BY NATE KOTISSO | STAFF WRITER
In his final UIL-sanctioned cross-country meet, PSJA Memorial runner Cruz Gomez finished just shy of the medal stand.
The Wolverine senior took fourth place with a time of 15 minutes, 11.36 seconds at the 2018 UIL Class 5A state meet Saturday afternoon in Round Rock. s
“Cruz was with the pack all the way,” PSJA Memorial boys cross country coach Lee Roy Perez said. “Around the two-and-a-half-mile mark, a little gap developed up a hill. When you’re going up against those guys, it’s hard to make all of it up. He closed the gap a little bit and got up to seventh and he was able to pass a couple more kids in the last half-mile to finish fourth.”
Aledo junior Graydon Morris won the gold medal (15:03.98), Austin Johnson’s Cameron Kleiman (15:08.41) captured the silver and Kleiman’s teammate, Yaseen Abdalla claimed the bronze (15:08.79).
As a junior, Gomez finished fifth at last year’s Class 6A state meet. Perez noticed the differences in the level of competition.
“This year’s competition was a little bit stiffer than last,” Perez said. “The kid from Aledo (Graydon Morris) finished third at state as a freshman and now won state in back-to-back years. Even when you’re Cruz Gomez, you’re competing against thoroughbreds from across the state.”
Three other Valley runners finished in the top 30. Mercedes’ Lupe Reyes (15:39.48) finished 15th while teammate Justin Fuentes (15:54.08) took 26th. Edcouch-Elsa’s Dominik Medrano finished two spots ahead of Fuentes (15:49.94).
The Yellow Jackets’ girls team finished 14th overall while La Joya Palmview senior Bailey Villalon (19:27.66) was the only Valley girl to earn a top-50 time in the Class 5A individual race. Villalon was 48th.
Progreso’s boys team was on a mission to replicate last year’s performance in the Class 4A state meet when it earned a silver medal. In one of the tightest races in any classification, the Red Ants team (113 points) finished fourth.
“We had a slow start and that put us behind from the get-go,” Progreso boys cross country coach Margarito Jimenez said. “We wanted to have our first two guys finish in the top 20 and then our next three runners finish in the top 40. That did not happen after the first mile and that did us in.”
The Red Ants had three runners crack the top-50, led by Jonathan Vega in 18th place (16:33.34), Gerardo Gallardo in 34th place (16:47.89) and Hector Perales (16:55.78), who finished 43rd.
“We believed that we could have finished in the top three,” Jimenez said. “The point differential between first place and fourth place was only 23 points. Luckily, all our boys will be back next year since we had four sophomores and three juniors.”
McAllen Memorial senior Evan Williams was the Valley’s top 6A runner with a 12th-place run Saturday morning (15:18.73).
“He was confident coming in and a lot of that had to do with winning regionals (on Oct. 22),” McAllen Memorial boys cross country coach Jesse Trejo said of Williams, who had battled through an injury this season.
Williams’ twin brother, Trevor, finished 67th (15:55.04).
The Mustangs’ boys team took 14th (279 points) ahead of El Paso Americas (289) and New Braunfels Canyon (337).
“I think they did well for this being their first time at state as a team,” Trejo said. “Making it here is a big deal, especially as a 6A. For us to be among the top 16 teams in the state gives us a sense of pride.”
The Mustangs will have a new look next season as the Williams twins and Christian Garza are among the five seniors who are set to graduate. Junior Jorge Perez will be the oldest returner.
“He (Perez) was excited to be here because he worked hard too,” Trejo said. “Next year could be a breakout year for him. We’ll be reloading.”
La Joya Juarez-Lincoln runner Freddy Calvillo finished 30th (15:34.43).
The Weslaco High girls, winners of the Region IV meet in Corpus Christi, finished 14th. Freshman Amity Ebarb ended the race 47th (18:28.10) as the Upper or mid-Valley’s top female runner. Ebarb’s time is a personal record.
In the girls Class 2A race, La Villa senior Robbie Sue Espericueta earned 15th place (12:30.39).