CROSS COUNTRY: Marble Falls, Burnet and Llano runners advance to region

FROM STAFF REPORTS

ROUND ROCK — Marble Falls High School cross-country runners Tess Johnson and James Ramos qualified for the Class 5A Region IV meet by finishing in the top 10 at the District 25-5A meet Oct. 23.

Johnson was fourth in 20 minutes 10 seconds, and Ramos was 10th in 17:14.

“Tess did exactly what I expected her to do,” Marble Falls head coach Anthony Torns said. “I told her I didn’t think there were five girls better than her.”

Johnson was injured last fall and unable to finish the cross-country season. She did not compete at all during track season, so Torns was the happiest for her. Seconds separated the top five runners in the race.

“I’m grateful she’s able to get out and go compete,” he said.

Ramos qualified for state by setting a new personal record.

“James ran the best race he’s run,” Torns said. “Unfortunately, he had to beat out his teammate (Luna).”

The coach was impressed with Luna’s finish considering the district meet was only the second race he’s run this season. The Mustangs’ third runner, Ishmael Montoya, set a new personal record with a time of 17:46.

The Lady Mustangs finished seventh overall.

“I knew it was going to be tough,” Torns said. “That was the most contested race.”

Since the boys had a total of three runners in the varsity and junior varsity races, the Mustangs did not earn team scores. Squads must enter five runners.

jfierro@thepicayune.com

RESULTS: Varsity boys — 10, James Ramos, 17:14 (new personal best); 11, Fernando Luna, 17:18; 27, Ishmael Montoya, 17:46 (new personal best). Junior varsity boys — 6, Christian Ramirez, 18:48; 26, Andre Hooper, 20:44; 27, Daniel Mata, 20:45. Varsity girls — 4, Tess Johnson, 20:10; 27, Sydney Gibson, 21:39; 45, Tincia Ware, 22:39; 46, Britney Deering, 22:43; 49, Elizabeth Lane, 23:26. Junior varsity girls — 7, Corey Oppenheim, 14:04; 9, Allie Stewart, 14:07; 16, Tiffany Dunavant, 14:48; 22, Rosa Benitez, 15:04; 37, Eloise Holder, 15:36

UP NEXT: Nov. 1, Class 5A Region IV Meet at Brooks City-Base, 3201 Sidney Brooks Drive in San Antonio

BURNET, LLANO AT DISTRICT 25-4A MEET

LAMPASAS — The Burnet and Llano high school cross-country teams came back to campus with  District 25-4A meet trophies Oct. 22.

The Llano boys and Burnet girls finished second overall in the varsity divisions, while Burnet sophomore Drew Kiser is the boys champion. Both teams and Kiser along with Llano girls runners Heather Shafer, who finished sixth, and Elania Keeney, who was ninth, will compete at the Class 4A Region IV Meet on Nov. 1.

Burnet head coach Stuart Dixon said he was not surprised by his runners’ finishes.

He believed the girls race would come down to Liberty Hill, Salado and Burnet. And sure enough, those squads made up the top three.

“You hope you have all your girls ready at the same time,” Dixon said. “We had some girls do better. That allowed us to finish second. It’s tough to get seven people all on the same page at the same time.”

Burnet runners Abby Bullock was the bronze medalist, while Autumn Freasier finished fourth.

Kiser won his third race of the season.

“We’re excited about his chances at the regional meet and possibly advancing to state,” Dixon said.

The boys team finished fifth overall.

“It wasn’t for lack of effort,” Dixon said.

Fifteen points separated the top five teams, he said.

“I feel like we got better,” he said. “We have no seniors in our program. We had more runners. That creates competition. I feel like our program is going in the right direction.”

Because the Llano girls did not have five runners, the Lady Jackets did not earn a team score.

jfierro@thepicayune.com

RESULTS: Varsity boys (40 runners) — 1, Drew Kiser (Burnet), 17:10; 3, Grayson Freeman (Llano), 17:20; 6, Cole Polley (Llano), 17:40; 9, Jason Gann (Llano), 17:53; 11, Jack Maner (Llano), 17:55; 16, Trevor Turner (Burnet), 18:16; 23, Nick Menchaca (Burnet), 18:32; 27, Jordan Killebrew (Burnet), 18:45; 30, Jordin Belmarez (Burnet), 18:59; 33, Tanner Abbott (Burnet), 19:10; 37, Dane Black (Llano), 19:33; 38, Reid Burton (Burnet), 19:35; 39, Danny Hanson (Llano), 20:39; 40, Andy Wright (Llano), 20:43.

Junior varsity boys (51 runners) — 9, Gage Blair (Burnet), 20:05; 15, Caden Farrell (Burnet), 20:21; 34, Cole Younger (Burnet), 22:10; 36, Luke Pemberton (Burnet), 22:23; 37, Josh Petty (Llano), 23:04;  38, Jesse Pollard (Burnet), 22:54; 40, Ryan Robertson (Burnet), 23:09; 42, Quin Freeman (Burnet), 23:21; 42, Caelin Graves (Burnet), 24:22; 47, Cameron Grady (Burnet), 25:15; 49, Daniel Hurst (Burnet), 25:41; 51, Hunter Woodrum (Burnet), 29:13.

Varsity girls (37 runners) — 3, Abby Bullock (Burnet), 12:25; 4, Autumn Freasier (Burnet), 12:47; 6, Heather Shafer (Llano), 12:50; 9, Elania Keeney (Llano), 12:55; 10, Crista Paik (Burnet), 13:04; 20, Jordan Boyles (Burnet), 14:05; 21, Hailey Lettermen (Burnet), 14:15; 23, Tara Evers (Burnet), 14:31; 25, Olivia Lewis (Llano), 14:19; 30, Zoe Stubblefield (Burnet), 15:44. Junior varsity girls (37 runners) — 29, Carolina Hernandez (Llano), 19:03; 32, Julyssa Silva (Burnet), 16:46

UP NEXT: Nov. 1, Class 4A Region IV Meet at the National Shooting Complex, 5931 Roft Road in San Antonio.