By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
EDINBURG — Even though at times Krysta Martinez felt as though she was “running in mud” at the Monte Cristo Golf Course on Saturday, the Edcouch-Elsa senior enjoyed every bit of it.
As her high school career winds down, Martinez understands her meets are numbered from here on out, which is why she took great satisfaction in winning the Meet of Champions in the elite girls division in her final go-around.
“I’m excited because I worked really hard to get here, especially because it’s my senior year,” Martinez said. “I just wanted to give it my all.”
Martinez clocked in at 18:37.9, beating out Rio Grande City’s Ana Bautista (18:41.3) and Edinburg North’s Beth Ramos (18:46.9), to take the top prize. Brownsville Rivera’s Anthony Garza (15:52.4) won the elite boys division.
Course challenges are nothing new for Martinez, who won the Mercedes Invitational the previous week. But in what is sure to rank atop her list of career achievements, Martinez nabbed first place in the Valley-wide competition, edging Ramos, who won the RGV Classic Cross Country Invitational on the same Edinburg course two weeks ago.
On Saturday, though, Martinez powered through with her sights set on reaching state for a fourth consecutive year.
“She’s worked so hard, and on top of that she has the drive,” E-E coach Juan Perez said. “She wanted to show what she could do today. We’re in the middle of the season. We have tough competition, we have great athletes, and they were battling the whole way. I’m just glad she came to fight today.”
Martinez’s finish, however, wasn’t enough to boost Edcouch-Elsa in the girls team division. The Lady Yellowjackets (1:46.12.6) finished seventh. Led by fourth-place individual finisher Brianna Lopez, La Joya Palmview’s girls (1:41:46.2) were able to take first place. Edinburg Economedes (1:42:21.7) and Edinburg North (1:43:08.6) followed.
In the elite boys division, Garza fended off PSJA Memorial’s Cruz Gomez (15:57.8) and Tristan Peña (16:06.1). Garza’s finish lifted the Raiders to take the boys team category, clocking in at 1:23:31.6. Edinburg North (1:24:54.5) and Sharyland Pioneer (1:25:31.7) followed.
Garza separated himself from the competition around the three-mile mark to pull through.
“It was a hard race,” Garza said. “I was tired. I ain’t gonna lie. But as soon as I saw the pace was too slow in the second mile, I just had to pick it up.”
Heading into Saturday, Garza said he didn’t know much about the layout of the course. That he didn’t encounter any hills, though, was an encouraging sign for him upon arrival.
“Hills are my enemy,” he said.
But even in placing first, Garza said it was “nothing” for him to win Saturday.
“It’s just a regular meet to me, until district and regionals,” he said. “I just want to place in the state meet.”
Meet of Champions
At Monte Cristo Golf Course in Edinburg
Saturday’s Results
Boys
Team Results — 1, Brownsville Rivera, 90; 2, Edinburg North, 154; 3, Sharyland Pioneer, 156; 4, Mission Veterans, 185; 5, PSJA Memorial, 189; 6, La Joya Palmview, 197; 7, Weslaco East, 204; 8, Donna High, 228; 9, PSJA High, 279; 10, Edinburg High, 288.
Elite Individual Results — 1, Anthony Garza, Brownsville Rivera, 15:52.4; 2, Cruz Gomez, 15:57.8; 3, Tristan Peña, Edinburg North, 16:06.1; 4, Rolando Ramon, Edinburg High, 16:09.4; 5, Jonathan Reyes, Mercedes, 16:13.9; 6, Eliseo Rodriguez, La Joya Palmview, 16:18.0; 7, Victor Pedraza, PSJA Southwest, 16:20.5; 8, Jayven Cordova, Weslaco East, 16:20.6; 9, Luis Ramirez, Weslaco East, 16:21.9; 10, Moises Campos, Hidalgo, 16:23.2; 11, Victor Bocanegra, La Joya Palmview, 16:24.8; 12, Ricardo Mendoza, La Joya High, 16:25.9; 13, Julian Gomez, PSJA North, 16:27.8; 14, Aldo Nava, Edinburg North, 16:31.0; 15, Fabian Garcia, Mission Veterans, 16:32.6; 16, Jonathan Herrera, Brownsville Rivera, 16:34.8; 17, Christian Cavazos, Mercedes, 16:38.7; 18, Bryan Vela, Weslaco East, 16:44.6; 19, Jacinto Garza, Edinburg Vela, 16:46.4; 20, Juan Manzano, Weslaco High, 16:46.7.
Girls
Team Results — 1, La Joya Palmview, 91; 2, Edinburg Economedes, 107; 3, Edinburg North, 140; 4, Weslaco High, 172; 5, Edinburg High, 173; 6, PSJA High, 175; 7, Edcouch-Elsa, 241; 8, PSJA North, 247; 9, McAllen High, 252; 10, PSJA Memorial, 262.
Elite Individual Results — 1, Krysta Martinez, Edcouch-Elsa, 18:37.9; 2, Ana Bautista, Rio Grande City, 18:41.3; 3, Beth Ramos, Edinburg North, 18:46.9; 4, Brianna Robles, La Joya Palmview, 19:23.5; 5, Kelly Aguinaga, Edcouch-Elsa, 19:41.3; 6, Adriana Cruz, Edinburg High, 19:44.6; 7, Daniela De La Cruz, Edinburg Economedes, 19:47.0; 8, Naila Flores, La Joya Palmview, 19:48.6; 9, Mayra Bernardo, Edinburg Economedes, 19:52.7; 10, Violet Torres, PSJA Memorial, 19:55.5; 11, Jennifer Lopez, Brownsville Rivera, 20:01.4; 12, Valery Tobias, IDEA Quest, 20:02.9; 13, Anna Sanchez, PSJA High, 20:09.4; 14, Teresa Castillo, Edinburg Economedes, 20:10.4; 15, Stephanie Sauceda, Weslaco High, 20:10.9; 16, Alexis Medina, Edinburg High, 20:16.2; 17, Lynnda Lozano, Edinburg North, 20:17.4; 18, Gloria Martinez, Weslaco High, 20:21.4; 19, Alma Villanueva, PSJA Southwest, 20:25.3; 20, Nadia Gutierrez, Sharyland Pioneer, 20:28.1.