Vann drives Abilene High girls to state cross country berth

LUBBOCK – The Abilene High girls cross country team is headed to the state meet.

The Lady Eagles finished third at the Region I-5A meet Tuesday at Mae Simmons Park to nab one of the four state team berths.

“I’m excited for them – excited for my seniors, getting this opportunity. They all ran well,” said Rosemary Martin, the AHS' girls coach since 2006.

It’s the program’s first state berth since the 1999 and the fifth overall. The others were 1992, '95 and '96. The AHS girls are the only team among the three big high schools in Abilene − AHS, Cooper and Wylie − to send a team to Round Rock in cross country.

AHS, led by sophomore Zoe Vann’s seventh-place finish, scored 96 points – beating Aledo by 17 points.

Colleyville Heritage won the region title with 69 points, followed by Grapevine (82).

The top four teams and top 10 individuals not on an advancing team move on to the state meet, which will be Nov. 4-5 at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock. Classes 2A, 4A and 6A will be Nov. 4, while 1A, 3A and 5A will be Nov. 5.

Vann ran the 5-kilometer course in 19 minutes, 4.2 seconds. Marin Murray, a junior, and sophomore Mason Murray, who both qualified for the Class 6A state meet last year, finished 15th (19:33.1) and 17^th (19:42.9), respectively. Mason finished 33^rd at state last year (18:40.2), while Marin was 42^nd (18:51.1).

All three have led the team at meets this season.

Mason won the District 4-5A title earlier this month in Lubbock. Vann and Marin Mason were third and fourth, respectively, as the Lady Eagles ran away with the team title.

“Any given race, we just never know,” Martin said. “They kind of feed off each other. If one’s not feeling it, the other ones know that they have to step up. They just help one another. It’s kind of our thing. … They’ve done a really good job of working together and helping one another other.”

Freshman Jocelyn Smith was 22^nd (20:04.9), and senior Molly Bessent rounded out the scoring (35^th, 20:36.4).

“I’m just so thrilled they get this opportunity,” Martin said. “We’re not finished yet. We’ve got another big one.”

Colleyville Heritage junior Allie Love won the region title in 18:29.6, followed by Aledo freshman Molly Garrison (18:30.3) and Lubbock High sophomore Reese Pena (18:40.1).

The AHS boys, running without two-time state qualifier Andruw Villa, who is injured, finished 10^th (320). Aiden Seekins, a junior, led the Eagles (30^th, 16:54.7), with freshman Aldo Sanchez on his heels (32^nd, 16:58.1).

Grapevine won the region boys title (36), while Burleson Centennial was second (159) and Fort Worth Arlington Heights third (163). Lubbock Monterey won the fourth and final state berth (168), beating out Aledo by four points.

Grapevine junior Adam Burlison won the 5A boys individual title (15:01.8), followed by Monterey senior David Mora (15:05.8) and El Paso Hanks senior Alejandro Tarin (15:07.9).

Jim Ned boys, girls earn state berths

At Lubbock, the Jim Ned boys and girls team both qualified for state at the Region I-3A meet at Mae Simmons Park.

The boys were third (147). Holliday (116) and Presidio (134) were 1-2. Lubbock Roosevelt was fourth (164).

Jim Ned junior Samuel Bryan had the Tuscola team’s best finish (fifth, 16:30.4), while Eastland sophomore Andrew Hicks was sixth (16:35.5) to earn a trip to state. Jim Ned senior Chris Saling was ninth (16:52.3).

Ruben Rodriguez (24^th, 17:53.9) Seth Stephens (52^nd, 18:33.2) and Ethan Hogan (57^th, 18:35.4) also earned points for Jim Ned.

The girls also finished third with 133 points, behind Holliday (84) and Dalhart (109). Canadian was fourth. Ballinger was sixth (225).

Freshman Hailey Von Willer led the Jim Ned girls with a sixth-place finish (12:51.3) in the two-mile race, while freshman Claire Von Willer was 22^nd (13:32.4). Briana Jones (23^rd, 13:34.5), Elli Harle (36^th, 13:53.7) and McKenna Bluhm (46^th, 14:01.8) rounded out the Tuscola team.

Early’s Madison Torrez also will be going to state (11^th, 13:00.2), as will Ballinger’s Addison Martin (14^th, 13:05.1).

Holliday’s Jaycee Lyons won the 3A title (12:20.7).

Jayton boys win region title

At Lubbock, five Jayton runners finished in the top nine to lead the Jaybirds to the Region I-1A team title at Mae Simmons Park.

Griffith Reel finished second behind Ackerly Sands’ Wiley Gaskins (17:22.8). Reel ran a 17:29.4.

Jayton’s Robert Lowery (4^th, 17:48.4), Cody Redding (5^th, 17:56.9), Andrew Lowery (6^th, 18:00.8) and Ben Blankenship (9^th, 18:10.0) helped the Jaybirds win the title with 22 points – well ahead of second-place Sands (96).

The Jayton girls also are headed to state.

They finished third (111) with freshman Jace Chisum leading the way with a second-place finish (12:50.3) behind Earth-Springlake junior Taytum Goodman (11:06.4).

Daylee Chisum (5^th, 13:06.0), Kamryn Nail (15^th, 13:34.1), Emily Blankenship (18^th, 13:45.8) and Lainey Baldridge (71^st, 15:29.2) rounded out the Lady Jays.

Roby girls win Region II title

At San Angelo, Roby’s Hailee Garmer won the Region II-1A individual title to lead the Lady Lions to the team title as well.

Roby won team title with 100 points, followed by Marfa (101) and Eula (113).

Garmer led the race with a 12:43.4, beating out Marfa’s Ummi Chanez (12:45.8). Roby’s Chasity Benson (4^th, 12:56.70), Lily Benson (5^th, 13:08.87) also had top 10 finishes, as did Blackwell’s Kinley Cummings (7^th, 13:15.55), Cross Plains’ Katie Goains (8^th, 13:18.65), Eula’s Hannah Cauthen (9^th, 13:19.04) and Highland’s Amri Deloera (10^th, 13:22.42).

Other state qualifiers were Westbrook’s Brooklyn Magers (14^th, 13:32.85) and Tae Morris (15^th, 13:37.87; Knox City’s Paisley Morrow (17^th, 13:41.48) and Highland’s Tatum Heady (18^th, 13:43.77).

The Eula boys earned a state berth with a fourth-place finish – edging Knox City by three points.

Hayden King led Eula (6^th, 18:16.19). Munday’s Haiden Bowman earned an at-large berth (10^th, 18:42.61).

Other state qualifiers were Knox City’s Gage Morrow (12^th, 18:50.95, Loraine’s Eli Vargus (15^th, 18:55.61). Westbrook’s Andrew Cruces (16^th, 18:58.53) and Ira’s Austen Wyatt (18^th, 19:03.71).

Coleman’s Ramirez, Roscoe’s Welch nab 2A spots

At Lubbock, Coleman’s Jacob Ramirez punched his ticket to state (11^th, 17:52.7) at the Region I-2A meet Monday at Mae Simmons Park.

Winters’ Isaac Sanchez missed a state berth by one spot (18^th, 18:29.1).

On the girls’ side, Roscoe’s Zoey Welch nabbed the final at-large berth (17^th, 13:26.1).

Big Spring boys take second

At Lubbock, the Big Spring boys qualified for state with a second-place finish in the Region I-4A meet behind Canyon (24) on Monday at Mae Simmons Park. The Steers had 71 points.

Adrian Solis (9^th, 16:30.5), Isaac Gonzales (10^th, 16:31.2), Diego Rios (14^th, 16:56.4), Agustin Salgado (15^th, 17:03.2) and Kevin Quezada (23^rd, 17:12.5) led the Steers.

Snyder’s Antonio Martinez (24^th, 17:11.3) also earned a state berth.

Big Spring’s Bergan Pinkley (24^th, 12:52.6) won an at-large berth for the girls. Brownwood’s Sidney Windham (27^th, 12:55.2) missed an at-large berth by a spot.

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Abilene High girls finish third at Region I-5A cross country meet