Day: September 15, 2021

High School Girl’s XC Poll: Week 5

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.

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

This week’s schedule

District Preview: 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 18 at Vista Hills Country Club. All schools.

Woodbridge Classic: 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18 at SilverLakes Sports Complex in Woodbridge, Calif. Eastwood.

We are at the midway mark of the 2021 season as things start to heat up. Vista Hills Country Club will be the place to be on Saturday as all teams are scheduled to compete in the District Preview meet.

Top 10

1. Eastwood: The Troopers did not race on Saturday. Eastwood has been putting in extra work the past two weeks in preparation of two major races – the 40th annual Woodbridge Cross Country Classic presented by ASICS America in Woodbridge, Calif. on Saturday and the Desert Twilight, the Nike Pre-Southwest Regional meet, in Queen Creek Arizona on Sept. 25.

2. Franklin: The Cougars scored 25 points to win the EPISD Invitational at Mary Francis Keisling Park on Saturday. Franklin placed four of its runners in the top five led by junior Alyssa Laspada (second, 18:52.40), senior Jordan Torres (third, 19:07.10), junior Abby Barraza (fourth, 19:25.63) and senior Jenna Saunders (fifth, 19:37.10). Franklin will race at the District Preview at Vista Hills Country Club on Saturday.

3. Pebble Hills: The Spartans did not run its top runners at the Loretto/Cathedral Invitational at Veterans Park. They will race at the District Preview at Vista Hills Country Club on Saturday.

4. Montwood:  The Rams finished second at the EPISD Invitational at Mary Francis Keisling Park on Saturday with 51 points. Junior Kassandra Jimenez turned in a season-best 18:28.29, the second fastest time in the city.  Montwood had two other runners – senior Alexa Rangel (seventh, in 19:51.64) and junior Jazmine Miranda (eighth, 19:57.30) – in the top 10. Rangel and Miranda also ran season-best times. Montwood will race at the District Preview at Vista Hills Country Club on Saturday.

5. Jefferson: The Foxes did not run a full team at the Loretto/Cathedral Invitational at Veterans Park but did place two runners – junior Crystal Peterson (third, 21:07.17) and senior Monique Correa (seventh, 21:46.60) – in the top 10. Jefferson will race at the District Preview at Vista Hills Country Club on Saturday.

6. Coronado: The T-Birds finished continue to improve and finished third at the EPISD Invitational at Mary Francis Keisling Park with 70 points. Junior Kyra Walker had her best race of her season, finishing 10th in 19:58.38. Coronado will race at the District Preview at Vista Hills Country Club on Saturday.

7. Del Valle: The Conquistadores did not race a full team at the EPISD Invitational at Mary Francis Keisling Park on Saturday. Senior Anisa Sanchez was ninth in a season-best 19:57.84. Del Valle will race at the District Preview at Vista Hills Country Club on Saturday.

8. Canutillo: The Eagles move up one after winning the Loretto/Cathedral Invitational with 55 points. Junior Natalie Rivera was second in 20:10.43 and junior Dania Cano finished one spot outside of the top 10 in 22:50.26.  Canutillo will race at the District Preview at Vista Hills Country Club on Saturday.

9. Hanks: The Knights finished second with 89 points at the Loretto/Cathedral Invitational at Veterans Park and moved down one spot. Senior Mia Rivera picked up her first win of the season in 20:02.00.  The team will race at the District Preview at Vista Hills Country Club on Saturday.

10. Socorro: The Bulldogs did not run a full team at the EPISD Invitational at Mary Francis Keisling Park. Senior Ana Rojas was sixth in 19:38.94. The team will race at the District Preview at Vista Hills Country Club on Saturday.

Dropped out: None.

On the brink: El Paso High, Burges, Eastlake.

Americas freshman Lexee Salas has been a nice addition as the Trailblazers try to rebuild. She finished fifth at last week’s Loretto/Cathedral Invitational.

Top times (3 mile or 5K)

1, Lauren Walls-Portillo, Eastwood, 17:58.28 (Del Valle, 8/28).

2, Kassandra Jimenez, Montwood, 18:28.29 (Mary Frances Keisling, 9/11)

3, Alyssa Laspada, Franklin, 18:30.07 (Southlake, 8/28).

4, Adelynn Rodriguez, Eastwood, 18:37.95 (Del Valle, 8/28).

5, Pamela Ramirez, Burges, 18:59.11 (Del Valle, 8/28).

6, Jordan Torres, Franklin, 19:07.10 (Mary Frances Keisling, 9/11).

7, Natalia Martinez, Pebble Hills, 19:08.03 (Del Valle, 8/28).

8, Abby Barraza, Franklin, 19:25.63 (Mary Frances Keisling, 9/11).

9, Jenna Saunders, Franklin, 19:37.10 (Mary Frances Keisling, 9/11).

10, Ana Rojas, Socorro, 19:38.94 (Mary Frances Keisling, 9/11).

11, Adalia Olmos, Eastwood, 19:41.07 (Del Valle, 8/28).

12, Natalie Rivera, Canutillo, 19:45.20 (Shawver Park, 9/4).

13, Alexa Rangel, Montwood, 19:51.64 (Mary Frances Keisling, 9/11).

14, Mia Rivera, Hanks, 19:53.20 (Shawver Park, 9/4).

15, Salma Licon, Eastwood, 19:54.44 (Del Valle, 8/28).

16, Jazmine Miranda, Montwood, 19:57.39 (Mary Frances Keisling, 9/11).

17, Anisa Sanchez, Del Valle, 19:57.84 (Mary Frances Keisling, 9/11).

18, Kyra Walker, Coronado, 19:58.38 (Mary Frances Keisling, 9/11).

19, Carolina Zarrabal, Pebble Hills, 19:58.92 (Del Valle, 8/28).

20, Sofia Camacho, Franklin, 20:03.13 (Canutillo, 8/21).

21, Giselle Rubio, Eastlake, 20:03.35 (Mary Frances Keisling, 9/11).

22, Banah Abdeljaber, Coronado, 20:11.1 (Mary Frances Keisling, 9/11).

23, Michele Paillard, Franklin, 20:16.4 (Mary Frances Keisling, 9/11).

24, Valeria Loo-Kung, Del Valle, 20:16.96 (Del Valle, 8/28).

25, Abigail Murillo, Bel Air, 20:18.22 (Del Valle, 8/28).

El Paso High sophomore Andrea Castillo has the Tigers on the brink of El Paso Running’s top 10. She finished eighth at the Loretto/Cathedral Invitational in 22:14.16.

Power rankings
(number parenthesis indicate meets won):

1, Alyssa Laspada, Franklin, 35 (1).

2, Natalie Rivera, Canutillo, 34 (1).

3, Kassandra Jimenez, Montwood, 31 (2).

3, Mia Rivera, Hanks, 31 (1).

5, Lauren Walls-Portillo, Eastwood, 29 (2).

6, Adelynn Rodriguez, Eastwood, 28 (1).

7, Jordan Torres, Franklin, 27.

8, Jenna Saunders, Franklin, 25.

9, Pamela Ramirez, Burges, 24.

10, Crystal Peterson, Jefferson, 23.

Monique Correa, Jefferson, 22.

Natalia Martinez, Pebble Hills, 21 (1).

Alexa Rangel, Montwood, 18.

Abby Barraza, Franklin, 17.

Andrea Castillo, El Paso High, 13.

Carolina Zarrabal, Pebble Hills, 12.

Ana Rojas, Socorro, 10.

Anisa Sanchez, Del Valle, 8.

Elizabeth Hernandez, Austin, 8.

Dania Cano, Canutillo, 7.

Abigail Murillo, Bel Air, 7.

Lexee Salas, Americas, 7.

Adalia Olmos, Eastwood, 5.

Samantha Ramirez, San Elizario, 5.

Sofia Camacho, Franklin, 4.

Natalie Franco, Pebble Hills, 4.

Jaylee Levario, Bel Air, 4.

Allison Perez, Coronado, 3.

Jazmine Miranda, Montwood, 3.

Disany Sandoval, Del Valle, 3.

Salma Licon, Eastwood, 3.

Giselle Rubio, Eastlake, 2.

Caroline Pitchkolan, Coronado, 2.

Sophia Watts, Eastwood, 2.

Olivia Garcia, Tornillo, 1.

Alexa Lawrence, Coronado, 1.

Jennifer Najar, Canutillo, 1.

Abigail Murillo, Bel Air, 1.

Kyra Walker, Coronado, 1.

Sofia Ramirez, El Paso High, 1.