BY DAVID HINOJOSA | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
SAN ANTONIO – Hidalgo junior Moises Campos had the heart and desire, but his legs were another matter. When he needed a final push, there was nothing left in the tank as he slowly saw his championship hopes fade with every stride during the Region IV Cross Country Championships on Saturday.
It wasn’t all bad news for Campos, who finished third overall in the Class 4A boys race in a time of 16 minutes, 26.7 seconds.
Boerne junior Marty Luevano was the overall winner in 16:14.8. La Vernia senior Andrew Cribb edged Campos in 16:26.6.
After finishing second at regionals last year, Campos really wanted that title. Pirates coach Zeke Morales comforted Campos, who was visibly disappointed.
“You are always aiming for something higher because that’s something that you always prepare for,” Campos said. “That’s your goal. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen. It’s not written on paper that you are going to be that.”
Campos said he had trouble pacing on the 5,000-meter course at the National Shooting Complex. The course was a little soft after it rained on Friday morning. He had an early lead, lost it to Luevano and Cribb, and then regained it. That back-and-forth, however, took a toll on his legs.
“That tired me down,” Campos said. “At the end, (Luevano) passed me, and I tried to catch up to him, but I couldn’t and the gap started opening up more.”
The best news for Campos is that he qualified for the state meet, which will take place Saturday at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock. The top four teams and top 10 individuals not on a state-qualifying team advance to state.
“This time, the odds were not in my favor, but I still have another shot,” Campos said.
Perhaps the biggest Valley news came from the disqualification of Edinburg High senior Alex Cruz in the girls 6A race. Cruz came in a distant third behind Smithson Valley’s Devin Clark and New Braunfels’ Paige Hofstad. However, she was engaged in a battle for the spot with Edinburg North’s Beth Ramos. A race offical said Cruz was disqualified because she used an elbow to impede the progress of another runner at the finish line. Cruz is regarded as one of the Valley’s top distance runners and finished 25th at state last year.
Ramos was awarded the third spot, finishing in 17:55.4. Clark was the overall winner in 17:17.1 and Hofstad, the reigning state champion, was second in 17:19.9. Two others from the Valley finished in the top 10, including Edinburg Economedes senior Emily Suarez, who was fifth and La Joya Palmview’s Natali Gonzalez, who was seventh.
Suarez is a multi-sport athlete who gave up volleyball to concentrate on cross country. She was in tears after qualifying for state for the first time.
“This is a dream come true,” Suarez said. “I can’t believe it.”
Mission Veterans Memorial came up short in defending its regional crown in 5A boys. The Patriots tallied 96 points for second place, falling eight points in back of Georgetown.
“We had a goal to break 100 points, and we met that,” Patriots coach William Proctor said. “We’re proud of getting second place. It’s a good accomplishment and helps us to our next step, which is going to state. We’re happy about that.”
The Valley had five of the top 10 finishers in the 5A boys. Sharyland’s Rene Guillen was fourth, PSJA Southwest’s Victor Pedraza was fifth, Mission Veterans’ G.J. Reyna was eighth, Mercedes’ Jonathan Reyes was ninth and Edinburg Vela’s Adam Herrera was tenth. Vela was third in the team division and Mercedes was fourth.
Edcouch-Elsa’s Krysta Martinez was second in the 5A girls race with a time of 18:44.9. San Antonio Alamo Heights’ Abby Gray was the overall winner in 17:37.5. Martinez, a junior, qualified for state for a third time.
“At first, I was trying to at least be with (Gray), but she’s really good and fast,” Martinez said. “It wasn’t my best time, but I’m still happy. I’m so pound that I’m going to state. When I get there, I’m going to try to get top three, also.”
Sharyland Pioneer’s girls qualified for state as the fourth place team in 5A. Maria Isabel Mendoza and Lizette Chapa carried the Diamondbacks with fourth and fifth place finishes.
Other notable finishers included Santa Maria junior Jesus Gomez, who won Class 2A boys; Edinburg IDEA freshman Valery Tobias was second in 3A girls.
Region IV Cross Country Championships
RGV State Qualifiers
6A Girls
No. 3 Individual, Beth Ramos, Edinburg.
No. 5 Individual, Emily Suarez, Edinburg Economedes
No. 7 Individual, Natali Gonzalez, La Joya Palmview
6A Boys
No. 3 team, Brownsville Rivera: Christian Machuca, Johnathan Herrera, Manny Guerrero, Anthony Garza, Ruben Chapa, Jose Villanueva, Jesus Gonzalez
No. 8 Individual, Eliseo Rodriguez, La Joya Palmview
No. 9 Individual, Jayven Cordova, Weslaco East
No. 13 individual, Albert Herrera, Weslaco East
5A Girls
No. 4 team, Sharyland Pioneer: No. 4 individual Maria Isabel Mendoza, No. 5 individual Lizette Chapa, Nadia Gutierrez, Kelsie Bazarte, Lauren Garza, Jenin Morales, Brianna Garcia
No. 2 Individual, Krysta Martinez, Edcouch-Elsa
No. 13 individual, Leslie Alvarado, Edcouch-Elsa
5A Boys
No. 2 team, Mission Veterans Memorial: No. 8 individual GJ Reyna, No. 11 individual Fabian Garcia, Jesus Mata, Eric Chavez, Martin Garcia, Alvaro Mendez, Jr De Ochoa
No. 3 team, Edinburg Vela: No. 10 individual Adam Herrera, No. 14 individual Isaac Arelavo, No. 15 individual Mark Trejo, Marcus Guajardo, Isaiah Navarro, Nicholas Gutierrez, Rodys Gonzalez
No. 4 team, Mercedes: No. 9 individual Jonathan Reyes, Manuel Gonzalez, Victor Gonzalez Abundis, Mathew Peynado, Domic Cavazos, Jose Lara, Arturo Torres
No. 4 Individual, Rene Guillen, Sharyland High
No. 5 Individual, Victor Pedraza, PSJA Southwest
No. 12 individual, Diego Monjaras, Valley View
No. 17 individual, Jose Aleman, Sharyland Pioneer
No. 18 individual, Angel Montanez, PSJA High
4A Girls
No. 23 Individual, Mireya Zarazua, Grulla
4A Boys
No. 4 team, Progreso: Everardo Esparza, Omar Anguiano, Jesus Salazar, Erik Garcia, Javier Garza, Fransisco Silva, Jaramillo Oziel
No. 3 individual, Moises Campos, Hidalgo
3A Girls
No. 2 Individual, Valery Tobias, Edinburg IDEA Quest
No. 5 Individual, Thalia Polanco, Lyford
2A Girls
No. 19 individual, Daisy Fuentes, Santa Maria
2A Boys
No. 4 team, Santa Maria: No. 1 individual Jesus Gomez, Abel Villasana, Diego Ramos, Chris Villasana, Alex Rivera, Ryan Lugo, Cruz Castro