GRAND PRAIRIE — With Tatum Cross leading the way, Celina clinched its fifth UIL Region II Class 4A girls cross country team title in the last seven years Monday morning at Lynn Creek Park.
Cross, a senior orally committed to Southeastern Oklahoma, finished second individually over the two-mile course. She credits coach Eric Krepps for the team’s success.
“He molds us and makes us better,’’ said Cross, primarily involved with basketball and a late-comer to cross country.
Celina, back-to-back state champions in 2021-22, is a young team. Six of its top 10 runners are freshmen. Krepps said the goal for regional this year was to land five runners in the top 20. They narrowly missed with five in the top 22 on the way to 63 points, 48 better than second-place Sanger.
The top four teams and top 10 individuals not already on an advancing team qualify for the UIL state meet that is Nov. 1-2 at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock. Class 6A and 4A will compete that Friday.
“I’m excited to see how we stack up, because 4A is loaded this year,’’ said Krepps.
Believe it
When Rockwall junior Rachel Kinniburgh learned her time of 18:14.39, sixth best in 6A, was enough to advance her to state, she called her older brother James, a student at the University of Tulsa. “He was in disbelief,’’ said Kinniburgh.
Teammate Kenedy Card also qualified for the state meet, posting the best freshman time of 18:43.32, 13th overall with some important passes near the finish line.
Finishing kick
In just his second year of cross country competition, it is safe to say Tyrus Cowan has found his sport. The Sunnyvale junior crossed the finish line first in the 4A boys division in 15:57.22 for the biggest victory in his young career.
He surged into the lead after the opening mile and maintained it for a two-second victory over runner-up Isaiah Colorado of Van.
“With the work I put in, I expected to do well,’’ said Cowan.
Finishing fourth was another Sunnyvale junior, Dev Kumar in 16:32.12.
Sunnyvale coach Jay Campos said Cowan and Kumar push each other in practice, key to the success of both.
Randy Jennings
Region I
Defending Class 6A state champions Caden Leonard from Southlake Carroll and Macy Wingard from Denton Braswell stayed on track to win back-to-back state titles in cross country with dominant performances at the Region I meet Monday in Lubbock.
Leonard won the 6A Region I boys race in 14:53.4, finishing nearly 14 seconds ahead of runner-up Joaquin De La Cruz from McKinney Boyd. Leonard, who has the fastest time in the state this season at 14:33.50, according to MileSplit, has not lost a race in Texas as a junior. He finished fourth at the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic in California in September.
The Southlake Carroll boys are trying to win a sixth consecutive team state title and won the regional meet by 48 points over El Paso Eastwood. Carroll’s Griffin Cords finished sixth in 15:24.2 and teammate Blake Bullard placed ninth in 15:44.5.
Carroll won its seventh straight regional team title and qualified for the state meet for the 15th straight season. Its nine team state championships are tied for third-most in UIL history.
Leonard nearly won the state triple crown for distance races last season, winning state titles in cross country and in the 1,600 meters in track. He was the state runner-up in the 3,200.
It was a strong day for Denton ISD boys, as Denton Guyer freshman Ruel Newberry took third in 15:12.5 and Denton Braswell senior Aleksandr Acuna was fifth in 15:18.6. Acuna placed sixth at the state cross country meet last year.
Wingard won the 6A Region I five-kilometer girls race in 17:18.9 and finished nearly seven seconds ahead of second-place Maya Easterwood from Coppell. Wingard has won four of her five races as a junior, and has the second-best time in the state and the 12th-best time in the nation at 16:44.0.
The Flower Mound girls are trying to win a fifth straight 6A team state title and won the regional championship by 63 points over Trophy Club Byron Nelson. Flower Mound had three runners finish in the top five, with Adeline Bennett third in 17:44.4, Alexandra Fox fourth in 17:46.3 and Ava Cole fifth in 17:49.1. Keira Primer (13th) and Eliana Rivera (24th) were the other two scorers for Flower Mound.
The Southlake Carroll girls were the state runner-up last season, and Monday they qualified for the state meet for the 28th straight year by finishing third as a team at regionals. The Carroll girls have won eight team state titles, tied for fourth-most in UIL history.
Greg Riddle
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