46.7).
Noah Holland of West Plains and Adrian Solis of Dumas are also on their way to the state meet. Holland, a junior, punched his ticket to Round Rock as an individual finishing the meet 11th overall with a solid time of 16:02.4. Solis clocked a time of 16:23.3 to earn a trip as an individual finishing in 20th place.
Region I-2A
The Gruver Greyhounds and Lady Hounds made it a clean sweep of team titles during the Region I-2A race Tuesday afternoon.
The Lady Hounds pulled away from the field with 60 points to take the team championship. Clarendon will also compete in Round Rock getting second overall with 126 points. Wink was third (153 points) and Coleman is headed to state placing fourth (153).
Paisley Quirck paced the Lady Hounds coming across the finish line in fourth place with a 12:40.3. Teammate Hallie McLain also placed in the top 10 placing seventh getting a 12:49, and Marlee Maupin was 12th (13:11.40).
Clarendon’s Madilyn Benson and Addyson Havens were top 10 finishers. Benson took eighth in the race pacing her team by clocking a 12:51.6. Havens followed in ninth place running a 12:54.3.
Farwell standout Alexis Wade found her way to the medal stand getting a silver medal with a second place individual finish. Wade came in right behind Region I-2A champion Isa McGinnis of Sterling City (12:08.1) running an impressive two-mile time of 12:24.40.
Also qualifying as an individual was Farwell teammate Ava Jaime, who placed fifth (12:42.4), Wellington’s Taytum Kane (12:56.8), Abernathy’s Breanna Shorter (13:18.5) along with Panhandle teammates Emrey Light (13:20.6) and Bently Blackburn (13:21.9).
The Gruver Greyhounds tallied 82 points to win the Region I-2A championship and make it a team sweep. Sonora was second (144), Sundown (179) came in third and Eldorado was fourth (180).
Gruver’s Gustavo Quintana and Cesar Trejo led the Greyhounds by each placing in the top 10. Quintana led Gruver coming in ninth overall (17:40.2) with Trejo right behind him getting 10th (17:48.6).
Farwell’s Josiah Lopez led the individual effort placing fifth overall to advance to state. Lopez ran a time of 17:29.4 to do just that. Also qualifying as an individual was Spearman’s Maddox Ortiz (17:34.5), Kellen Henderson of Sanford-Fritch (17:38.3), and New Deal’s Grayson Broadus (18:03).
Region I-1A
The Texas Panhandle stole the show Monday during the Region I-1A cross country meet qualifying three boys’ teams and a pair of girls’ teams to the UIL Class 1A state meet.
Starting with the boys race, Boys Ranch won its first Region I-1A team title since 2013 scoring 82 points to hold off second place Hartley, which had 92. Booker followed in third place with 101 points and O’Donnell was the final team to advance in fourth (113).
The key for Boys Ranch was Carter Esteban and Chase Fritcher. Estaban and Fritcher took the top two spots to get gold and silver leading the Roughriders to the win. Estaban was the Region I-1A individual champion setting the time for the field with an 18:13.5. Fritcher followed right behind his teammate running an 18:18.4. Paul Jackson also helped Boys Ranch placing 11th (19:32.9).
Hartley’s Asher Jennings led his team running a great race by crossing the finish line with a 19:24.8. Booker’s Gael Alvarez paced the Kiowas and took fourth overall finishing with an 18:58.5.
There were also a host of individuals making their way to state. Valley’s Micah Ferrel took bronze to earn a trip to Round Rock (18:58.5), Adrian’s Jael Acosta advanced (19:12.2), Avram Morales of Hart is headed to state (19:30.7), as is Claude’s Lane Taylor (19:35.5) and Fort Elliott’s Kelton Sims (19:43.1).
The Texline Lady Tornadoes didn’t defend their team title but did make it back to the UIL state meet getting second overall with a score of 108. Texline finished just five points back of Region I-1A champion Guthrie (103). The Nazareth Swiftettes are state bound getting third as a team (134) and Petersburg came in fourth (144).
Texline’s Samantha Young led her pack of Lady Tornadoes with a time of 13:35 for a seventh place spot. Nazareth was led by Madison Brockman’s 14th place finish (14:04.3)
However, the highlight of the Region I-1A race was Happy’s Kyla Slaughter. The freshman made quite the debut at Mae Simmons Park leaving the field behind to win the individual title clocking a 12:53.30. Claude’s Shealee Brannon took silver with a second place time of 13:07.7.
Other individuals from the Amarillo and Lubbock area were Hart’s America Flores (13:28.1), Makayla Chaney of White Deer (13:31.5), Silverton’s Melody Rampley (13:42.2), Valley’s Hartley Battey (13:55.3) and Gracee Henderson of McLean (13:57.9).
Region I-5A/ 1-3A
While there weren’t any team or individual champions, Region I-5A and Region 1-3A saw a team and individuals advance to the state meet.
In Region I-5A, Palo Duro’s Abdihafit Mohamed was the highlight placing fourth overall with a very solid 5K time of 16:02.2. Right behind Mohamed was Lubbock High’s Arturo Rodriguez. Rodriguez was took sixth with a 16:08.9. Lubbock Coronado’s Ellis Jackson also advanced as an individual (16:56.9).
In the girls’ meet, Lubbock High’s Amelia Anderson won the silver medal taking second individually. Anderson ran a superb 5K time of 18:26 to finish right behind champion Molly Garrison of Aledo (18:07). Lubbock Monterey freshman Hannah Hughes also qualified as an individual (19:28.7)
During the Region I-3A meet, the Dalhart Lady Wolves will make a fourth straight trip to Round Rock. The Lady Wolves totaled 175 points to finish fourth and earn their way. Holliday was the regional champion with 54 points. Victoria Terrazas of Dalhart paced her team running a 12:33.5 to place ninth overall. Teammate Circe Johnson was 15th overall (12:50).
Selah Smith of Childress made it as an individual getting eighth place overall running a time of 12:27.1.
On the boys’ side, Canadian’s Joseph Dominguez made his way to the medal stand winning a bronze medal taking third as an individual with a 5K time of 15:49. Lubbock Roosevelt’s Billy Bond is also headed to state (16:48.3), as is Littlefield’s Noah Villanueva (17:03.2).