DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER
Everything is working as planned for Sharyland Pioneer girls cross country coach Sandy Guerrero.
Guerrero, a Sharyland High graduate who spent 11 years coaching for the Rattlers before moving over to Pioneer this year, has her girls train methodically during this inaugural year.
She did not want just any meet championship. She wanted the right ones.
“I told the girls that no one’s expecting much from a first-year school, but I am,” Guerrero said. “I was at Sharyland for several years, winning district titles and regional titles, and I told them I don’t expect anything less.”
The Lady Diamondbacks did get that first team meet win, and it came at the right time on Saturday morning, when Pioneer captured the District 31-5A title at Bentsen Palm Park in Mission.
Pioneer had 35 points. The next closest was Mission Veterans Memorial with 85 points. Valley View finished tied with Sharyland High with 89 points, but earned third place because the Lady Tigers’ sixth runner finished ahead of the Lady Rattlers’ sixth runner.
The top three teams and top 10 individuals earn a trip to regionals next month.
“You can win every meet, be champion of the Meet of Champs or whatever race, but the last three meets (district, regionals, state) are the ones that count,” Guerrero said. “Those are the three we’ve been training for.
“The girls performed excellent today. We ran tough, with a focus. I’m very proud.”
Pioneer has a team of just two seniors, and no juniors, and those upperclassmen were all it needed.
Isabel Mendoza took home first individually with a time of 19:02. Teammate and fellow senior Lizette Chapa finished second with a time of 19:39.
Both followed Guerrero to Pioneer after building up Sharyland’s program. Guerrero coached Mendoza and Chapa two years ago when Sharyland High won the regional championship.
“I’ve known them since junior high,” Guerrero said. “They know me and they know what’s expected. It was difficult at first with such a young team, because you’re still trying to mold them. It’s a different level. This isn’t junior high anymore. This is high school.
“Lizette and Isabel have been the glue. They know what’s at stake.”
Rio Grande City’s Ana Bautista (20:05) and Marlett Trevino (20:06), and Sharyland High’s Ana Candiani (20:18) finished out the top five. Valley View’s Monica Yanez, Mission Vets’ Maria Gonzalez, Valley View’s Ashley Artiaga, and Pioneer’s Brianna Garcia and Nadia Gutierrez wrapped up the top 10.
Going into Saturday’s meet, Mission Vets boys coach William Proctor had two goals.
One, he wanted to get his top five runners in the top 10. Check. Two, he wanted his team to score fewer points than it did at last year’s district meet. Check, again.
The Patriots took home the boys team title with 31 points. Edinburg Vela had 53 and Sharyland High had 83.
“We ran super,” said Proctor, whose team scored 43 points at last year’s district meet. “The boys stepped up and took care of business and we’re looking forward to regionals.”
In a bit of an upset, Sharyland High’s Rene Guillen overcame Mission Vets’ G.J. Reyna late to win the boys individual title.
Guillen had a time of 15:56. Reyna placed a 15:59.
“Towards the end, G.J. was there and the kid from Sharyland got him,” Proctor said. “We hadn’t seen the kid all year. He ran a hell of a race.”
Mission Vets’ Fabian Garcia (16:11), Sharyland Pioneer’s Jose Aleman (16:22) and Valley View’s Diego Monjarao (16:31) wrapped up the top five boys.
Edinburg Vela’s Issac Arevalo, Mission Vets’ Jesus Mata, Edinburg Vela’s Adam Herrera, Mission Vets’ Eric Chavez and Mission Vets’ J.R. De Ochoa rounded out the top 10.
District 31-5A Cross Country Meet
At Bentsen Palm Park
Saturday’s Results
Boys
Team Results — 1. Mission Veterans Memorial, 31 points; 2. Edinburg Vela, 53; 3. Sharyland High, 83; 4. Sharyland Pioneer, 84; 5. Valley View, 113; 6. Roma, 167.
Individual Results — 1. Rene Guillen, Sharyland High, 15:56; 2. G.J. Reyna, Mission Veterans Memorial, 15:59; 3. Fabian Garcia, Mission Veterans Memorial, 16:11; 4. Jose Aleman, Sharyland Pioneer, 16:22; 5. Diego Monjarao, Valley View, 16:31; 6. Isaac Arevalo, Edinburg Vela, 16:35; 7. Jesus Mata, Mission Veterans Memorial, 16:45; 8. Adam Herrera, Edinburg Vela, 17:01; 9. Eric Chavez, Mission Veterans Memorial, 17:02.14; 10. J.R. De Ochoa, Mission Veterans Memorial, 17:02.65; 11. Alyaro Mendez, Mission Veterans Memorial, 17:03; 12. Tacinto Garza, Edinburg Vela, 17:06; 13. Mark Trejo, Edinburg Vela, 17:21; 14. Isaiah Navarro, Edinburg Vela, 17:25; 15. Devyn Garza, Sharyland High, 17:27; 16. Ayden Rod, Sharyland Pioneer, 17:28; 17. Rudy Aranda, Sharyland Pioneer, 17:29; 18. Martin Garcia, Mission Veterans Memorial, 17:29.85; 19. Marcus Guajardo, Edinburg Vela, 17:31; 20. Brandon Ramirez, Sharyland High, 17:53.
Girls
Team Results — 1. Sharyland Pioneer, 35 points; 2. Mission Veterans Memorial, 85 points; 3. Valley View, 89; 4. Sharyland High, 89; 5. Edinburg Vela, 93; 6. Rio Grande City, 121.
Individual Results — 1. Isabel Mendoza, Sharyland Pioneer, 19:02; 2. Lizette Chapa, Sharyland Pioneer, 19:39; 3. Ana Bautista, Rio Grande City, 20:05; 4. Marlett Trevino, Rio Grande City, 20:06; 5. Ana Candiani, Sharyland, 20:18; 6. Monica Yanez, Valley View, 20:37; 7. Maria Gonzalez, Mission Veterans Memorial, 21:00; 8. Ashley Artiaga, Valley View, 21:01; 9. Brianna Garcia, Sharyland Pioneer, 21:04; 10. Nadia Gutierrez, Sharyland Pioneer, 21:07; 11. Melanie Cruz, Edinburg Vela, 21:08; 12. Beatriz Garza, Sharyland, 21:18; 13. Jenin Morales, Sharyland Pioneer, 21:22; 14. Lauren Garza, Sharyland Pioneer, 21:26; 15. Lupe Cruz, Mission Veterans Memorial, 21:35; 16. Cynthia Hernandez, Sharyland High, 21:37; 17. Joanna Alaniz, Edinburg Vela, 21:51; 18. Paloma Flores, Edinburg Vela, 21:56; 19. Alexa Ramirez, Mission Veterans Memorial 22:00; 20. Brianna De La Rosa, Edinburg Vela, 22:01.