State Championship Previews:

Saturday: Cathedral boys.

Sunday: Tornillo boys.

Monday: San Elizario boys.

Tuesday: Burges boys.

Wednesday: Eastwood boys and girls.

Thursday: Americas boys.

Friday: Individual qualifiers. Class 6A – Coronado, senior Liam Walsh, junior Nick Gonzalez and senior Jennelle Jaeger-Daraksy; Franklin senior Jacobo Wedemeyer and Franklin sophomore Eva Jess. Class 5A – Hanks juniors Michael Abeyta and Rodger Rivera; Eastlake’s freshman Israel David and seniors Carlos Armendariz, Aeriel Garcia and Amaris Chavez; Chapin junior Angel Contreras; Andress senior Chauncey Wilkes and Jefferson freshman Crystal Peterson. Class 4A – Mt. View junior Nicole Estrada.

Make Plans:

What: UIL State Cross Country Championship.

When:  Saturday Nov. 3. All times (CST): Girls Class 6A, 8:30 a.m.; Boys Class 6A, 9:10 a.m.; Boys Class 3A, 12:10 p.m.; Girls Class 4A, 1:20 p.m.; Boys Class 4A, 1:50 p.m.; Girls Class 5A, 2;30 p.m.; Boys Class 5A, 3:10 p.m.

Where:  Old Settlers Park in Round Rock.

At Stake: State team and individual titles.

If form holds true, Cathedral’s Fighting Irish are due to win the TAPPS Class 6A  State Championship on Monday.

Since 2015, the Irish have placed second, first in 2016 and second again in 2017.

With senior Brandon Seagreaves leading the way, the team seeks to capture its second state championship in four years.

“Training has been going well; the team is super encouraged,” Seagreaves said. “Pack wise, the team is closer than we have ever been. Everyone is running together.  This is the best team dynamic we’ve had all season.”

The TAPPS State Championship will be at 9 a.m., Oct. 29 at Cottonwood Creek Golf Course in Waco.

The team – Seagreaves; senior Steve Stresow; juniors Nico Maes and Fernando Anzures; sophomores Luis Gomez, Alberto Martinez and Andres Buckley; (junior Jacob Magallanes is the alternate) – will have to take the championship away from San Antonio Antonian.

Antonian won last year’s championship with 67 points, 9 ahead of Cathedral’s 76. Argyle Liberty Christian was not far behind with 81 points.

“San Antonio Antonian is always a big contender but this year it looks like Argyle Liberty Christian will be tough,” Seagreaves said. “Their 1 through 4 guys are really strong. San Antonio Central Catholic is really good, too. This is probably going to be the closest top four team finish at the TAPPS State Meet. It’s going to be a really competitive and tight race all the way through.”

And by the way, Seagreaves is chasing his third consecutive state championship.

“My goal is to put my toe on the line and do my best,” he said. “I have to make sure to give it 110 percent and whatever happens, happens.”

Loretto Academy will also run in Class 6A while the boys and girls of Lydia Patterson Institute will race in the Class 5A division.

The last time these teams ran was three weeks ago at the Clint ISD Invitational at Horizon Golf Course.

“I don’t think the layoff will have a negative impact on us,” Seagreaves said. “Racing week after week is pretty stressing on the body, it makes it hard to be fresh and be physically ready. Over an entire season of racing every week, you’re not always going to be 100 percent fresh.”

He said training has been going well.

“Being able to focus on just preparation and then tapering and being fresh is really comforting,” he said. “I try not to focus on what other people (teams) are doing. I hope they have a great race but the focus is on me and my team going out there and doing our best and hopefully coming out with the best result at the end.”