Day: September 16, 2020

High School Girls XC Poll: Week 1

Every Wednesday, El Paso Running will utilize a point system to highlight El Paso’s top cross country female runners.

The system is as follows: In a race of less than 150 runners, first place gets 10 points, second gets 9 points all the way down to and 10th place which gets 1 point. For meets with between 151 to 300 runners, double points will be rewarded meaning 20 points for first, 19 for second all the way down to 1 point for 20th. For every additional 150 runners, another 10 runners will be included in the points.

For those who like raw times, we also list the Top 25 5K/3-mile boys and girls race times and the meets and dates that they occurred.

For questions, videos and photos email vrmart66@gmail.com.

  • The 2020 edition of the Franklin cross country picked up where it left off last year. The team is looking for its second season of being undefeated in El Paso.

Top 10

1. Franklin: Franklin’s second year reign as El Paso’s top squad began in grand fashion at the Pebble Hills Invitational at Socorro’s Student Activities Complex. The Cougars, who are building off the school’s first Class 6A UIL State Cross Country Championship appearance last year, were solid placing six runners in the top eight positions. Senior Eva Jess, who finished with a silver medal at state, continued her three-year unbeaten El Paso streak winning the event in 19:23.00. New-comer, senior Ally Little, was third in 20:02.62 followed by sophomore Alyssa Laspada (4th, 20:44.81), junior Jenna Saunders (5th, 20:52.03), sophomore Michele Paillard (7th, 20:59.40) and junior Jordan Torres (8th,  21:19.15). The team will return to the SAC on Saturday for the El Dorado Invitational.

2. Montwood: Montwood was impressive at the Pebble Hills Invitational at Socorro’s Student Activities Complex, placing three runners in the top 10 including sophomore Kassandra Jimenez (6th, 20:56.34) senior Karyme Garcia (9th, 21:24.03) and sophomore Jazmine Miranda (10th, 21:27.96). The team was second with 57 points with its 4 and 5 runners placing 14th and 18th. The team will return to the SAC on Saturday for the El Dorado Invitational.

3. Eastwood: The Troopers lone top-10 finisher at the Pebble Hills Invitational was junior Lauren Walls-Portillo who was second in 19:40.75.  Eastwood had four other runners in the top 20 to finish with 68 points, good enough for third place. The team will race at Del Valle on Saturday.

4. Jefferson: The Foxes2020 season began with aRiverside Invitational championship at Blackie Chesher Park. Four Jefferson runners finished in the top 10 to score 27 points. Junior Crystal Peterson was second, finishing in 20:52.73 followed by senior Monique Correa (4th, 21:09.51), Jelia Lugo (5th, 22:16.43) and Irma Munoz (8th, 23:51.88).

5. Coronado: The T-Birds will make its season debut at the El Dorado Invitational at the SAC. Coronado is led by sophomore Kyra Walker, a Class 6A state qualifier in 2019.

6. Socorro: Socorro did not run a full team at the Riverside Invitational at Blackie Chesher Park. However, two of its runners – juniors Samantha Ramirez (3rd, 20:56.46) and Yanitza Olivares (10th, 24:06.32) – finished in the top 10. The Bulldogs will race a full team at the El Dorado Invitational at the SAC on Saturday.

7. Bel Air. The Highlanders won the Andress Invitational at Skyline Park with 27 points. Bel Air swept the top three spots and boosted four runners in the top 10. Senior Sara Armendariz won the event in 21:16.46 followed by junior Abigail Murillo (21:28.63) and senior Rosemary Torres (22:01.89). Sophomore Genisis Guereca was 10th in 24:44.78. Bel Air will race at the Del Valle Invitational on Saturday.

8. Del Valle: The Conquistadors placed second at the Riverside Invitational at Blackie Chesher Park with 45 points. Del Valle had three runners – Disany Sandoval, (6th, 23:33.51),  Valeria Loo-King, (7th, 23:42.26) and Jaslyne Ramirez (9th, 24:02.65) – in the top 10, They will run in their own invitational on Saturday.

9. Pebble Hills: The Spartans placed a respectable fourth at the Pebble Hills Invitational at Socorro’s Student Activities Complex, with 157 points. Its top runner, freshman Carolina Gregoria Zarrabal, was 11th in 21:51.2. The team will race the El Dorado Invitational at the SAC.

10. Americas: The Trailblazers had a disappointing 5th place finish at the Pebble Hills Invitational and hope to regroup at the Irvin Invitational at Veterans Park.

Dropped out: None.

On the brink: Tornillo.

Top times (5K/3Mile)

1, Eva Jess, Franklin, 19:23.00 (SAC, 9/12).

2, Lauren Walls-Portillo, Eastwood, 19:40.75 (SAC, 9/12).

3, Angelina Lujan-Marrufo, Parkland, 19:55.09 (Skyline Park, 9/12).

4, Ally Little, Franklin, 20:02.62 (SAC, 9/12).

5, Alyssa Laspada, Franklin, 20:44.81 (SAC, 9/12).

6, Jenna Saunders, Franklin, 20:52.03 (SAC, 9/12).

7, Crystal Peterson, Jefferson, 20:52.73 (Skyline Park, 9/12).

8, Samantha Ramirez, Socorro, 20:56.46 (Skyline Park, 9/12).

9, Kassandra Jimenez, Montwood, 20:56.34 (SAC, 9/12).

10, Michele Paillard, Franklin, 20:59.40 (SAC, 9/12).

11, Monique Correa, Jefferson, 21:09.51 (Skyline Park, 9/12).

12, Sara Armendariz, Bel Air, 21:16.46 (Blackie Chesher, 9/12).

13, Jordan Torres, Franklin, 21:19.15 (SAC, 9/12).

14, Karyme Garcia, Montwood, 21:24.03 (SAC, 9/12).

15, Jazmine Miranda, Montwood, 21:27.96 (SAC, 9/12).

16, Abigail Murillo, Bel Air, 21:28.63 (Blackie Chesher, 9/12).

17, Carolina Grego Zarrabal,  Pebble Hills,  21:51.25 (SAC, 9/12).

18, Sofia Camacho, Franklin,  21:52.21 (SAC, 9/12).

19, Rosemary Torres, Bel Air, 22:01.89 (Blackie Chesher, 9/12).

20, Adalia Olmos, Eastwood, 22:05.38 (SAC, 9/12).

21, Nat Escajeda, Tornillo, 22:06.33 (Blackie Chesher, 9/12).

22, Jelia Lugo, Jefferson, 22:16.43 (Skyline Park, 9/12).

23, Alexa Rangel, Montwood, 22:22.22 (SAC, 9/12).

24, Amanda Sotelo, Franklin, 22:29.97 (SAC, 9/12).

25, Victoria Ovalles, Eastwood, 22:35.41 (SAC, 9/12).

  • Eastwood and Pebble Hills each are represented in the season’s first Top 10 poll. Look both teams to improve throughout the season.

Power rankings
(number in parenthesis indicate meets won)

1, Eva Jess, Franklin, 10 (1)

1, Angelina Lujan-Marrufo, Parkland, 10 (1).

1, Sara Armendariz, Bel Air, 10 (1).

4, Lauren Walls-Portillo, Eastwood, 9.

4, Crystal Peterson, Jefferson, 9.

4, Abigail Murillo, Bel Air, 9.

7, Ally Little, Franklin, 8.

7, Samantha Ramirez, Socorro, 8.

7, Rosemary Torres, Bel Air, 8.

10, Alyssa Laspada, Franklin, 7.

10, Monique Correa, Jefferson, 7.

10, Nat Escajeda, Tornillo, 7.

Jenna Saunders, Franklin, 6.

Jelia Lugo, Jefferson, 6.

Britney Martinez, Loretto, 6.

Kassandra Jimenez, Montwood, 5.

Disany Sandoval, Del Valle, 5.

Olivia Garcia, Tornillo, 5.

Michele Paillard, Franklin, 4.

Valeria Loo-King, Del Valle, 4.

Caryn Hart, Andress, 4.

Jordan Torres, Franklin, 3.

Irma Munoz, Jefferson, 3.

Maria Hobbs, Loretto Academy, 3.

Karyme Garcia, Montwood, 2.

Jaslyne Ramirez, Del Valle, 2.

Brianna Ibarra,  Tornillo, 2.

Jazmine Miranda, Montwood, 1.

Yanitza Olivares, Socorro, 1.

Genisis Guereca, Bel Air , 1.