On this blog you will find weekly profiles on runners of all levels and ages, top 10 high school cross country boys and girls teams along with the top 25 times. You will be able to find schedules and results for high school cross country and track, the USA Track & Field Border Association meets and the many road races in El Paso.
Eastwood senior Lauren Walls-Portillo had a milestone run on Saturday morning at Del Valle High School.
After years of training, Walls-Portillo finally ran a sub 18-minute 5K – finishing the Rudy Alvarez Invitational in 17:58.28.
“I ran an 18:04 at Vista Hills Golf Course and I was so bummed that I was four seconds away,” she said. “I’ve hunted for this 17 for so long and that I finally did it on a course that I love, I am so happy.”
Walls-Portillo picked up her first victory of the season out-distancing freshman teammate Adelynn Rodriguez (18:37.95) and Burges senior Pamela Ramirez (18:59.11).
Eastwood senior Lauren Walls-Portillo won Rudy Alvarez Invitational in 17:58.28 on Saturday.
Montwood junior Kassandra Jimenez was fourth in 18:59.84 and Pebble Hills junior Natalia Martinez was fifth in 19:08.03.
The long, flat course at Del Valle High School was ripe for fast times.
“I’ve been running this course since I was seven- or eight-years old running with the El Paso Wings; I’ve loved this course forever,” she said. “Breaking 18 on this course is so special to me. It really signifies how far I’ve come and I recognize how much progress I’ve made since I was a child so it was important to me to break 18 here.”
Walls-Portillo, who is a three-time state qualifier, said there was a little special motivation heading into Saturday’s race.
“I don’t think I did very well in my first race of the season,” she said. “I loved how I came back from that experience. To come out and push myself the way I did in practice and during this race, I’m really proud of myself – and my teammates.”
Indeed.
The Troopers dominated, placing four runners in the top eight including Walls-Portillo, Rodriguez, senior Adalia Olmos (sixth, 19:41.07) and junior Salma Licon (eighth, 19:54.44).
“Our team had a rough first race at the SAC on concrete, but now that we’ve come back together on this flat course and did amazing, it’s awesome.”
Not to be outdone, the varsity boy’s race was just as amazing with Pebble Hills junior Omer Ibrahim outlasting Eastlake senior Israel David at the end. Coronado junior Luis Pastor was two seconds behind and finish third.
Pebble Hills junior Omer Ibrahim outlasted Eastlake senior Israel David to win the Rudy Alvarez Invitational. Coronado junior Luis Pastor was just strides behind to finish third.
“We were all pushing each other,” Ibrahim said. “Macho (David) was right next to me and Luis Pastor was there with us. We kept fighting and fighting and with about a half a mile to go, we all started pushing harder and harder.”
At the end, Ibrahim had just a tiny bit more winning in 15:02.15, David was second in 15:02.73 and Pastor third in 15:04.79.
“Heading into the final 50 meters, we all had to slow down around the corner so we wouldn’t slip,” he said. “We were able to pick up our speed and I saw that there were right there with me so I pushed even harder.”
David, who was a bronze medalist at last year’s Class 6A UIL Cross Country Championship, was all smiles after the race.
“Ah man, I tried to give it everything I had left,” he said. “I wanted to win my first race back; I’m really proud of my performance.”
He knew Ibrahim would be tough.
“We went to an elevation camp together in Cloudcroft so I knew he was training hard this summer,” David said. “He really pushed me in this race and that’s what I’m always looking for. There was a lot of excitement in the air with all the people cheering, it was really cool.”
David missed the first two weeks of the season after a positive COVID-19 test.
“During the first week I just couldn’t run, it would hurt so much,” he said. “But coming back and being in a race like that brought my motivation level up. It made me realize that this is my senior season and I have to make sure that this is my best season.”
Every Thursday, El Paso Running will utilize a point system to highlight El Paso’s top boy’s cross country 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 150 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 boys and girls race times and the meets and dates that they occurred.
Rudy Alvarez Invitational: 8 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 28 at Del Valle High School. Burges, Coronado, Andress, Chapin, Pebble Hills, Socorro, Montwood, El Dorado, Eastwood, Valle Verde, Riverside, Del Valle, Hanks, Parkland, Bel Air, YWLA, Ft. Hancock, LPI, Harmony, Fabens, Cathedral, San Elizario, Clint, Horizon, Mt View, Eastlake.
Gadsden ISD Invitational: 8 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 28 at Chaparral High School. El Paso, Irvin, Santa Teresa, Chaparral, Gadsden, Ruidoso, Canutillo, Anthony.
Centennial Invite: 8 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 28 at Centennial High School in Las Cruces. Bowie.
Southlake Carroll Invitational: 8 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 28 at Southlake Carroll. Franklin.
Albuquerque Invitational: 8 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 28 at the University of New Mexico. Austin, Ysleta, Americas.
The Rudy Alvarez Invitational highlights the local races on Saturday. The race begins at 8 a.m. with the varsity boys followed by the girls.
Top 10
Eastwood: The Troopers scored 33 points and won the Tornillo/San Elizario Invitational without its top four runners. Eastwood had six runners finish in the six through 12 spots. Joaquin Chavez was sixth in 17:09.16 followed by Anthony Casillas (7th, 17:11.28), Alexander Flores (9th, 17:23.17), Matthew Marshall (10th, 17:30.48), Heiden Pereda (11th, 17:31.01) and Maurico Cuartas (12th, 17:38.00). Eastwood will be back in action at Saturday’s Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle.
Americas: The Trailblazers were missing its third and fourth runner and still managed a third-place finish at the Canutillo Invitational. Senior Jared Laverty won the individual title with a city best 15:24.83. Senior Carmelo Corral was third in 15:41.73. Americas will travel North to race in the Lobo Invitational in Albuquerque.
Franklin: The Cougars move up two spots after winning the Canutillo Invitational with 45 points. Junior Diego Flores was the low man for Franklin finishing fifth in 16:43.12. Junior Austen Percifull was 7th in 16:56.69, junior Rai Lopez was 10th in 17:07.57 and sophomore Sebastian Gonzalez was 12th in 17:12.55. Franklin will travel to Dallas on Saturday to compete at the Southlake Carroll Invitational.
Cathedral: The Irish move up three spots after its second-place finish at the Canutillo Invitational. Sophomore Preston Arnett was 8th in 16:56.69, junior Elijah Noble was 11th in 17:10.36 and senior Marcos Garcia was 18th in 17:33.36. Cathedral will race at the Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle on Saturday.
Pebble Hills: The Spartans move up four spots after its second-place finish at the Tornillo/San Elizario Invitational. Junior Omer Ibrahim won the event in 15:49.84, a course record. Junior Noah Castorena was 15th in 17:49.83. Pebble Hills will race at the Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle on Saturday.
San Elizario: The Eagles drop three spots after finishing third at the Tornillo/San Elizario Invitational with 103 points. Junior Chris Moreno finished second (16:22.64), senior Irvin Vazquez was 14th in 17:46.19 and senior Alan Ceballos was 17th in 18:03.99. The team will try to regroup at the Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle.
Coronado: The T-Birds drop three spots, finishing fourth at the Canutillo Invitational with 85 points. Junior Luis Pastor was the low-stick man for Coronado, finishing second in 15:25.73. Sophomore Carlos Mendez (15th, 17:20.73) and junior Sam Breceda (20th, 17:35.89) were the only two other T-birds to finish in the top 20. Coronado will compete at the Rudy Alvarez Invitational on Saturday.
Hanks: The Knights drop two spots after finishing in fourth place at the Tornillo/San Elizario Invitational with 112 points. Junior Alejandro Tarin (4th, 16:42.67) and senior Gael Alvarado (8th, 17:20.00) were top 10 runners for Hanks. The Knights will race at the Rudy Alvarez at Del Valle on Saturday.
Riverside: The Rangers crack the top 10 after two weeks of racing. The Rangers, which finished fifth at the Canutillo Invitational with 100 points, were led by senior Andrew Valdiviezo who finished fourth in 16:40.25. Newcomer senior Jayden Bustillos was the only other Ranger to finish in the top 20, turning in a 17:30.78 (17 place). Riverside will compete at the Rudy Alvarez on Saturday.
Tornillo: The Coyotes did not run a full team at the Tornillo/San Elizario Invitational but its top two runners had top five finishes. Sophomore Daniel Romero was third in 16:25.14 and junior Angel Torres was fifth in 16:43.28.
Dropped out: Burges. On the verge: Bel Air, El Paso High.
Americas seniors Jared Laverty and Carmelo Corral along with Coronado’s Luis Pastor turned in the top three times in the city at the Canutillo Invitational last week.
Top times (3-mile or 5K)
1, Jared Laverty, Americas, 15:24.83 (Canutillo, 8/21).
2, Luis Pastor, Coronado, 15:25.73 (Canutillo, 8/21).
18, Anthony Casillas, Eastwood, 17:11.28 (Tornillo, 8/21).
19, Sebastian Gonzalez, Franklin, 17:12.55 (Canutillo, 8/21).
20, David Herrera, Burges, 17:15.70 (Canutillo, 8/21).
21, Matthew Guerra, Burges, 17:19.26 (Canutillo, 8/21).
22, Gael Alvarado, Hanks, 17:20.00 (Tornillo, 8/21).
23, Carlos Mendez, Coronado, 17:20.73 (Canutillo, 8/21).
24, Alexander Flores, Eastwood, 17:23.17 (Tornillo, 8/21).
25, Frank Lozano, Franklin, 17:25.48 (Canutillo, 8/21).
The Franklin boys won the Canutillo Invitational and moved up two positions in the El Paso Running Top 10. The team will race at Southlake on Saturday.
Power rankings (number parenthesis indicate meets won):
Every Wednesday, El Paso Running will utilize a point system to highlight El Paso’s top girls cross country 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 10th place which gets 1 point. For meets with between 150 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 girls race times and the meets and dates that they occurred.
Rudy Alvarez Invitational: 8 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 28 at Del Valle High School. Burges, Coronado, Andress, Chapin, Pebble Hills, Socorro, Montwood, El Dorado, Eastwood, Valle Verde, Riverside, Del Valle, Hanks, Parkland, Bel Air, YWLA, Ft. Hancock, LPI, Harmony, Fabens, Cathedral, San Elizario, Clint, Horizon, Mt View, Eastlake.
Gadsden ISD Invitational: 8 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 28 at Chaparral High School. El Paso, Irvin, Santa Teresa, Chaparral, Gadsden, Ruidoso, Canutillo, Anthony.
Centennial Invite: 8 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 28 at Centennial High School in Las Cruces. Bowie.
Southlake Carroll Invitational: 8 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 28 at Southlake Carroll. Franklin.
Albuquerque Invitational: 8 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 28 at the University of New Mexico. Austin, Ysleta, Americas.
There is only one major in-town meet this week in El Paso – the Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle. The other meets are the Gadsden Invitational, the Centennial Invite, Albuquerque Invitational and the Southlake Carroll Invitational.
Top 10
1. Franklin: The Cougars won the Canutillo Invitational with a perfect score of 15. Junior Alyssa Laspada won the individual title in a time of 18:51.55. Senior Jordan Torres was third (19:22.07), senior Jenna Saunders was fourth (19:59.91), junior Abby Barraza was sixth (20:05.66) and junior Sofia Camacho was seventh in 20:27.15. Franklin will travel to Dallas on Saturday to compete at the Southlake Carroll Invitational.
2. Montwood: The Rams did not run a full team at the Tornillo/San Elizario Invitational. Senior Alexa Rangel did finish fourth in 21:36.22 and junior Jazmine Miranda was 11th in 22:10.28. Expect the Rams to be at full strength at the Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle on Saturday.
3. Eastwood: The Troopers rested its top five runners at the Tornillo/San Elizario Invitational and still managed a second-place finish with 57 points. Three runners finished in the top 15 including Annika Cuellar (12th, 22:40.60), Giavanna Zubia (13th, 22:45.54) and Jasmine Martinez (15th, 22:56.72). Eastwood will race at the Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle on Saturday.
4. Jefferson: The Foxes did not run a full team at the Tornillo/San Elizario Invitational. Senior Monique Correra finished sixth in 21:45.01 and senior Crystal Peterson was 14th in 22:47.25). Jefferson will race at the Gadsden ISD Invitational at Chaparral High School on Saturday.
5. Bel Air: Senior Abigail Murillo was lone Highlander to race at the Canutillo Invitational, finishing 16th in a 21:41.12. The team is scheduled to race at the Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle on Saturday.
6. Coronado: The T-Birds finished second at the Canutillo Invitational with 55 points. Coronado had four runners finishing in the 9 through 14 spots. Sophomore Caroline Pitchkolan was the low-stick runner finishing in 20:52.26 followed by classmate Alexa Lawrence (10th, 20:55.11), senior Banah Abdeljaber (13th, 21:21.56) and junior Kyra Walker (14th, 21:22.72). The team will Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle on Saturday.
7. Pebble Hills: The Spartans move up two spots after winning the Tornillo/San Elizario Invitational with 32 points. Junior Natalia Martinez won the race in 20:43.20. Sophomore Carolina Zarrabal was third in 21:19.44 and sophomore Natalie Franco was seventh in 21:53.35. Pebble Hills will race in a loaded field at the Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle on Saturday.
8. Hanks: The Knights raced to a third-place finish at the Tornillo/San Elizario Invitational with 83 points. Seniors Mia Rivera was second in 20:52.89 and Elizabeth Aguirre was 20th in 23:12.34. The team will race at the Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle on Saturday.
9. Del Valle: The Conquistadores move up one after its fourth-place finish at the Tornillo/San Elizario Invitational. The team finished with 83 points, the same amount as Hanks. Del Valle had two runners finish in the top 10 – Anisa Sanchez (5th, 21:44.42) and senior Disany Sandoval (8th, 21:59.04). Del Valle will race at its own invitational on Saturday.
10. Socorro: The Bulldogs make its season debut into the top 10 after placing third at the Canutillo Invitational with 82 points. Senior Ana Rojas was 8th in 20:33.84. Two other runners had top 20 races – senior Andrea Estrada (18th, 22:18.66) and senior Yanitza Olivares (19th, 22:19.96). The team will race at the Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle on Saturday.
Dropped out: El Paso High.
On the brink: Burges.
Franklin junior Alyssa Laspada won the individual title at the Canutillo Invitational in a time of 18:51.55 – tops in the city after two weeks.
24, Natalie Franco, Pebble Hills, 21:53.35 (Tornillo, 8/21).
25, Disany Sandoval, Del Valle, 21:59.04 (Tornillo, 8/21).
After a wet opening week, the season got off to a full start on Saturday. As week three approaches, teams are still searching for the right seven to build a foundation for later in the season.
Power rankings (number parenthesis indicate meets won):
As Natalia Martinez toed the white chalk at the end zone of Tornillo High School’s football field, her heart was pumping a little faster than usual on Saturday morning.
It typically does when a cross country runner steps to the starting line, patiently waiting for the starter’s pistol to echo through the humid air.
“It was my first race, so I was super nervous,” Martinez said. “I looked down the line and all the girls looked really fast, and I started to doubt myself. But when I started running and got out in front, I felt good, I felt better about myself.”
Pebble Hills junior Natalia Martinez won her maiden cross country race at the Tornillo/San Elizario Invitational.
Martinez, who is a soccer player by nature, felt a whole lot better after finishing the 3.1-mile desert course in 20:23.20, to win the Tornillo/San Elizario Invitational in her first race – EVER.
“At the beginning, maybe the first mile, I thought to myself, ‘hey, this isn’t so bad after all,’” she said. “It was later in the race when I really felt fatigued and I honestly thought about walking but I was halfway through it, so I said, ‘I’ll just finish it.’”
Martinez, a junior, was convinced by a friend this summer to give cross country a try.
“It’s fun, except when it feels like I’m going to die,” she joked.
Martinez first-place finish, Carolina Zarrabal’s third-place finish (21:19.44) and Natalie Franco’s seventh-place finish (21:53.35) led the Spartans to a team championship.
“We have a great team,” Martinez said. “We have a great dynamic and we push each other. It looks like we’re going to have a very good season together.”
Earlier in the morning, Omer Ibrahim – another Pebble Hills junior – won the boys race in 15:49.84 – a new course record.
“Coming into the race, I honestly didn’t feel too well but I was able to push through it,” Ibrahim said. “As the race went on, I felt better and in control and I kept going and going and going and finished strong.”
Omer Ibrahim, a junior at Pebble Hills, won the boys race in 15:49.84 – a new course record.
It was the first time in race history that a runner broke the 16-minute barrier.
“I’m very happy with the race,” he said. “I love training, I love running, it’s my escape route. Whenever I have issues or when I’m angry I let it out on the field, and it feels great. I feel relieved, I feel energized, I feel awesome.”
The boys finished second with 83 points.
“I’m excited about what the future holds for us,” said Basher Ibrahim, Pebble Hills cross country coach. “Both teams are young but I’m very proud of both teams, they did awesome, especially the girls, I think they have a really good chance to go to regionals.”
In a difficult District 1-6A with the likes of Franklin, Montwood and Eastwood making it to regionals could be a tall task for the young Spartans.
“The district is tough, but we take it one day at a time,” coach Ibrahim said. “I tell the kids it’s not about winning or losing it’s about doing your best and showing improvement every week. If you truly do your best, you can’t be disappointed in yourself, and nobody can be disappointed in you. The whole team gave it their best.”
It was a year where the season was one COVID-19 spike away from being cancelled. Matter of fact, the district championships were in serious jeopardy due to a surge in cases and hospitalizations.
A year later, with the pandemic still lingering, cross country athletes across the county are preparing for a long, grueling four months with hopes of earning a trip to the state championship on Nov. 6 in Round Rock.
The 2021 season begins Friday night at 11:25 p.m. with Montwood’s Race to Midnight at Socorro’s Student Activities Complex and on Saturday morning at 8 a.m. at the Mountain View High School Cross Country Invitational.
The San Elizario boys are working toward defending its Class 4A state title and the Eastwood boys are hoping to improve on their Class 6A runner-up finish from last year.
The Franklin girls will be seeking its third consecutive trip to state. The Cougars finished fourth behind state champ Lewisville Flower Mound, Southlake Carroll Conroe The Woodlands.
A new season brings new hope for El Paso runners. Key dates to remember are Oct. 16 (districts), Oct. 25 (regional) and Nov. 6 (state championship).
Individually, Eastlake senior Israel David is shooting for another opportunity to return to the state medal stand after finishing with a bronze at last year’s Class 6A race.
Also look for a strong season from Coronado junior Luis Pastor, Americas seniors Jared Laverty and Carmelo Corral, Eastwood seniors Isaac Mendoza and Andres Gurrola, Pebble Hills junior Omer Ibrahim, Hanks junior Alejandro Tarin, San Eliario junior Chris Moreno and Riverside senior Andrew Valdiviezo and Tornillo junior Angel Torres and freshman Daniel Romero.
Eastlake senior Israel David (left) is the top returning runner. David earned a bronze medal at last year’s Class 6A race.
On the girl’s side, Eastwood senior Lauren Walls-Portillo looks to have a breakout season. Walls-Portillo finished 17th at last year’s Class 6A state championship. Also look for Franklin juniors Alyssa Laspada, Jenna Saunders and Michele Paillard to have strong seasons as well as Montwood junior Kassandra Jimenez and Jefferson seniors Monique Correa and Crystal Peterson.
Eastwood senior Lauren Walls-Portillo finished 17th at last year’s Class 6A state championship. Walls-Portillo hopes to lead the Troopers back to regionals.
The season begins Friday night at 11:25 p.m. with Montwood’s Race to Midnight at Socorro’s Student Activities Complex and on Saturday morning at 8 a.m. at the Mountain View High School Cross Country Invitational.
Here is a look at the top 10 teams heading into the 2021 season.
Eastwood Andres Gurrola is one of six seniors for the Troopers. Eastwood finished 2020 with Class 6A state silver medal.
BOYS
Eastwood: The Troopers finished 2020 with Class 6A state silver medal, just six points behind Southlake Carroll. The Troopers are in reload mode after losing four of its top five state finishers. Seniors Isaac Mendoza, Andres Gurrola and Victor Anchondo looked strong at the 5th annual Parra Law Road Race a few weeks ago. The team will look for seniors Nick Parra, Devon Paez and Dylan Sandoval and sophomore Jacob Beckett to pick up some points on the back end. The team is seeking its eighth straight state berth.
2. Americas: The Trailblazers missed out on its third consecutive Class 6A state trip, finishing fourth place at last year’s regionals. Seniors Jared Laverty, Carmelo Corral and Aaron Saenz will be the front of the pack runners for Americas but will need to find four consistent runners on the back end to compete at the regional level.
3. San Elizario: The Eagles earned it seventh straight trip to state last year where the team won the Class 4A state championship. San Elizario lost its top two runners from last season and will lean on junior Chris Moreno and seniors Irvin Vazquez and Alan Ceballos for a possible return trip to Round Rock.
4. Coronado: The T-Birds will be led by juniors Luis Pastor and Sam Breceda, senior Stephen Pitchkolan with sophomore Carlos Mendez and junior Sam Flores filling out the top five. Look for Coronado to challenge for a spot to the Class 6A regional.
5. Franklin: The Cougars were young last year and it showed at the beginning of the season. Franklin showed great improvement as the season progressed and hope to build on that behind juniors Rai Lopez and Diego Flores and sophomores Matthew Engle and Sebastian Gonzalez, who were competitive at the Parra Law Road Race at Vista Hills Country Club. If healthy, Franklin should be strong enough to contend for a shot at regionals.
6. Hanks: The Knightshave a pair of solid runners – junior Alejandro Tarin and senior Gael Alvarado – who are capable of reaching state. Matter of fact, Tarin was a Class 5A qualifier and finished in the top 50. Hanks could contend for a district title depending on an unexperienced next five of seniors Matthew Abeyta and Daniel George and juniors Andres Garcia, Angel Gomez and Gael Ornales.
7. Cathedral: The Irish return six runners from a team that missed out on a state bronze medal at the Class 6A TAPPS state championship in 2020. A trio of juniors – Bernard Martinez, Elijah Noble and Jacob Noble – will lead the team with seniors Dylan Lorilla and Marcos Garcia, junior Victor Martinez and sophomore Preston Arnett adding additional back-end points.
8. Tornillo: Tornillo has established itself as a Class 3A state power, making 11 state appearances in the past 12 years. Sophomore Daniel Romero and junior Angel Torres will lead the team again this year. Torres was fourth and Romero finished 12 at last year’s state championship. The Coyotes are in desperate need of depth in order for a return to state.
9. Pebble Hills: For the first time in school history, the Spartans make an appearance in the pre-season Top 10. Junior Omer Ibrahim will lead a young promising Pebble Hills team. Junior Noah Castorena and Fernando Morales should help on the front end. The Spartans will definitely be a team to watch in the next few years.
10. Burges: The Mustangs return three seniors – David Herrera, Aaron Gomez and Julian Maldonado – with Region 1-5A meet experience. The defending four-time District 1-5A will be in for another solid season.
Dropped out: None. On the verge: Bel Air, El Paso High, Riverside.
Junior Alyssa Laspada leads the Cougars this season. Franklin has made the Class 6A state championship the past two years and have won the past three District 1-6A team championships.
Girls
1. Franklin: The Cougars have made two consecutive trips to the Class 6A state meet and have won three straight District 1-6A team championships. In order to maintain that level of racing, the Cougars will rely on a pair of seniors (Jenna Saunders and Jordan Torres) and four juniors led by Alyssa Laspada, Abigail Barraza, Sofia Camacho and Michelle Paillard. All six have been on varsity since their freshman season so expect similar results in 2021.
2. Montwood: The Rams finished seventh in Region 1-6A in 2020 with Kassandra Jimenez advancing to state. The junior will lead a talented squad that includes junior Jazmine Miranda and senior Alexa Rangel. This could be another big season for the Rams.
3. Eastwood: Senior Lauren Walls-Portillo, who finished 17th at the Class 6A state championship, is poised to take over the reigns as El Paso top female runner. Eastwood, which missed out on regionals last year, will need big seasons from newcomer Adelynn Rodriguez, seniors Adalia Olmos and Jasmine Martinez and juniors Salma Licon and Sophia Watts.
4. Jefferson: Seniors Monique Correra and Crystal Peterson are District 1-5A’s top runners. In order for the Foxes to return to Regionals, they will need consistency from seniors Jelia Lugo and Sophia Hernandez. Jefferson typically begins to peak in the second part of the season so don’t expect too much in the first month.
5. Bel Air: The Highlanders, which won its first district championship since 1982 last fall, will be led by seniors Abigail Murillo and Jaylee Levario. The questions is – can Bel Air find three runners to fill in for the three quality seniors it lost to graduation?
6. Coronado: The T-Birds have the potential to contend for a regional berth with the return of juniors Kyra Walker and senior Banah Abdeljaber. Junior Sonya Lee and sophomore Alexa Lawrence will provide some back-end support but Coronado must find some depth to complete the 5-7 spots.
7. El Paso High: El Paso High will try to build off its District 1-5A championship trip to the Region 1, Class 5A championship. Juniors Shayla Cohen Jones and Jezarae Valenzuela are the top returnees for the Tigers. El Paso is not a deep team so it might take some time before they reach its full potential.
8. Hanks: Seniors Mia Rivera and Madison Spencer hope to use their leadership to propel the Knights. Junior Ashley White and senior Ashley Ibarra will gobble up some points. Hanks will need some help in in the 5-7 spots to contend for a spot to the Region 1-5A championship.
9. Pebble Hills: For the first time in school history, the Spartans crack the pre-season top 10. The team will be led by newcomer Natalia Martinez who is nursing a minor injury. She will be supported by sophomores Natalie Franco and Carolina Zarrabal, Krystal Talavera and Alexis McBride. In a very competitive District 1-6A, Pebble Hills could be a season away from contending for a spot to regionals.
10. Del Valle: The Conquistadores return its top three runners from a team that finished fourth in District 2-5A. Senior Disany Sandoval, sophomore Jaslyne Ramirez and junior Valeria Loo-Kung hope to lead Del Valle to a top three district finish and a trip to regionals.
El Paso Running 