Canyon Lake runners finding their stride; junior varsity boys, Ella Thiele earn gold
CAPTION: With his eyes set on returning to the state cross country meet in November, Canyon Lake High School’s Aleksandur Villavicencio started the season off with a strong performance at the Johnson City Eagle Nation 6-Mile Relay on Friday, Aug. 19. Photo by Briley Mitchell/Dirt Devil Photography
The Canyon Lake High School boys and girls cross country teams raced into the 2022 season with a strong showing at the Johnson City Eagle Nation 6-Mile Relay and 1.5-Mile Run on Friday, Aug. 19.
The Hawks Junior Varsity A squad of Grant Cover, Tristen Schnek, Dionysio Villavicencio and Layton Hemann won the boys 6-mile relay race in a combined time of 35 minutes and 39 seconds. On the girls junior varsity side, freshman Ella Thiele won the individual 1.5 miles.
In the girls varsity division, the relay team of Avery Hime, Hannah Hammer, Cadence Patterson and Natalia Campos finished fifth with a combined time of 41:31. The varsity boys relay team of Ryan Alvarez, Eli Lane, Jackson Alvarez, and Aleksandur (Alek) Villavicencio also took fifth in a combined time of 35:37.
“The Johnson City event isn’t a typical race in that’s a relay, but it’s a great way to start the season,” said head coach Michael Schroeder. During the Eagle Nation event, schools compete in the 6-mile relay where each runner of a four-person squad runs 1.5 miles. It also has a 1.5-mile individual race.
Schroeder pointed out 1.5 miles isn’t the distance cross country athletes will cover during traditional races — usually 3,200 meters (roughly 2 miles) for girls in Classes 4A and below and 5 kilometers for boys in all classes. Girls in Classes 5A and 6A also compete at 5 kilometers in district and post-district events.
Still, the Johnson City race is a good way to start the year and get a gauge on how the runners are coming along. The Hawks cross country teams began training Aug. 1, though many ran throughout the summer on their own.
Schroeder noted a couple of things from the Johnson City meet. One was the number of Hawk runners, especially on the boys side. This year, the Hawks look to have both varsity and junior varsity boys teams competing. Last year, Canyon Lake had enough runners for varsity team but not enough to field a complete junior varsity boys’ team.
“That really helps build into the future,” he said.
On the girls side, he pointed out Thiele’s domination in the girls junior varsity individual 1.5-mile race. She crossed the finish line in 10:05, a minute and 13 seconds faster than the second-place finisher.
Of course, the boys and girls varsity squads return a strong cadre of runners anchored by two returning state meet qualifiers — junior Cadence Patterson on the girls side and senior Alek Villavicencio on the boys.
Schroeder said both Patterson and Villavicencio have put in a lot of work over the summer in preparation for this season. Their goals are to return to state and improve on last year’s performance where Patterson finished 17th in Class 4A and Villavicencio finished 63rd.
However, it’s not just the top two runners that has Hawks cross country members and fans excited for this year. The Hawks have a strong slate of returners along with a number of freshmen joining the team. While cross country is an individual sport, Schroeder pointed out it has a team component.
Along with individual placings, there are team placings as well based on the top five runners. So it’s important to have strong runners from top to bottom, as often it’s the number 2-5 finishers who can help lift a team in the standings.
With Patterson the runner to watch on the girls’ side, competitors can’t overlook her teammate Hannah Hammer who crossed her 1.5-mile leg of the relay in 9:42, just nine seconds off Patterson’s time.
“Everyone is working hard, we’ve got good numbers, and we’re off to a good start,” Schroeder said.
Up next is the Dripping Springs Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 27, at Dripping Springs High School, 940 Texas 290 West in Dripping Springs. The event features a 4-kilometer course for both boys and girls.
The racing starts at 8 a.m. with the girls varsity followed by (a rolling start) the varsity boys at 8:30 a.m., junior varsity girls at 9 a.m., and junior varsity boys at 9:30 a.m.
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