Blanket Lady Tiger senior Kashleigh Kensing, Zephyr Lady Bulldog freshman Aliana Lopez, and Zephyr Bulldog sophomore Eli Williams earned berths in the UIL Class A Cross Country state championships based on their performance at the Region III-A cross country meet in Grand Prairie Tuesday.
The top four teams and top 10 individuals not on a qualifying team move on to state, which will take place Saturday, Nov. 5 at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock, and Kensing (16:01.51) – who was the lone Blanket Lady Tiger in the field – placed 13th overall and seventh among girls not on a state qualifying team.
Lopez (16:20.08) was 19th overall and 10th among girls not on a qualifying team, securing the final berth.
In the boys draw, Williams was timed at 20:03.82, which was 13th best overall and ranked fifth among runners on non state-qualifying teams.
As a team, the Bulldogs finished 10th overall with 250 points as the rest of the team was comprised of Rhett Williams (44th, 22:18.99), Aaron Fagan (55th, 22:50.54), Cash Whisenhunt (57th 22:58.67), Johnny Paul Evans-Rollins (84th, 25:35.55), John Gowin (93rd, 27:18.67), and Christian Beard (94th 27:45.66).
Boys teams to advance to state were Miller Grove (52), Satillo (56), Slidell (69), and Saint Jo (106), while Miller Grove’s Ryker Haivala (18:57.3) had the fastest time.
Miller Grove (33), Dodd City (117), Priddy (141), and Slidell (150) were the girls teams to qualify, while Miller Grove’s Shaylee Stracener (14:29.69) finished first overall.
The Zephyr Lady Bulldogs placed 12th as a team as additional competitors included Madison McClain (41st, 17:18.82), Avery Dozier (49th, 17:36.62), Jordan Chumley (74th, 18:38.95), and Bethany Blair (117th, 22:18.83)
The Brookesmith Lady Mustangs also competed and finished 18th in the final team standings. Members included Harley Gilliam (51st, 17:39.76), Nevaeh Neith (93rd, 19:28.65), Mya Richards (96h, 19:50.95), Bailey Mendieta (110th, 21:13.91), Kirsten Langley (111th, 21:14.72), Emma Slayton (119th, 22:34.25), and Sharon Bradley (121st, 24:32.93).
At the Region II-A meet in San Angelo Tuesday, the May Tigers finished 18th as a team as competitors included Jonathan White (90th, 22:05.48), Lane Goodson (92nd, 22:10.73), Charles Scheriger (102nd, 22:42.54), Hunter Seider (109th, 23:01.16), and Aaron Thomas (124th, 24:14.01).
Comstock (114 points), Van Horn (133), Irion County (135) and Eula (152) moved on to state from the Region II boys race.