High School Boy’s XC Poll: Week 2

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 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 race times and the meets and dates that they occurred.

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

This week’s schedule

Rudy Alvarez Invitational: 8 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 27 at Del Valle High School. Burges, Jefferson, Andress, Chapin, Del Valle, Pebble Hills, Montwood, Eastlake, Socorro, Americas, San Eli, Ysleta, Bel Air, Hanks, Parkland, VVECH, Eastwood, Ft Hancock, Loretto, Cathedral, Tornillo, Riverside, Canutillo.

Gadsden Invitational: 8 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 27 at Chaparral High School. Irvin, Austin, Bowie, El Paso.

Southlake Carroll Invitational: 8 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 27 at Southlake Carroll High School. Franklin.

Albuquerque Invitational: 8 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 27 in Albuquerque. Coronado.

Top 10

1. Eastwood: The Troopers won the Canutillo Invitational at Canutillo Middle School with 25 points. Eastwood placed all five scoring runners in the top 10 lead by junior Alexander Flores (second, 16:31.36). Senior Matthew Marshall was fourth in 17:02.39 followed by senior Anthony Casillas (fifth, 17:24.80), junior Leo Espino (sixth,17:32.41) and senior Joaquin Chavez (ninth, 17:49.43). Eastwood’s 1 through 5 split was 1 minute and 18 seconds, something they must work on during the season. The team will race at the Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle on Saturday.

2. Franklin: The Cougars won their invitational at Mary Frances Keisling Park with 31 points. Franklin had four runners in the top 10 including junior Matthew Engle (second, 16:04.89), senior Diego Flores (third, 16:20.54), junior Juan Leal (seventh, 16:51.01) and senior Denovan Estrada (eighth, 16:56.69). Franklin’s 1-5 split was 53 seconds. The team will travel to Southlake Carroll.

3. Coronado: The T-Birds finished second at the Franklin Invitational with 66 points. Senior Luis Pastor won his second straight individual title in 15:46.25. Junior Edgar Valles was ninth in 16:57.66. The team will race at Albuquerque Invitational on Saturday.

4. Pebble Hills: The Spartans were again without Texas Mile Split preseason first team All State runner senior Omer Ibrahim who is nursing a minor injury. The team finished fourth at the 14-team, 100-runner Franklin Invitational. Sophomore Ameen Ibrahim was the top finisher, placing 21^st in 17:43.10. The Spartans will race at the Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle on Saturday.

5. San Elizario: The Eagles were second at the Canutillo Invitational with 44 points. Senior Chris Moreno won his second consecutive individual crown in 16:31.09. Junior Julian Guerra was third in 17:01.21 and junior Angel Maese was eighth in 17:44.44. The team will race at Del Valle on Saturday.

6. El Paso High: The Tigers move up two spots after its third-place finish at the Franklin Invitational. Sophomore Miles Westbrook was the low-point runner, finishing 13^th in 17:12.87. Junior Leo Valenzuela (19^th, 17:30.72) and sophomore Ulysses O’Rourke (20th, 17:40.42) had top 20 finishes. El Paso will race at the Gadsden Invitational on Saturday.

7. Cathedral:  The Irish did not race on Saturday. The team is scheduled to race at the Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle on Saturday.

8. Tornillo: The Class 3A Coyotesjump in the top 10 for the first time this season after its impressive fifth place finish at the tough Franklin Invitational. For the past two years Tornillo’s 1-2 punch of junior Daniel Romero, (fifth, 16:39.06) and senior Angel Torres (sixth, 16:44.41) have been state contenders as individuals. Now it appears the team might have runners in the 3 to 5 slots to make another run at a state team medal. Only time will tell. The team will race at the Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle on Saturday.

9. Americas: The Trailblazers drop three spots after finishing sixth at the Franklin Invitational. Its top runner was junior Jacob Corral who was 28^th in 18:29.62. Americas will race at the Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle on Saturday.

10. Hanks: The Knights drop one after its 7^th place finish at the Franklin Invitational. Senior Alejandro Tarin was fourth in 16:22.89. Hanks will race at the Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle on Saturday.

Dropped out:  Eastlake.

On the brink: Chapin, Bel Air.

Top times (3 mile or 5K)

1, Luis Pastor, Coronado, 15:46.25 (Mary Keisling Park, 8/20).

2, Matthew Engle, Franklin, 16:04.89 (Mary Keisling Park, 8/20).

3, Diego Flores, Franklin, 16:20.54 (Mary Keisling Park, 8/20).

4, Alejandro Tarin, Hanks, 16:22.89 (Mary Keisling Park, 8/20).

5, Chris Moreno, San Elizario, 16:29.97 (Clint, 8/13).

6, Alexander Flores, Eastwood, 16:31.36 (Canutillo, 8/20).

7, Daniel Romero, Tornillo, 16:36.91 (Clint, 8/13).

8, Ameen Ibrahim, Pebble Hills, 16:42.44 (Blackie Chesher, 8/12).

9, Noah Castorena, Pebble Hills, 16:44.13 (Blackie Chesher, 8/12).

10, Angel Torres, Tornillo, 16:44.41 (Mary Keisling Park, 8/20).

11, Julian Guerra, San Elizario, 16:45.80 (Clint, 8/13).

12, Juan Leal, Franklin, 16:51.01 (Mary Keisling Park, 8/20).

13, Jacob Noble, Cathedral, 16:51.73 (Blackie Chesher, 8/12).

14, Elijah Noble, Cathedral, 16:52.88 (Blackie Chesher, 8/12).

15, Denovan Estrada, Franklin, 16:56.69 (Mary Keisling Park, 8/20).

16, Edgar Valles, Coronado, 16:57.66 (Mary Keisling Park, 8/20).

17, Michael Castorena, Parkland, 16:58.51 (Mary Keisling Park, 8/20).

18, Sebastian Gonzalez, Franklin, 16:58.76 (Mary Keisling Park, 8/20).

19, Matthew Marshall, Eastwood, 17:02.39 (Canutillo, 8/20).

20, Seth Truax, Chapin, 17:03.07 (Blackie Chesher, 8/12).

21, Adan Castillo, Franklin, 17:05.14 (Mary Keisling Park, 8/20).

22, Miles Westbrook, El Paso, 17:12.87 (Mary Keisling Park, 8/20).

23, Matthew, Guerra, Burges, 17:12.41 (Blackie Chesher, 8/12).

24, Frank Lozano, Franklin, 17:15.36 (Mary Keisling Park, 8/20).

25, Preston Eastman, Coronado,  17:20.71 (Mary Keisling Park, 8/20).

Power Rankings

1, Chris Moreno, San Elizario, 20 (2).

1, Luis Pastor, Coronado, 20 (2).

3, Julian Guerra, San Elizario, 16.

4, Daniel Romero, Tornillo, 15.

5, Alejandro Tarin, Hanks, 14.

6, Ameen Ibrahim, Pebble Hills, 10 (1).

6, Israel Quintana, Immanuel, 10.

6, Angel Torres, Tornillo, 10.

6, Michael Castorena, Parkland, 10.

10, Noah Castorena, Pebble Hills, 9.

6, Alexander Flores, Eastwood, 9.

10, Matthew Engle, Franklin, 9.

10, Edgar Valles, Coronado, 9.

Diego Flores, Franklin, 8.

Jacob Noble, Cathedral, 8.

Miles Westbrook, El Paso, 8.

Matthew Marshall, Eastwood, 7.

Elijah Noble, Cathedral, 7.

Anthony Casillas, Eastwood, 6.

Seth Truax, Chapin, 6.

Preston Eastman, Coronado, 6.

Leo Espino, Eastwood, 5.

Matthew, Guerra, Burges, 5.

Angel Maese, San Elizario, 5.

Ulysses O’Rourke, El Paso, 5.

Zachary Rivas, Pebble Hills, 4.

Sam Flores, Coronado, 4.

Leonardo Resendez, Bel Air, 4.

Edward Robledo-Gonzales, Mt. View, 4.

Juan Leal, Franklin, 4.

Denovan Estrada, Franklin, 3.

Braulio Torres, Chapin, 3.

Leo Valenzuela, El Paso, 3.

Joaquin Chavez, Eastwood, 2.

Robert Dickerson, Pebble Hills, 2.

Ayden Lugo, El Paso, 2.

Micha Lay, Pebble Hills, 1.

Carlos Mendez, Coronado, 1.

William Potter, Bel Air, 1.