Day: August 17, 2023

High School Boy’s Cross Country Poll: Week 1

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

Franklin Invitational: 8 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 19 at Mary Frances Keisling Park. Franklin, Chapin, Eastlake, Hanks, VVECHS, Tornillo, Bel Air, Ysleta, Socorro, Bowie, Andress, Parkland, Eastlake, Mt View, Harmony, Tornillo.

Canutillo ISD Invitational 8 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 19 at Canutillo Middle School. Canutillo, Burges, El Paso, Jefferson, Austin, Eastwood, El Dorado, Montwood, Da Vinci, Americas, Pebble Hills, Clint, Loretto, Riverside, Del Valle, San Eli, Horizon, YWLA, Cathedral Coronado, Irvin.

The season got off to a great start last week at the Pebble Hills Invitational at Blackie Chesher Park.

Top 10

1. Franklin: The Cougars placed six runners in the top 10 to win the Pebble Hills Invitational at Blackie Chesher Park. Seniors Matthew Engle was second in 16:42.84 and Sebastian Gonzalez was third in 17:01.420. Seniors Adan Castillo was sixth (17:23.63) and Juan Leal was seventh (17:23.72). Senior Carlos Mendez was ninth (17:32.52) and sophomore Sebastian was 10th in 17:39.53.  Franklin will race in its own invitational Saturday at Mary Frances Keisling Park.

2. Eastwood: The Troopers did not race last week. Eastwood is scheduled to compete at the Canutillo Invitational at Canutillo Middle School on Saturday.

3. San Elizario: The Eagles did not race last week. San Elizario is scheduled to compete at the Canutillo Invitational at Canutillo Middle School.

4. El Paso High: The Tigers won the 2.7-mile Mt. View Invitational, placing five runners in the top seven, claiming the top four spots. Junior Miles Westbrook won in 15:42.46 followed by senior Leo Valenzuela (15:54.53), junior Ulysses O’Rourke (16:28.36) and junior Lorenzo Shields (17:00.21). Freshman Justin Ontiveros was seventh in 17:35.16. El Paso will be challenged at the Canutillo Invitational at Canutillo Middle School on Saturday.

5. Pebble Hills: The Spartans were second at its own invitational at Blackie Chesher Park with 82 points. Junior Jorge Soto was the lone top 10 runner, finishing eighth in 17:28.95. The team placed four runners in the top 20 – sophomore Zyler Garnica (17th, 18:22.61), junior Pablo Corral (18th, 18:33.065), freshman Adrian Cisneros Rodriguez (19th, 18:42.71) and senior Daniel Luna (20th, 18:52.07). Two of their top runners, senior Mark Barajas and junior Ameen Ibrahim, did not run. The team will race at the Canutillo Invitational on Saturday.

6. Coronado: The T-Birds took the top three spots to win the Irvin Invitational. Sophomore Humberto Serna was first in 14:21.91 followed by junior Max Sandhu (14:33.91) and sophomore Rodrigo Pinales (15:08.05). The course was 2.7 miles. Coronado’s top two runners, seniors Edgar Valles and Carlos Mendez, did not race. The team is scheduled to race at the Canutillo Invitational on Saturday.

7. Americas: The Trailblazers finished fourth at the Pebble Hills Invitational at Blackie Chesher Park with 178 points. Its lone bright spot was junior Diego Romero who won the individual title in 16:42.66. It’s other two top runners, seniors Christian Hurtado and Jacob Corral, did not race. The team will compete at the Canutillo Invitational on Saturday.

8. Chapin: The Huskies finished third at the Pebble Hills Invitational at Blackie Chesher Park with 109 points. Senior Seth Truax was fourth in 17:03.42. Chapin had three others in the top 20, senior Sean Sanchez (13th, 17:48.85) and junior Braulio Torres (14th, 17:49.00). The team will race the Franklin Invitational at Mary Frances Keisling Park on Saturday.

9. Hanks: The Knights did not run its top two runners at the Mt. View Invitational. Sophomore Zerach Hernandez, was the top finisher, completing the 2.7-mile course in 17:55.35, good for 11th place. The team will race at the Franklin Invitational at Mary Frances Keisling Park on Saturday.

10. Eastlake: The Falcons did not run its varsity at the Pebble Hills Invitational. They are scheduled to race the Franklin Invitational at Mary Frances Keisling Park on Saturday.

Dropped out: None.

On the brink: Burges, Bel Air.

El Paso High junior Lorenzo Shields out kicks Burges senior Esteban Armendariz for fifth place at the Mt. View Invitational. Photo by Prep1.

Top times (3 mile or 5K)

1, Diego Romero, Americas, 16:42.66 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

2, Matthew Engle, Franklin, 16:42.84 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

3, Sebastian Gonzalez, Franklin, 17:01.420 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

4, Seth Truax, Chapin, 17:03.42 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

5, Israel Quintana, Immanuel, 17:04.47 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

6, Adan Castillo, Franklin, 17:23.63 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

7, Juan Leal, Franklin, 17:23.72 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

8, Jorge Soto, Pebble Hills, 17:28.95 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

9, Carlos Mendez, Franklin, 17:32.52 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

10, Sebastian Mendez, Franklin, 17:39.53 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

11, Gabriel Uranga, Franklin, 17:39.55 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

12, Jacob Martinez, Franklin, 17:43.92 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

13, Sean Sanchez, Chapin, 17:48.85 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

14, Braulio Torres, Chapin, 17:49.00 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

15, Sebastian Camacho, Franklin, 17:49.89 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

16, Dauntae Herrera, Chapin, 18:13.715 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

17, Zyler Garnica, Pebble Hills, 18:22.61 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

18, Pablo Corral, Pebble Hills, 18:33.065 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

19, Adrian Cisneros Rodriguez, Pebble Hills, 18:42.71 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

20, Daniel Luna, Pebble Hills, 18:52.07 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

21, Daniel Flores, Eastlake, 18:58.40 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

22, Erick Gutierrez, Pebble Hills, 19:03.86 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

23, Diego Romero-Alvarado, Eastlake, 19:13.31 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

24, Emanuel Delgado, Tornillo, 19:15.21 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

25, Tristan Edwards, Pebble Hills, 19:19.95 (Blackie Chesher, 8/11).

Americas junior Diego Romero won the individual title at the Pebble Hills Invitational.

Power Rankings

1, Diego Romero, Americas, 10 (1).

1, Humberto Serna, Coronado, 10 (1).

1, Miles Westbrook, El Paso, 10 (1).

4, Max Sandhu, Coronado, 9.

4, Matthew Engle, Franklin, 9.

4, Leo Valenzuela, El Paso, 9.

7, Sebastian Gonzalez, Franklin, 8.

7, Rodrigo Pinales, Coronado, 8.

7, Ulysses O’Rourke, El Paso, 8.

10, Seth Truax, Chapin, 7.

10, Leonardo Resendez, Bel Air, 7.

10, Lorenzo Shields, El Paso, 7.

Israel Quintana, Immanuel, 6.

Bradley Jacobo, Montwood, 6.

Esteban Armendariz, Burges, 6.

Adan Castillo, Franklin, 5.

Hernnan Duarte, Bel Air, 5.

Jesse Ortiz, Fabens, 5.

Juan Leal, Franklin, 4.

Evan Romero, Canutillo, 4.

Justin Ontiveros, El Paso, 4.

Jorge Soto, Pebble Hills, 3.

Yael Lira, Bel Air, 3.

Damian Espinosa, Del Valle, 3.

Carlos Mendez, Franklin, 2.

Jayden (Seth) Vargas, Montwood, 2.

Malin Arnoldussen, Burges, 2.

Sebastian Mendez, Franklin, 1.

Ivan Martinez, Socorro, 1.

Abraham Martinez, Horizon, 1.