Burnet and Marble Falls cross-country teams advance to regional meets

The cross-country teams at Burnet and Marble Falls high schools advanced to regional meets after strong district showings.

The Marble Falls High School boys team finished third at the District 25-5A meet Oct. 14, considered to be one of the best districts in the state in any classification.

The Mustangs scored 67 points as a team. District champion Cedar Park High earned 54 points, while Georgetown High had 64. Scores are based on the top five finishers and their placings in the competition. 

Senior Samuel Valdez paced the Mustangs with a fifth-place overall finish in 17 minutes 3.9 seconds. Freshman Tyler Hamblin had an unexpected eighth-place finish in 17:12.8. Sophomore Nick Dahl was 12th overall in 17:21.5, and sophomore Julian Sanchez was 17th in 17:34.5.

Senior J.J. Castro rounded out the Mustangs top-five finishers in 25th in 18:01.7.

“Freshmen Tyler Hamblin moving up to the varsity was the shot in the arm we needed,” head coach Chris Schrader said. “Tyler ran in excess of a 20-second personal record. He finished with a top eight finish and sparked sophomores Nick Dahl and Julian Sanchez to place 12th and 17th, helping secure the third-place qualifying spot into the regional meet.”

The Mustangs will compete at the Class 5A Region IV meet Monday, Oct. 25, at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, 700 Nile St..

The Burnet High School boys and girls punched their tickets to the Class 4A Region III meet after the District 19-4 competition Oct. 11. The Bulldogs won the district championship, while the Lady Dawgs were third. 

The Bulldogs took three of the top four spots in the individual standings. 

Junior Hudson Bennett won his third consecutive individual cross-country district championship in 16:53, while senior Carlos Olvera was second in 17:01, and senior Andy Urista was fourth in 17:30.6. Freshman Victor Aviles was 12th in 18:35.5.

The Lady Dawgs finished third with three runners finishing in the top 15: sophomore Kaycie Banton; who was 12th in 13:38, freshman Kori Haile, who was 13th in 13:39.8; and junior Autumn Stires, who was 14th in 13:42.2. Senior Brynn Holland was 21st in 14:29.5, and sophomore Cierra Blunt-Culpepper finished 22nd in 14:29.5.  

“I couldn’t be more excited to announce that the boys’ team placed first and is the district champion and the girls’ team showed incredible toughness and finished third, qualifying both teams for the regional meet,” head coach Roy Kiser said. 

Next stop for Burnet is the Class 4A Region II cross-country meet on Monday, Oct. 25, at Kate Barr Ross Memorial Park, 486 Texas 75 in Huntsville.

jfierro@thepicayune.com

FINISHES

Marble Falls

Boys varsity: 5, Samuel Valdez, 17:03.9; 8, Tyler Hamblin, 17:12.8; 12, Nick Dahl, 17:21.5; 17, Julian Sanchez, 17:34.5; 25, J.J. Castro, 18:01.7; 34, Jet Zurita, 18:34.9; 39, Eric Nickowski, 19:01.93

Boys junior varsity: 35, Baylor Chavez, 22:43; 54, Gage Alexander, 26:54

Freshman boys: 2, Marco Almazan, 18:55.7; 3, Ezekiel Atkinson, 19.15.5

Girls varsity: 15, Sayra Salazar, 22:14; 33, Mila Dueshop, 23:39

Freshman girls: 7, Chloe Ellis, 26:45.5 (first-ever 2.3 mile race

Burnet 

Boys varsity: 1, Hudson Bennett, 16:53; 2, Carlos Olvera, 17:01; 4, Andy Urista, 17:30.6; 12, Victor Aviles, 18:35.5; 32, Isaias Zarate, 20:14.1

Girls varsity: 12, Kaycie Banton, 13:38; 13, Kori Haile, 13:39.8; 14, Autumn Stires, 13:42.2; 21, Brynn Holland, 14:28.7; 22, Cierra Blunt-Culpepper, 14:29.5; 29, Nicole Rorie, 15:10.6; 31, Haylie Bartlett, 15:21.4