Eagles Advance to Regions in Cross Country

Cross country teams took on their home course for district on Tuesday October 15. Varsity girls placed 2nd overall and varsity boys placed 3rd overall, both advancing to Regionals on October 28 in Huntsville.

“I really love having a home meet because it’s familiar,” sophomore Jarahle Daniels said. “I was happy to see that my friends showed up to support me and the team.”

The boys varsity team placed third behind Palestine and Mexia. Junior Landen Espinoza, sophomore Leon Rosales freshman Kevin Ramos placed 14th, 15th, and 16th, followed by senior Joey Davis, sophomore Nick Salazar, and freshman Seth Couture, junior Eddie Sanchez. Sophomore Eli Pierce and junior Deandre Rosales ran  for junior varsity boys, placing 11th and 12th.

“Even though it started off raining and slow, I’m still proud that we finished third overall,” Espinoza said, “even if it was only by one point.”

The girls varsity team placed second behind Palestine, followed by Mexia. Sophomore Jarahle Daniels placed first, freshman Emily Leatherman placed second, freshman Arly Salazar placed fifth, followed by freshman Jacey Jones 12th, senior Brooke Leatherman 15th and sophomore Michelle Castillo. Senior Natalia Salazar, freshmen Alexi Walthall and Haley Moore ran for junior varsity girls, placing sixth, seventh, and 11th.

After placing second at the previous practice home meet, Daniels placed 1st this time.

“I was confident about the meet at first, but I was also very nervous and anxious at the same time,” Daniels said. “I had no one behind me so it was difficult to push so I was just focusing on beating myself from the last time.”

Emily Leatherman placed second at her first high school district meet. 

“I was nervous for my first district race on varsity, but I knew I could do it,” Leatherman said. “I was just trying my best to stay as close as I could to Jarahle the whole time.”

Arly Salazar and some of the girls call Coach Tarasha Graves their “sunshine”.

“I am excited to advance to regionals,” Salazar said. “I was not expecting to do so good at this meet, but it was my ‘sunshine’ that helped me run my best race.”

The boys improved their district results from last year and will advance to regional.

“I could not believe that we advanced, but I was nervous the whole time,” Ramos said. “It’s my first year in high school and I get to advance to Regionals which is crazy!”

Coach Tarasha Graves shares her thoughts on the teams advancing to Regionals.

“Like I have recently said, our boys have improved at every meet,” Graves said. “I am so proud of both teams and look forward to October 28 but until then, we will keep working hard in practice and hope to perform well.”

The junior high cross country also held their district meet in the afternoon with girls placing first as a team and boys placing second as a team.