DONNA — PSJA Memorial’s Williams Macias raised his arms in victory as he crossed the finish line at the Meet of Champions on Saturday.
Macias didn’t lead the entire race. He waited for his chance to go ahead and he took it on the last stretch of the 5,000-meter race in the elite boys division.
Most of the race, Macias was in the lead pack, trailing the leaders and never farther back than third.
Mercedes’ Guadalupe Reyes finished second and PSJA North’s Hector Solis took third.
Macias finished in 15 minutes, 38 seconds, Reyes hit the finish line in 15:40 and Solis rounded out the top three in 15:42.
The Meet of Champions pitted 143 of the best runners from the Valley. Hundreds more competed throughout the morning in difference classes and divisions.
The top three overall teams in the elite boys’ competition were Edinburg Vela (99 points), Edcouch-Elsa (162 points) and Harlingen High (168 points).
“It turned out to be a great race today with all the kids that ran today,” Rio Grande City head coach Joe Ramirez said. “On the boys’ side, we had a few five or six kids who were rolling.”
Ramirez, who is also the vice president for the Rio Grande Cross Country Coaches Association, said the top six runners — including Edcouch Elsa’s Albino Rodriguez, Edinburg Vela Jeremy Niño and Rio Grande City’s Alex Canales — are high-caliber athletes who he believes will probably make it to the state meet.
“There is no secret to our success: we come together as a team,” Niño said. “This whole sport revolves around the team and you can’t win without a team.
“The Meet of Champions is a really big meet. It ranks us in the RGV and it’s just a great meet to come to.”
Boys Team results
1. Edinburg Vela, 99; 2. Edcouch Elsa, 162; 3. Harlingen High, 168; 4. Brownsville Hanna, 191; 5. Donna, 192; 6. McAllen High, 207; 7. Progreso, 214; 8. Sharyland Pioneer, 220; 9. McAllen Memorial, 224; 10. La Joya Palmview, 238; 11. Edinburg High, 258; 12. Idea Edinburg, 274; 13. Weslaco East, 290; 14. Edinburg Economedes, 312; 15. PSJA High, 321; 16. Mercedes, 353; 17. PSJA Memorial, 373; 18. Sharyland, 378; 19. Brownsville Veterans Memorial, 410; 20. Mission Veterans Memorial, 463; 21. Brownsville Pace, 488.
Top 21 Boys Individuals
1. Wiliams Macias, PSJA Memorial, 15:38.2; 2.Guadalupe Reyes, Mercedes, 15:40.3; 3.Hector Solis, PSJA North, 15:42.3; 4. Albino Rodriguez, Edcouch-Elsa, 15:50.7; 5. Jeremey Nino, Edinburg Vela,15:50. 7; 6. Alex Canales, Rio Grande City, 15:59.4; 7. John Abrego, Brownsville Hanna,16:01.5; 8. Mario Salas, Edinburg Vela, 16:02.3; 9. Gerardo Munoz, Idea Pharr, 16:02.5; 10. Dominik Medrano, Edcouch-Elsa, 16:03.4, 11. Cesar Ramirez, Sharyland Pioneer, 16:05.5; 12. Ramsey Moreno, Edinburg Vela, 16:09.6; 13.Samuel Martinez,Donna,16:11.0; 14. Felix Perez-Castillo, Mission High 16:12.5; 15. Felipe Parra, Brownsville Hanna, 16:13.1;16.Hugo Chavarria, Idea Edinburg, 16:14.2; 17. Kevin Hernandez, Donna,16:14.6; 18. Hunter Herrera McAllen High, 16:14.8; 19. Ivan Montante, Harlingen High, 16:18.8; 20. Jonathan Vega, Progreso, 16:19.0; 21. Erick Chavez, Donna, 16:19.0.