Cathedral’s Brandon Seagreaves was supposed to take Saturday off as he and his Irish teammates prepare for Friday night’s Desert Twilight Festival in Casa Grande, Ariz.

But an unexpected finish (178^th out of 230 runners in 15:51.8) at the ultra-tough Woodbridge Classic against the Western United States’ elite runners, pushed him to reconsider.

Good thing he changed his mind.

The senior laced up his running shoes, took on the gruesome desert trail and climbed his way to his second meet championship of the season, navigating the course at the Don Haskins Recreation Center in 16:52.07.

San Elizario sophomore Edwin Gomez was second in 17:04.20 followed by Angel Anchondo from Santa Teresa (17:05.22), Coronado’s Nick Gonzalez (17:06.35) and Franklin’s Jacobo Wedemeyer (17:10.44).

“I didn’t race well last week so I wanted to come out here and run well and get one more good race in before Desert Twilight,” he said.

Seagreaves and Gomez, who was going after his fifth straight meet win, went toe-to-toe and heel-to-heel throughout the race before Seagreaves outlasted him in the final 800 meters.

“Edwin is really good, he is one of the most talented runners in the city,” Seagreaves said of Gomez, who came into the race on a 4-meet win streak.  “He probably has one of the strongest kicks in the city. Running against Nick and Edwin, I knew it could go either way depending on the day. I can’t control what they do but I can control what I do and put my best foot forward.”

San Elizario, the four-time defending Class 4A state champions, won its fifth straight invitational with 83 points. Franklin was second with 98 followed by Coronado (114), Eastwood’s JV (118) and Santa Teresa (126).

Seagreaves said he learned a lot about himself at last week’s invitational in Irvine.

“I learned that I have to take care of myself during the week,” he said. “I have to do things right during the week like eat well. I have really bad asthma and allergies so I have to take my inhaler and all my allergy medicine. When I’m practicing I don’t feel it but when I’m here working as hard as I can, sometimes it could be disastrous.”

But more importantly, he learned to enjoy his senior year.

“It’s my last year of running high school cross country so I have to remember that I’m out here to have fun and to better myself every day,” he said. “It’s a learning process because you want to come out and be serious and do well but you have to stay relaxed and have fun, too.”

He certainly had fun on Saturday – and on Friday night.

“I watched 16 episodes of Naruto Hills so that kind of prepared me for coming out here and kicking butt today,” he said with a laugh.

Franklin sophomore Eva Jess was the girl’s individual winner in a time of 19:28.66, well ahead of the field.

Coronado’s Jennelle Jaeger-Darakjy was second in 20:41.53 followed by Franklin’s Amalia Dorion (21:17.43), Jayleen Guerrero from Santa Teresa (21:21.09) and Austin’s Morayma Montes (21:45.21).

Franklin also won the team title with 25 points. Jenna Saunders (seventh, 22:05.57) and Lorien Clark (eighth, 22:07.49) were also top 10 finishers for Franklin.

Coronado was second with 58 points followed by Eastwood’s JV (103), Bel Air (114) and Montwood was fifth with 135 points.

“I’ve been improving every week and getting a bigger gap between second place which I like, who doesn’t want a bigger gap between second place?” Jess said. “Our team is also looking pretty good and I hope we can win a district championship. It’s going to be close but I hope our team can do it.”

Jess said there is no rest in her immediate future as the season moves until the final weeks heading to the district meets on Oct. 12.

“I definitely going to keep on going on strong as I can,” she said. “Up until state and hopefully beyond that with Nike Nationals.”

Franklin Invitational at the Haskins Recreational Center

Boys

1, Brandon Seagreaves, Cathedral, 16:52.07; 2, Edwin Gomez, San Elizario, 17:04.20; 3, Angel Anchondo, Santa Teresa, 17:05.22; 4, Nicholas Gonzalez, Coronado, 17:06.35; 5, Jacobo Wedemeyer, Franklin, 17:10.44; 6, Liam Walsh, Coronado, 17:30.64; 7, Alan Alba, Coronado, 17:39.81; 8, Aaron Perez, Eastwood, 17:40.43; 9, Matthew Lindesy, Montwood, 17:40.98, 10, Seth Rodriguez, San Elizario, 17:51.48

Team Results: 1, San Elizario, 83: 2, Franklin, 98; 3, Coronado, 114; 4, Eastwood JV, 118; 5, Santa Teresa, 126; 6, Americas JV , 169; 7, Midland Christian, 216; 8, Irvin, 243; 9, Montwood, 245; 10, Bel Air, 291; 11, Fabens, 294; 12, Canutillo, 304; 13, Lydia Patterson Inst., 322; 14, Pebble Hills, 323; 15, Ysleta, 364; 16, El Dorado, 379; 17, Bowie, 418

Girls

Eva Jess, Franklin, 19:28.66; 2, Jennelle Jaeger-Darakjy, Coronado, 20:41.53; 3, Amalia Dorion, Franklin, 21:17.43; 4, Jayleen Guerrero, Santa Teresa, 21:21.09; 5, Morayma Montes, Austin, 21:45.21; 6, Sophia Flores, Coronado, 21:55.35 7, Jenna Saunders, Franklin, 22:05.57; 8, Lorien Clark, Franklin, 22:07.49; 9, McCarly Holloman, Midland Christian, 22:17.00; 10, Diane Mena, Montwood, 22:29.85

Team Results: 1, Franklin, 25; 2, Coronado, 58; 3, Eastwood, 103; 4, Bel Air, 114; 5, Montwood, 135; 6, San Elizario, 142; 7, Canutillo, 160; 8, Midland Christian, 207; 9, Pebble Hills, 223

Full results

http://www.runnercard.com/runner/data/172096/1002173/result/FranklinCC2018.pdf

OTHER MEETS

Lubbock Invitational at Mae Simmons Park

Boys

Class 6A

1, Tyler Rodriguez, Americas, 15:41.9; 2, Jacob Ye, Americas, 15:52.2; 3, Alek Duran, Americas, 15:53; 4, Joshua Garcia, Odessa Permian, 15:54.4; 5, Jared Laverty, Americas, 15:57.8; 6, Joe Clarke, Amarillo Tascosa, 16:00.5; 7, Kaden McMurry, Amarillo Tascosa, 16:05.9; 8, Mario Luna, Socorro, 16:10.0; 9, Gage Garcia, Americas, 16:13.0; 10, Melo Corral, Americas, 16:14.1.

Team results: 1, Americas, 20; 2, Odessa Permian, 89; 3, Denton Guyer, 92; 4, Amarillo Tascosa, 95; 5, Socorro, 97; 6, Abilene, 191; 7, Midland, 202; 8, Wolfforth Frenship 210; 9, Odessa, 217; 10, Midland Lee, 252; 11, VVEC, 330.

http://mychiptime.com/searchevent.php?id=11711

Class 5A

1, Carlos Vallejo, FW NorthSide, 15:39.5; 2, Chanuncy Wilkes, Andress, 16:09.1; 3, Isaac Alonzo, Lubbock, 16:13.6; 4, Israel David, Eastlake, 16:15.2; 5, Branch Cox, Amarillo, 16:15.6; 6, Abdirizak Ibrahim, Amarillo Palo Duro, 16:26.2; 7, Carlos Armendariz, Eastlake, 16:27.2; 8, Nick Newby, Burleson Centennial, 16:31.6; 9, Carlos Hughes, Northwest, 16:35.6; 10, Aidan Wright, Canyon Randell, 16:39.4.

Team results: 1, Canyon Randall, 101; 2, Amarillo, 127; 3, Burges, 151; 4, Eastlake, 154; 5, Northwest, 155; 6, Burleson Centennial, 159; 7, Lubbock Monterey, 170; 8, Chapin, 192; 9, Andress 216; 10, Azle, 266. Other El Paso schools: 13, Del Valle, 361; 16, Horizon, 383; 17, El Paso, 384.

http://mychiptime.com/searchevent.php?id=11721

Class 3A

1, Ofir Ortega, Tornillo, 16:22.5; 2, Eduardo Carrillo, Tornillo, 16:31.3; 3, Jace Sanchez,  Dimmitt, 16:34.6; 4, Connor Richardson, Boyd, 16:41.2; 5, Cristian Vasquez, Kermit, 16:44.5.

Team Results:  1, Tornillo, 65; 2, Boyd, 81; 3, Crane 125; 4, Dimmitt, 161; 5, Jim Ned, 189; 6, Presidio, 212; 7, Bushland, 224; 8, Idalou, 262; 9, Canadian, 307; 10, Sonora, 340.

http://mychiptime.com/searchevent.php?id=11717

Girls

Class 6A

1, Brynn Brown, Denton Guyer, 17:03.2; 2, Daphne Duran, Americas, 19:08.2; 3, Kayla Mendoz, Odessa, 19:34.5; 4, Lauren Anderson, Americas, 19:56.2; 5, Priscilla Villalobos, Americas, 19:56.8; 6, Farrah Creery, Amarillo Tascosa, 19:57.5; 7, Nathalia Escontrias, Odessa, 20:02.2; 8, Jazmin Chacon, Socorro, 20:03.1; 9, Annmarie Ippolito, Denton Guyer, 20:05.4; 10, Jaden Reid, Denton Guyer, 20:11.2.

Team results: 1, Denton Guyer, 44; 2, Odessa, 75; 3, Americas, 78; 4, Abilene, 82; 5, Midland, 104; 6, Socorro, 133; 7, Midland Lee, 173; 8, Odessa Permian, 208; 9, Wolfforth Frenship, 230; 10, VVEC, 325.

http://mychiptime.com/searchevent.php?id=11710

 

Class 5A

1, Aerial Garcia, Eastlake, 18:17.40; 2, Skyler Goodman, Chapin, 18:54.00; 3, Cammy Jenkins, Lubbock Cooper, 18:57.10; 4, Harli Woosley, Burleson Centennial, 19:00.30; 5, Cammie Mithell, Amarillo, 19:10.70; 6, Sarah Trammel, Burleson Centennial, 19:16.20; 7, Harley Albert, Canyon Randall, 19:23.60; 8, Jewel Baer, Amarillo, 19:20.00; 9, Ariyah Gomez, Canyon Randall, 19:30. 40; 10, Amaris Chavez, Eastlake, 19:45.80

Team results: 1, Amarillo, 53; 2, Eastlake, 89; 3, Canyon Randall, 99; 4, Burleson Centennial, 143; 5, Plainview, 148; 6, Azle, 150; 7, Northwest, 175; 8, Horizon, 245; 9, Lubbock Monterey, 277; 10, Del Valle, 279. Other El Paso schools:  12, Chapin, 291; 13, El Paso, 306.

http://mychiptime.com/searchevent.php?id=11720