By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
The Brownsville ISD cross country meet last Saturday at Brownsville Sports Park served as a dress rehearsal for the District 32-6A meet Oct. 17 at the same site.
Just about all of the 32-6A teams were at the BISD meet as the Hanna and Brownsville Veterans Memorial girls finished as the first- and second-place teams with 61 and 74 points, respectively. For the boys, it was Mercedes (42 points), Rivera (70), Donna North (78) and Brownsville Veterans (105) finishing as the top four teams.
Mercedes and Donna North are in District 32-5A, along with Pace and Porter, and will have their district meet Oct. 25 at Donna North.
Based on the BISD meet results, the boys from Rivera and Brownsville Veterans would appear to be favorites at the 32-6A meet.
Rivera coach Arturo Hurtado noted Harlingen High’s boys, led by Orser Rodriguez, didn’t participate in the BISD meet and could be a factor in how the 32-6A meet goes.
“(Our showing for the boys) felt great,” Hurtado said of the BISD meet. “Let’s see how district goes.”
Rivera’s Anthony Garza and Cristian Machuca finished a close first and second last Saturday in the varsity boys race, giving the Raiders additional confidence as the most important meets of the season draw closer.
Other top runners for the Raiders are Jonathan Olvera, Manny Guerrero, Ruben Chapa, Jesus Gonzalez and Jose Villanueva. The Lady Raiders are led by Brandy Endsley. Chapa, a freshman, is the Raiders’ No. 5 runner who missed the BISD meet due to an injury. Hurtado hopes Chapa’s presence at the 32-6A meet will help make the Raiders even stronger.
Hurtado said Rivera is running at the Donna High meet Saturday.
At this point, the Hanna and Brownsville Veterans girls look like the teams to beat at district.
Hanna’s girls are led by Mariana Sanchez and Naomi Lucio, who have been recording consistently high finishes at meets this season. They came in second and third, respectively, in the BISD varsity girls race.
Other top runners for the Lady Golden Eagles are Audren Pineda, Scarlett Salazar, Estephania Aviles, Janet Adame and Carolina Moreno.
“Yes (the BISD meet was a good indication of how district might go), but we still need (to see how) other schools that did not attend the meet (might do),” said Hanna coach Olaya Teran, whose varsity runners will be competing Saturday at Round Rock. “There might be some surprises from some schools because anything can happen at district.
“It should be a good (district) meet,” she added. “Let’s just see how it goes.”
UPCOMING
If teams do not go out of the Rio Grande Valley to run at Round Rock, site of the UIL state meet in November, they’ll most likely be competing Saturday either at Donna High or La Feria.
Things are quite busy next weekend in the Valley with scheduled meets at Donna North, Progreso, Edinburg High (Bobcat Invitational) and Mission High (Fly Like An Eagle Invitational).