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
Coronado Invitational: 8 a.m. Friday, Sept. 22 at Don Haskins Park. Andress, Coronado, Jefferson, Eastlake, El Dorado, Ysleta, Socorro, Canutillo, Parkland, Irvin.
Rudolfo “Rudy” Alvarez Invitational: 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 23 at Del Valle High School. Del Valle, Jefferson, Bowie, Franklin, Socorro, El Dorado, VVECHS, YWLA, Tornillo, Bel Air, Fabens, Clint, Loretto, Cathedral, Eastwood, San Eli, Canutillo, Riverside, Harmony, Anthony, Irvin.
Lubbock Invitational: 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 23 at Mae Simmons Park. Chapin, Burges, Hanks, Parkland, Ysleta, Pebble Hills, Tornillo, El Dorado, VVECHS, Montwood.
McNeil Hoka Invitational: 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 23 at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock. El Paso, Pebble Hills, Americas.
Southlake Carroll Invitational: 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 23 at Southlake Carroll. Franklin.
Top 10
1. Franklin: Franklin has not raced in two weeks in preparation of the Southlake Carroll Invitational on Saturday.
2. Eastwood: The Troopers finished 11th in the Woodbridge Rated Division. The team competed against 39 schools and 281 runners. Junior Aidan Torres finished the 3-mile course in fourth place with a personal best 14:33.6. Other runners who established top 25 city times were senior Sulliman Rodriguez (15:24.6), senior Leo Espino (15:27.2), junior Luke Cruz (15:38.3), sophomore Jonah Herd Jr. (15:55.6) and senior Eric Gonzalez (15:59.6). The team is scheduled to compete at the Rudolfo “Rudy” Alvarez Invitational Saturday at Del Valle.
3. San Elizario: The Eagles finished first at the Loretto/Cathedral Open at Veterans Park with 43 points and move up a spot. San Elizario had four in the top 10 including senior Julian Guerra (third, 16:02.040), senior Angel Maese (fifth, 16:22.07), senior Gustavo Salazar (eighth, 17:12.89) and sophomore Antonio Arreola (ninth, 17:12.90). The team is scheduled to compete at the Rudolfo “Rudy” Alvarez Invitational Saturday at Del Valle.
4. Coronado: The T-Birds move up one after narrowly winning the El Paso High Invitational at Mary Frances Keisling Park with 27 points. Coronado placed four runners in the top six led by senior Edgar Valles (second, 15:51.19). Junior Max Sandhu was fourth (16:05.98), sophomore Humberto Serna was fifth in 16:08.09 and sophomore Rodrigo Pinales was sixth (16:31.33). Coronado will race at its own invitational Friday at Don Haskins Park.
5. El Paso High: The Tigers move down two spots after its second-place finish at its own invitational, coming up one point short. Junior Miles Westbrook won his fourth individual title, finishing in 15:44.87. Senior Leo Valenzuela was third in 15:55.41, junior Ulysses O’Rourke was seventh in 16:32.94, senior Aydan Lugo was ninth in 16:48.55 and junior Lorenzo Shields was tenth in 17:13.42. The team is scheduled to race the McNeil Hoka Invitational at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock on Saturday.
6. Pebble Hills: The Spartans finished second at the Loretto/Cathedral Open at Veterans Park with 60 points. Senior Mark Barajas was second in 15:56.80. They are scheduled to race the McNeil Hoka Invitational at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock on Saturday.
7. Burges: The Mustangs did not race this weekend. The team will race at the Lubbock Invitational at Mae Simmons Park on Saturday.
8. Chapin: The Huskies finished fourth at the Loretto/Cathedral Open at Veterans Park with 105 points. Two runners – junior Braulio Torres (sixth, 17:04.83) and senior Sean Sanchez (tenth, 17:13.01) – had top 10 finishes. The team will race at the Lubbock Invitational at Mae Simmons Park on Saturday.
9. Eastlake: The Falcons did not run is varsity at the Loretto/Cathedral Open at Veterans Park last week. They are scheduled to run at the Coronado Invitational Friday at Don Haskins Park.
10. Del Valle: Del Valle did not run its full varsity team at the El Paso High Invitational. Its top runner was junior Damian Espinosa who was eighth in 16:36.91. They will run at their own invitational Saturday morning.
Dropped out: None.
On the brink: Socorro, Montwood, Bel Air.
Top times (3 mile or 5K)
1, Aidan Torres, Eastwood, 14:33.6 (Woodbridge, 9/16).
2, Sulliman Rodriguez, Eastwood, 15:24.6 (Woodbridge, 9/16).
3, Leo Espino, Eastwood, 15:27.2 (Woodbridge, 9/16).
4, Matthew Engle, Franklin, 15:31.34 (Mary Frances Keisling Park, 8/19).
5, Miles Westbrook, El Paso, 15:34.11 (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).
6, Luke Cruz, Eastwood, 15:38.3 (Woodbridge, 9/16).
7, Juan Leal, Franklin, 15:38.50 (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).
8, Diego Romero, Americas, 15:44.98 (Veterans Park, 9/16).
9, Edgar Valles, Coronado, 15:51.19 (Mary Frances Keisling Park, 9/16).
10, Adan Castillo, Franklin, 15:52.10 (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).
11, Sebastian Gonzalez, Franklin, 15:54.87 (Clint High School, 9/2).
12, Leo Valenzuela, El Paso, 15:55.41 (Mary Frances Keisling Park, 9/16).
13, Jonah Herd Jr, Eastwood, 15:55.6 (Woodbridge, 9/16).
14, Mark Barajas, Pebble Hills, 15:56.80 (Veterans Park, 9/16).
15, Julian Guerra, San Elizario, 15:58.34 (Clint High School, 9/2).
16, Eric Gonzalez, Eastwood, 15:59.6 (Woodbridge, 9/16).
17, Carlos Mendez, Franklin, 16:00.64 (Eastside Sports Complex, 8/25).
18, Max Sandhu, Coronado, 16:05.98 (Mary Frances Keisling Park, 9/16).
19, Humberto Serna, Coronado, 16:08.09 (Mary Frances Keisling Park, 9/16).
20, Israel Quintana, Immanuel Christian, 16:11.23 (Veterans Park, 9/16).
21, Angel Maese, San Elizario, 16:12.46 (Clint High School, 9/2).
22, Seth Truax, Chapin, 16:27.53 (Mary Frances Keisling Park, 8/19).
23, Rodrigo Pinales, Coronado, 16:31.33 (Mary Frances Keisling Park. 9/16).
24, Jesus Gastelum-Bustamante, Burges, 16:32.34 (Blackie Chesher Park, 9/8).
25, Ulysses O’Rourke, El Paso, 16:32.94 (Mary Frances Keisling Park, 9/16).
Power Rankings
1, Miles Westbrook, El Paso, 58 (4).
2, Aidan Torres, Eastwood, 47 (3).
3, Diego Romero, Americas, 41 (2).
4, Matthew Engle, Franklin, 37 (2).
5, Leo Valenzuela, El Paso, 36.
6, Edgar Valles, Coronado, 34.
7, Juan Leal, Franklin, 25.
8, Max Sandhu, Coronado, 24.
9, Adan Castillo, Franklin, 23.
9, Humberto Serna, Coronado, 23 (1).
9, Mark Barajas, Pebble Hills, 23.
Sebastian Gonzalez, Franklin, 22.
Sulliman Rodriguez, Eastwood, 22.
Julian Guerra, San Elizario, 21.
Ulysses O’Rourke, El Paso, 19.
Israel Quintana, Immanuel, 19.
Luke Cruz, Eastwood, 16.
Angel Maese, San Elizario, 14.
Leo Espino, Eastwood, 13.
Rodrigo Pinales, Coronado, 13.
Carlos Mendez, Franklin, 12.
Jesus Gastelum-Bustamante, Burges, 12.
Seth Truax, Chapin, 11.
Leonardo Resendez, Bel Air, 11.
Eirik Arredondo, Austin, 8.
Evan Romero, Canutillo, 8.
Damian Espinosa, Del Valle, 8.
Braulio Torres, Chapin, 8.
Lorenzo Shields, El Paso, 8.
Malin Arnoldussen, Burges, 7.
Christian Hurtado, Americas, 7.
Bradley Jacobo, Montwood, 6.
Esteban Armendariz, Burges, 6.
Jeremiah Loustaunau, Austin, 6.
Hernnan Duarte, Bel Air, 5.
Jesse Ortiz, Fabens, 5.
Justin Ontiveros, El Paso, 4.
Gabriel Uranga, Franklin, 4.
Eric Gonzalez, Eastwood, 4.
Gustavo Salazar, San Elizario, 4.
Aydan Lugo, El Paso, 4.
Jorge Soto, Pebble Hills, 3.
Yael Lira, Bel Air, 3.
Sebastian Mendez, Franklin, 3.
Pedro Jimenez, Austin, 3.
Jonah Herd, Eastwood, 3.
Jayden (Seth) Vargas, Montwood, 2.
Benjamin Lerma, Canutillo, 2.
Daniel Romero, Tornillo, 2.
Sean Sanchez, Chapin, 2.
Antonio Arreola, San Elizario, 2.
Ivan Martinez, Socorro, 1.
Abraham Martinez, Horizon, 1.
Jacob Martinez, Franklin, 1.
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