Marble Falls, Burnet runners advance to state, make county proud at regional meet
CAPTION: The Marble Falls Mustangs celebrate being the Class 4A Region III runners-up with head coach Chris Schrader (left). Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography
Burnet County high school runners demonstrated yet again the depth and talent located in this area thanks to finishes at the Class 4A Region III meet Oct. 24 in Huntsville.
The Mustangs finished second in the team standings, while Burnet senior Hudson Bennett, sophomore Victor Aviles and freshman Asah Roy all advance to the Class 4A state meet thanks to finishing in the top 10 as individuals who are not members of advancing teams. Aviles and Roy will make their state meet debuts.
“Considering ability, academics and humility, Burnet will be very well represented at the state meet,” head coach Roy Kiser said.
The Class 4A state meet is Friday, Nov. 4, at Old Settler’s Park, 3300 E. Palm Valley Blvd. in Round Rock. The girls will run at 8:30 a.m. and the boys will take the course at 9 a.m.
Bennett successfully defended the individual championship, winning his fourth consecutive regional crown thanks to clocking 15 minutes and 18.20 seconds to finish the 5K course. Aviles was fourth overall with a time of 16:21.10.
“Hudson’s time bettered the 6A winner by 12 seconds,” Kiser said. “It has been a privilege to witness this young man compete for the last four years, and I have mixed emotions about watching him run his last high school race at the state meet in nine days.”
Marble Falls sophomore Tyler Hamblin was fifth in 16:23.60 and junior NIck Dahl came in sixtn 16:23.60. A trio of sophomores were next: Blake Cockrell was 19th in 17:03.90, Marco Almazan finished 40th in 17:41.10, and Ezekiel Atkinson was 42nd in 17:45.20.
“Nick and Tyler were running neck and neck,” the coach said. “I told them after the race, ‘You ran 80 percent. If you ran at 100 percent, you could have picked up two more spots. You could have won the meet.’ They have to run lights out. The course was a tough one and required running a smart race and knowing the time to put the accelerator on.”
Other Burnet runners competing at the regional meet include sophomore Isaias Zarate, who was 33rd in 17:31.40, sophomore Gustavk Vega was 103rd in 19:51.80, freshman Josvanny Ramierez was 130th in 20:50.70, and freshman Matthew Resendez was 140th in 21:43.50.
“The boys are young and excited and faired better than expected, taking the 10th team spot out of 24 teams,” Kiser said.
Huffman-Hargrave won the meet by scoring 104 points to Marble Falls’ 112. But the Mustangs’ average time was 17:03, two seconds faster than the championship team.
Going into the meet, the Mustangs were ranked No. 11. To say they were motivated by the ranking is an understatement, Schrader said.
“Our training is improving,” he said. “Our kids are now afraid of losing. They’re starting to hate losing. They did a good job, they followed the game plan.”
The Mustangs coach commended Bennett, noting the Bulldog not only was physically better but also won because of his strategy.
“Hudson tore it up,” he said. “He ran a masterful race.”
In the girls two-mile race, Roy finished fourth overall in 12:23.80 to pace the Lady Dawgs to fifth in the team standings. Junior Amelia Griffin was 45th in 13:51.80, freshman Caroline Valencia was 46th in 13:53.20, senior Autumn Stires came in 51st in 13:59, junior Cierra Blunt-Culpepper came in 54th in 14:01.70, freshman Halle Maxwell was 55th in 14:03.60, and sophomore Kori Haile was 74th in 14:28.30.
“Our girls gave tremendous effort but came up one place shy of qualifying for the state meet,” Kiser said. “Seniors Caroline Valencia and Autum Stires ran their best races of the year to help our team to a fifth-place finish out of 23 teams.”
Marble Falls freshman Tori Thompson was 44th in 13:40.
Schrader said this race will help Thompson in many ways, none bigger than physical and mental training.
“She was down on herself,” he said. “I told her, ‘Imagine what you need to do.'”
As for the state meet, Schrader said Canyon is ranked No. 1 and deservedly so.
“Everyone has to put their goals on the line and run like they’ve never run before,” he said. “I believe (in my runners).”
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