Day: August 31, 2023

High School Boy’s Cross Country Poll: Week 3

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

Americas Invitational: 8 a.m. Friday, Sept. 1 at Blackie Chesher Park. Pebble Hills, Mt View, Austin, El Paso, Andress, Burges, Americas, Hanks, Parkland, Horizon, Ysleta.

Clint/Riverside Invitational: 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 2 at Clint High School. Del Valle, Chapin, Jefferson, Bowie, Franklin, Socorro, El Dorado, VVECHS, YWLA, Montwood, Tornillo, Bel Air, Fabens, Clint, Loretto, Cathedral, Eastwood, San Eli, Canutillo, Riverside, Harmony, Anthony, Coronado, Irvin.

Pebble Hills aenior Mark Barajas, center, had a top 10 finish in Albuquerque placing seventh in 16:09.0.

Top 10

1. Franklin: The Eastwood Twilight Invitational came down to Franklin’s sixth runner Gabriel Uranga who finished ahead of Eastwood’s sixth runner, giving the Cougars the win at Eastside Sports Complex on Friday. The teams tied at 36 after Franklin placed four runners – senior Matthew Engle (third, 15:36.19), senior Juan Leal (fourth, 15:38.50), senior Adan Castillo (seventh, 15:52.10) and senior Carlos Mendez (tenth, 16:00.64) – in the top 10. The team will race at the Clint/Riverside Invitational at Clint High School on Saturday.

2. Eastwood: The Troopers had four runners in the top 10 at their Twilight Invitational, including junior Aidan Torres who set a city-best 15:28.90 to win the event. Senior Sulliman Rodriguez was fifth in 15:39.73, senior Leo Espino was sixth in 15:44.38 and junior Luke Cruz (eighth,      15:55.39). Next up is the Clint/Riverside Invitational at Clint High School on Saturday.

3. El Paso High: The Tigers finished third at the Eastwood Twilight Invitational with 104 points. For the second week in a row, junior Miles Westbrook was second in 15:34.11. Senior Leo Valenzuela was 13th in 16:15.98. El Paso will race the Americas Invitational at Blackie Chesher Park on Friday morning.       

4. San Elizario: The Eagles jump two spots after placing fourth at the Eastwood Twilight with 133 points. Its top two runners were senior Julian Guerra (11th, 16:03.12) and senior Angel Maese (15th, 16:23.61). The team will race at the Clint/Riverside Invitational at Clint High School on Saturday.

5. Coronado: The T-Birds drop one after finishing fifth at the Eastwood Twilight with 150 points. Senior Edgar Valles had another top 10 finish, placing ninth in 15:59.00. Sophomore Humberto Serna was 14th in 16:16.93. The team will travel to Clint High School for Clint/Riverside Invitational on Saturday.

6. Pebble Hills: The Spartans finished eighth at the Cleveland Invitational in Albuquerque and dropped one spot. Senior Mark Barajas had a top 10 finish, placing seventh in 16:09.0.The team will race the Americas Invitational at Blackie Chesher Park on Friday morning.

7. Chapin: The Huskies placed seventh at the Eastwood Twilight Invitational. The team was without its top runner, senior Seth Truax.  Junior Braulio Torres finished 20th in 16:37.93. Chapin will race at the Clint/Riverside Invitational at Clint High School on Saturday.

8. Eastlake: The Falcons finished ninth at the Cleveland Invitational in Albuquerque. Its top runner was Devyn Armendariz who was 44th in 17:52.6.

9. Burges: The Mustangs finished sixth at the Eastwood Twilight. Junior Malin Arnoldussen was the top runner, finishing 31st in 17:02.00. Burges will race the Americas Invitational at Blackie Chesher Park on Friday morning.  

10. Bel Air: The Highlanders crack the top 10 with its eighth-place finish at the Eastwood Twilight. Its top two runners were senior Hernnan Duarte (32nd, 17:03.29) and senior Leonardo Resendez (33rd, 17:03.68). Bel Air will race at the Clint/Riverside Invitational at Clint High School on Saturday.

Dropped out: Socorro.

On the brink: Del Valle.

El Paso High junior Ulysses O’Rourke clocked the city’s 25th fastest time last week at the Eastside Sports Complex finishing in 16:39.37.

Top times (3 mile or 5K)

1, Aidan Torres, Eastwood, 15:28.90 (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).

2, Matthew Engle, Franklin, 15:31.34 (Mary Frances Keisling Park, 8/19).

3, Miles Westbrook, El Paso, 15:34.11 (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).

4, Juan Leal, Franklin, 15:38.50 (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).

5, Sulliman Rodriguez, Eastwood, 15:39.73 (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).

6, Leo Espino, Eastwood, 15:44.38 (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).

7, Adan Castillo, Franklin, 15:52.10 (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).

8, Luke Cruz, Eastwood, 15:55.39 (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).

9, Edgar Valles, Coronado, 15:59.00 (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).

10, Carlos Mendez, Franklin, 16:00.64 (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).

11, Julian Guerra, San Elizario, 16:03.12 (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).

12, Diego Romero, Americas, 16:05.7 (Cleveland Invitational, 8/26).

13, Mark Barajas, Pebble Hills, 16:09.0 (Cleveland Invitational, 8/26).

14, Sebastian Gonzalez, Franklin, 16:10.26 (Mary Frances Keisling Park, 8/19).

15, Israel Quintana, Immanuel Christian, 16:15.78 (Mary Frances Keisling Park, 8/19).

16, Leo Valenzuela, El Paso, 16:15.98 (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).

17, Humberto Serna, Coronado, 16:16.93 (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).

18, Angel Maese, San Elizario, 16:23.61 (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).

19, Seth Truax, Chapin, 16:27.53 (Mary Frances Keisling Park, 8/19).

20, Eric Gonzalez, Eastwood, 16:30.89  (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).

21, Gabriel Uranga, Franklin, 16:33.62 (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).

22, Sebastian Mendez, Franklin, 16:35.41 (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).

23, Braulio Torres, Chapin, 16:37.93 (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).

24, Rodrigo Pinales, Coronado, 16:38.34 (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).

25, Ulysses O’Rourke, El Paso, 16:39.37 (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).

Burges junior Malin Arnoldussen has helped lead the Mustangs this season.

Power Rankings

1, Miles Westbrook, El Paso, 28 (1).

2, Matthew Engle, Franklin, 27 (1).

3, Diego Romero, Americas, 22 (1).

4, Aidan Torres, Eastwood, 20 (2).

4, Juan Leal, Franklin, 20.

6, Adan Castillo, Franklin, 17.

7, Sebastian Gonzalez, Franklin, 14.

8, Sulliman Rodriguez, Eastwood, 13.

8, Humberto Serna, Coronado, 13 (1).

8, Leo Valenzuela, El Paso, 13.

 Israel Quintana, Immanuel, 12.

Seth Truax, Chapin, 11.

Max Sandhu, Coronado, 9.

Rodrigo Pinales, Coronado, 8.

Ulysses O’Rourke, El Paso, 8.

Luke Cruz, Eastwood, 8.

Edgar Valles, Coronado, 8.

Carlos Mendez, Franklin, 8.

Eirik Arredondo, Austin, 8.

Evan Romero, Canutillo, 8.

Leonardo Resendez, Bel Air, 7.

Lorenzo Shields, El Paso, 7.

Bradley Jacobo, Montwood, 6.

Esteban Armendariz, Burges, 6.

Leo Espino, Eastwood, 6.

Jeremiah Loustaunau, Austin, 6.

Hernnan Duarte, Bel Air, 5.

Jesse Ortiz, Fabens, 5.

Mark Barajas, Pebble Hills, 5.

Justin Ontiveros, El Paso, 4.

Jorge Soto, Pebble Hills, 3.

Yael Lira, Bel Air, 3.

Damian Espinosa, Del Valle, 3.

Gabriel Uranga, Franklin, 3.

Sebastian Mendez, Franklin, 3.

Pedro Jimenez, Austin, 3

Jayden (Seth) Vargas, Montwood, 2.

Malin Arnoldussen, Burges, 2.

Benjamin Lerma, Canutillo, 2

Ivan Martinez, Socorro, 1.

Abraham Martinez, Horizon, 1.

Jacob Martinez, Franklin, 1.