ROUND ROCK – Representing the Heart of Texas region well, six individual runners placed among the top 20 and the Meridian Lady Jackets placed 10th as a team in Class 2A at the UIL State Cross Country Championships at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock last Saturday.
Led by senior Dakota Cassidy, the Meridian girls placed 10th in the field of 16 teams at state as Cassidy finished 20th among the field of 151 runners with a time of 12:37.82 — her best time of the season. Axtell freshman Karis Dieterich nipped Cassidy for 19th place, while Crawford sophomore Sarah Love finished in 49th.
Other Lady Jacket runners were senior Mallory Paruszewski (87th), junior Norah Lira (91st), freshman Cambree White (112th), senior Reese Errington (113th), junior Faith Paruszewski (124th) and freshman Meryl Roberson (140th).
“This has been an amazing season, and these girls have worked super hard to have the successes that they accomplished,” Meridian cross country head coach Jill Kendall said. They won back-to-back district championships, finished third at Regionals and 10th at State. The seniors have definitely set the bar high for future Lady Jacket cross country runners.”
In the Class 3A boys division, McGregor junior Eddie Dominguez McGregor placed seventh with a time of 15:57.21, followed by Hamilton sophomore Caleb Lengefeld (36th), and McGregor senior Sonny Marquez (49th).
In the Class 3A girls division, three McGregor Lady Bulldogs finished in the top 60, led by junior Alayia Malbrough in 26th place, followed by senior Jennifer Torres (46th) and sophomore Pilar Perez (54th), while Clifton’s Daniella Gaona finished 58th with a time of 13:02.15.
In the Class 2A boys division, Hubbard freshman Michael Ryman finished 40th with a time of 17:20.50, followed by Moody teammates — senior Jacob Armida (60th) and junior Isaiah Segura (61st) — finishing back-to-back.
In the Class 1A boys division, Blum junior Steven Walker placed 19th with a time of 17:06.86, followed by Covington junior Kollin Howard (56th), while the Class 1A girls division featured a host of HOT runners in the top 60, led by Abbott junior Sofia Stalker Abbott in seventh with a time of 12:28.95, followed by Blum senior Emma Rodriguez (15th), Aquilla senior Hannah Huffhines (22nd), Covington senior Valerie Cipres Covington (38th), Blum freshman Emma Jones (39th), Aquilla freshman Abigail Huffhines (41st) and Evant junior Amy Pritchard (58th).
For complete UIL State Cross Country Championship results, please go to: http://mychiptime.com/uil_xc.php?theID=12655
Photos by JILL KENDALL, BECKY PARUSZEWSKI & SANDRA VASQUEZ GAONA
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