Cross Country commences 2019 season

Area athletes are running to start the 2019 school year and this year’s cross country track season.

Jacksonville Maidens take

top honors

The girls of the Jacksonville varsity cross country team earned first place in the Union Grove 6A-5A Invitational Saturday, Aug. 24.

The Maidens totaled 25 points followed by Kilgore (62) and Nacogdoches (68), who rounded out the top three teams.

Taylor Gutierrez conquered the field and completed the course first with a time of 20:33. Finishing fourth and fifth were Reyna Munoz (22:15) and Lesly Munoz (22:25). Taking seventh-ninth place finishes were Madison Soultanova (23:03), Alexia Davis (23:08) and Michelle Medellin (23:28).

Other Maidens who completed the race included Lixsel Vega, 26th, 26:10; and Dayana Munoz, 27th, 26:14.

Schools competing in the event included Kilgore, Nacogdoches, Pine Tree, Marshall and Lindale.

Junior varsity members competed in the 3200-meter division, securing a second-place finish (80 points) behind Palestine (69).

The first five runners to finish the race included Dalila Diaz, 11th, 15:51; Citlaly Rincon, 12th, 15:52; and Juliza Cabrera, 15th, 15:59; Destiny Garcia, 19th, 16:26; and Tori Snyder, 23rd, 16:39.

Other members completing the course included Nathaly Martinez (16:34), Erika Garcia (17:24), Jennifer Ramirez (17:40), Litzy Martinez (17:58), Naomi Beale (18:58), Nattalie Tavera (19:55, Marissa Garcia (20:44) and Diamond Jaramillo (25:07).

Other schools competing in the junior varsity event included Van, Union Grove, Gilmer, Pine Tree, Gladewater, Kilgore, Athens, Tatum and Dangerfield.

The Jacksonville Indians, also participating in the Union Grove 6A-5A Invitational, finished in fourth place (82) behind Kilgore (29), Pine Tree (63) and Nacogdoches (68).

Top five finishers for the team included Marco Hernandez, seventh, 18:34; Kevin Nava, eighth, 18:35; Sean Conaway, 20th, 19:48; Chris Gallegos, 23rd, 20:00; and Ricardo Moreira, 24th, 20:01.

Additional runners were Ramiro Alvarez (20:30), Juan Rios (20:31), Alexis Medellin (21:24), Chrystian Gonzalez (22:00), Martin Escareno (22:21), Adrian Gonzalez (22:48) and Isaac Vazquez (23:42).

Troup Tigers run in Union Grove Invitational

Troup Lady Tigers traveled to the Union Grove hosted Invitational Saturday, Aug. 24, to open the cross-country season. Marigold Hunter finished in the top 10, coming in at 10th place with a time of 14:12. Other runners participating in the event were Sarah Neel, 11th, 14:15; Danielle Puckett, 18th, 14:42; and Meredith Howell, 31st, 15:37.

Two junior high girls competed in the junior varsity event as there was no junior high or middle school division. Maddy Howell, whose finish was among the top 15, had a time of 15:27. Alexa Splawn completed the course in 18:25.

Four varsity Tigers ran in the Union Grove Invitational including Jake Bender, 20:39; Wade Gardner, 22:17; Josh Fort, 24:03; and Matthew Sides, 27:11.

With no junior high division, the junior high boys competed against the varsity girls. These included Bryce Wallum, 14:40; Christian Howell, 14:42; Walter Flora, 15:47; Kash Hardy, 17:30; Jaden Hart, 18:01; and Sean Flood, 20:46.

The next event for the Troup cross country teams will be the Tyler Lee Cross Country Classic hosted at the UT Tyler campus Saturday, Sept. 7.

Alto represented at Union Grove Invitational

Yellowjacket Forest Lindsay represented Alto at the Union Grove Invitational Saturday, Aug. 24, completing the course in 20th place with a time of 19:12.

Alto’s Kylee Powers ran in the girls’ varsity division, placing 70th out of 104 runners and finishing with a time of 17:18.

The Yellowjacket team is scheduled to run next in the East Texas Invitational at New Summerfield Saturday, Sept. 14.