By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — Andrea de la Rosa of Rivera and Luis Ramirez of Weslaco East captured top honors at Friday’s District 32-6A cross country meet at Harlingen Sports Complex.
They were individual champions of the girls and boys varsity races over a 5,000-meter course.
The Top 10 individual finishers plus the top three teams in each varsity division qualified for the Region IV meet on Oct. 29 in Corpus Christi.
Harlingen High’s boys and San Benito’s girls captured district team championships.
For de la Rosa, who won the 32-6A girls varsity race as a freshman one year ago, it wasn’t much of a surprise that she captured a district title again. She’s won all of her races this season except for one in Corpus Christi last month. In that one, she barely missed placing first in a photo finish and took second.
Just like most of her races, de la Rosa built a comfortable lead before the midpoint of the course and cruised to victory in 18 minutes, 55 seconds. Second-place finisher Gloria Martinez of Weslaco High came in 43 seconds later with a time of 19:38.62.
“This is awesome. It’s just great,” de la Rosa said. “I’m so proud of my teammates and myself. I was going to give it my all in district, and that’s what I did. I want to congratulate my team and especially (teammate) ‘J-Lo’ (Jennifer Lopez). She got fourth place and I know she gave it her all. That’s what I know.”
Third through fifth place in the girls race went to Harlingen South’s Mya Price (20:06.46), Rivera’s Lopez (20:07.50) and San Benito’s Lauren Rodriguez (20:15.22).
About halfway through the boys race, Ramirez, a junior, pulled away and wound up winning comfortably as well in 16:10.34. Second place went to Rivera’s Jonathan Herrera in 16:21.0. Finishing third through fifth place were Harlingen High teammates Art Benavides (16:29:15) and Edward Ramos (16:34.68), and Hanna’s Julio Dragustinovis (16:34.90).
“I let the others lead (early) and then I just took off,” Ramirez said of his strategy in the race. “I made my break about a mile and a half into it. This feels great. It makes me want to try harder and place up there again (at regionals).
“I would just say congratulations to all the runners who ran this 5K,” he added.
The Harlingen High boys won their team title with 57 points in a close battle with second-place Hanna, which finished with 62 points. Weslaco High was third with 90 points.
Besides Benavides and Ramos, other runners scoring points for the Cardinals included Fernando Escobar (10th) and Saul Medina (18th).
“I’m proud of our team,” Harlingen High coach Efrain Ambriz said. “They have put in so much time and effort. This group has been together since they were freshmen. We have gotten closer each season.
“Today it was their time to shine,” Ambriz added. “I couldn’t be happier for them.”
San Benito captured the 32-6A girls title with 53 points. Weslaco High took second place with 75 and Hanna was third with 85.
Besides Rodriguez in fifth place, other runners doing well for the Lady Greyhounds included Monica Hernandez (seventh), Alexandra Luna (10th), McKayla Guerra (14th) and Angie Valle (17th).
District 32-6A CC Meet
At Harlingen Sports Complex
Friday’s results
5-kilometer course
Girls division
Team standings — 1. San Benito, 53 points; 2. Weslaco High, 75; 3. Hanna, 85; 4. Weslaco East, 105; 5. Harlingen South, 116; 6. Harlingen High, 145; 7. Rivera, 141; 8. Los Fresnos, 163