EDINBURG — Seven girls across the Rio Grande Valley have recorded sub-20-minute times during this year’s cross country races.
Dayan Lozano is focused on being the next one to come in under that mark. Currently in eighth place when comparing each runner’s PR (personal record), Lozano, the only senior on the Edinburg Economedes team, figures now is the perfect time as the major portion of the season begins at 8 a.m. Saturday with the 12th annual Meet of Champions at Donna High.
More than 1,500 girls and boys runner are expected to compete in several divisions ranking from elite runners to the smallest of private schools at the final event of the season prior to districts, regionals and then state.
Lozano, who has been running since middle school, said now is the time to come in with peak performances.
“This is my senior year, this is it,” she said. “The only thing to do is give it my all — to give myself a shot at going to a good college, too. I want to keep running, so now’s definitely a good time to come in under 20 minutes.”
Lozano’s PR is 20 minutes, 3 seconds. Two other girls are bunched in with her — Sharyland High’s Carolyn Tudor (20:08) and Brownsville Veteran’s Sofia Ramirez (20:05).
Edinburg Economedes head coach Brenda Lozano, in her sixth year with the Jaguars, said she expects Dayan Lozano to break the 20-minute mark, adding that the team goal is to finish in the top three as a team, matching last year’s mark.
“She has really carried the team and now it’s her time to shine,” Brenda Lozano said. “We are expecting Dayan to get out strong and maintain the same intensity throughout the race.
“Our team has had some highs and lows, but the girls are really working hard every day to earn their spot on the team. There are eight girls fighting for the seven spots, so that helps with keeping the runners hungry each day. Our goal is to have no regrets and to pull together as a team.”
Sharyland High goes into the event as favorites based on the girls’ personal times. Other strong teams include Brownsville Vets, Edinburg Economedes, La Joya Palmview, Weslaco High and Weslaco East.
“We have some really tough teams here in the RGV and Sharyland has been the consistent No. 1 team followed by Weslaco, (which has) also (been) consistent at the second spot,” said Brenda Lozano, who also led the Valley View squad for two years and Agua Dulce for one. “Then, there is Brownsville Veterans that have really stepped up and dropped their times and our Economedes girls that have been fighting for the third spot then after that follows Weslaco East that has really shown improvements from previous years. This meet is definitely the meet of all meets, because it’s the top of the top going at it for one goal to be champions.”
Weslaco High’s Amity Ebarb started the season out at the top and remains the runner with the fastest time at 19:04. Chasing her as they have all season are Weslaco East’s Tessie Garcia at 19:30 and Sharyland High’s Danielle Salinas at 19:36, just one second in front of Brownsville Veterans’ Valeria Gamez.
2019 RGV Top 10 Girls
Cross Country Times
1. Amity Ebarb, Weslaco High, 19:04; 2. Tessie Garcia, Weslaco East, 19:13; 3. Danielle Salinas, Sharyland High, 19:36; 4. Valeria Gamez, Brownsville Veterans, 19:37; 5. Destinee Longoria, Weslaco High, 19:52; 6. Gissel Gonzalez,La Joya Palmview, 19:54; 7. Destiny Quintanilla, La Joya Palmview , 19:55; 8. Dayan Lozano, Edinburg Economedes, 20:03; 9. Sofia Ramirez, Brownsville Veterans, 20:05; 10. Carolyn Tudor, Sharyland High, 20:08.