San Elizario sophomore Edwin Gomez is a fierce competitor who is always up for a challenge.

So, when he looked at the performer’s list for the Clint ISD Cross Country Meet, two names immediately jumped out at him – Brandon Seagreaves from Cathedral and Coronado’s Liam Walsh.

Seagreaves and Walsh are the only two El Paso runners who have beaten him this season.

“Both of the runners who ran with me had beaten me before so I wanted to win this one,” Gomez said after winning his fifth race of the year. “It was a tough race, for some reason I couldn’t breathe very well, I don’t know why.”

The pre-district race at Horizon Golf Course was close for about a mile and half before Gomez took charge as he avenged earlier season defeats finishing the 3.2-mile race in 16:33.77. Walsh was second in 16:40.95 followed by Seagreaves (16:48.92), Nick Gonzalez from Coronado (16:52.17) and Andress senior Chauncey Wilkes (17:16.70).

Gomez also helped San Elizario to its third straight Clint ISD Meet championship and the team’s sixth win of the season heading into next Friday’s District 1-4A Championship at the Chamizal National Memorial.

San Elizario ended up with 64 points, Coronado second with 79, Tornillo third with 111, Americas JV in fourth (121) and Cathedral in fifth with 150 points.

On the girl’s side, Coronado senior Jennelle Jaeger-Darakjy easily won the event in almost two full two minutes over the field.

“The race went well,” she said. “I know the course very well, I think I’ve run it six times before. It was a really good, fun Friday run for me, I had a lot of fun with it.”

Jaeger-Darakjy’s winning time was 19:41.68 followed by Alamogordo’s Gabriella Sandoval (21:30.42), Kenia Enriquez from Horizon (21:42.27) and a pair of Coronado runners, Sophia Flores (22:03.76) and Lilian Breceda (22:12.55).

Coronado’s team also won the meet with 45 points, Alamogordo was second (49), Del Valle third (103), San Elizario fourth (171) and Loretto fifth (184).

While most of the top ranked teams and runners took the race day off, Coronado, San Elizario and Tornillo ran theirs.

“Taking a week off before district would have hurt me,” Jaeger-Darakjy. “I need to race every weekend, I think it’s a mental thing for me. I’ll take the days leading up to district a little easier and be ready for Friday.”

Clint ISD Invitational at Horizon Golf Course

Boys

1, Edwin Gomez, San Elizario, 16:33.77; 2, Liam Walsh, Coronado, 16:40.95; 3, Brandon Seagreaves, Cathedral, 16:48.92; 4, Nicholas Gonzalez, Coronado, 16:52.17; 5, Chauncey Wilkes, Andress, 17:16.70; 6, Eduardo Carrillo, Tornillo, 17:17.14; 7, Alan Alba, Coronado, 17:23.84; 8, Celso Garcia, Alamogordo, 17:40.70; 9, Ofir Ortega, Tornillo, 17:41.42; 10, Irvin Vasquez, San Elizario, 17:50.05

Team results: 1, San Elizario, 64; 2, Coronado, 79; 3, Tornillo, 111; 4, Americas JV, 121; 5, Cathedral, 150.

Girls

1, Jennelle Jaeger-Darakjy, Coronado, 19:41.68; 2, Gabriella Sandoval, Alamogordo, 21:30.42; 3, Kenia Enriquez, Horizon, 21:42.27; 4, Sophia Flores, Coronado, 22:03.76; 5, Lilian Breceda, Coronado, 22:12.55; 6, Sheyenne Drake, Alamogordo, 22:20.23; 7, Britney Martinez, Loretto, 22:21.40; 8, Vivian Zapata, Clint, 22:28.27; 9, Jalyn Guardado, Coronado, 22:30.18; 10, Anisa Sanchez, Del Valle, 22:35.25.

Team results: 1, Coronado, 45; 2, Alamogordo, 49; 3, Del Valle, 103; 4, San Elizario, 171; 5, Loretto, 184; 6, Franklin, 207; 7, Canutillo, 216; 8, Horizon, 218; 9, Tornillo, 227; 10, El Paso, 237; 11, Clint, 270; 12, Parkland, 309; 13, Irvin, 340; 14, Ysleta, 355

Centennial Cross Country Challenge in Las Cruces

Boys

1, Jeremy Stevens, Centennial, 17:13.25; 2, Nickolas Yacone, Mayfield, 17:41.27; 3,  Adrian Villarreal, Onate, 17:56.01. Top El Pasoan: 7, Joshua Pineda, Pebble Hills, 18:23.67.

Girls

1, Jessica Rios, Centennial, 20:36.41; 2, Page Payne, Onate, 21:13.23; 3, Savanaah Mihecoby,  Centennial, 21:17.34; 4, Morayma Montes, Austin,      21:34.42; 5, Brenda Prieto, Mayfield, 21:37.68; 6, Megan Hurst, Onate, 21:56.45; 7, Raegan Gorzeman, Mayfield, 22:40.92; 8, Saxon Alvarez, Jefferson,  22:58.40; 9, Olivia Drake, Centennial, 23:01.95; 10, Alyssa Epperson, Onate, 23:19.29.

Team results:  1, Centennial, 28; 2, Onate, 33; 3, Jefferson, 71.