Jackets third, Bees sixth in Cowtown Challenge

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Stephenville placed third Wednesday in a crowded frontrunning set of teams led by Midlothian Heritage and McKinney Christian in the Thrill of the Hill Invitational at Stephenville City Park. || Photo courtesy KRISTI MAYES

The Flash Today
Staff Report
Photos courtesy Kristi Mayes

(August 26, 2017) — Stephenville sent both its cross country teams to the Region I-4A championships last season, and began building on that at the Cowtown Challenge (click for complete results) in Haltom City Friday.

The Yellow Jackets finished third, scoring 89 points in the 4A varsity boys division, and the Honeybees took sixth with 132 points in 4A and under girls.

INCREASED DIFFICULTY:

In evaluating the boys and girls teams and the program as a whole last season, Mayes decided its as time to step up to the next level.

That, of course, doesn’t happen just by wishing it so, but by consciously and manually moving oneself from one level to the next.

For Mayes teams’ meeting a higher set of expectations meant running 4-5 miles during nightly summer runs to build their base. It also means a more difficult regular season schedule, beginning with the Cowtown Challenge, which has eight divisions – JV and varsity 4A  and under and 5A-6A for both girls and boys.

Check out the REMAINDER OF THE SCHEDULE (click), including events in Lubbock and Round Rock, and of course the Thrill of the Hill in Stephenville City Park.

APPROACHING THE OPENER:

Stephenville head coach Kristi Mayes says she never worries much about strategy in a season opener, instead using it as a gauge for strategies in coming weeks, and of course, to see where they are time wise and war can be done to improve.

MUD RUN:

Like much of Texas, Haltom City was pelted with rain this week, which made for an interesting course, and in some cases, a survivor’s mentality, Mayes said.

“It was more like a Spartan race or a mud run,” she said. “Gustavo Vazquez ran the course with one shoe on because he lost it at the beginning in the mud.”

Mud Run video

Jacket runners (5K):

6. Christian Brown, 18:46.90
8. Lane Rust, 18:57.51
15. Gilberto Garcia, 19:28.33
30. Gustavo Vazquez, 20:18.94
34. Sean Gooding, 20:31.74
42. AJ Brown, 20:52.69
45. Daniel Osornio, 20:57.16
47. Angel Luna 21:00.86

Bees runners (3,200 meters):
6. Presley Wall, 14:11.98
23. Emily Kirbo, 14:57.75
33. Jordan Beyer, 15:19.09
37. Monica Flores, 15:22.80
40. Kassidy Nowak, 15:31.02
41. Macayla McCannn, 15:31.62
43. Callie Wells, 15:33.17
46. Reagn Henry, 15:41.78

MAYES SAYS:
“I’m really excited for Christian, our first boy, and Presley, who led our girls. Christian is a junior now, so it’s great to see him stepping up, and Presley is only a freshman. You never know for sure how a 14 year old is going to go out and compete against 16 and 17 year olds, but she held her own and I’m extremely proud of her. We have several young runners and several more who are new to cross country who stepped up and did a great job for the first race of the season. I like where we’re at, but we have to keep working and keep getting better.”


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