High School Boy’s Cross Country Poll: Week 8

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.

Top 10

1. Franklin: Franklin’s varsity did not race at the All City Meet at Horizon Golf Course. The team is preparing for the District 1-6A Championship on Oct. 12 at Horizon Golf Course. The Cougars are seeking its second straight district championship.

2. Eastwood: The Troopers finished fourth in the 242-runner, 30-team Sweepstakes Division of the Desert Twilight XC Festival at Toka Sticks Golf Course in Mesa, Ariz. Eastwood had two runners in the top 25 – junior Aidan Torres was third in 15:11.8 and senior Leo Espino was 23^rd in 15:49.5. The team will race for a spot to regionals at the District 1-6A Championship on Oct. 12 at Horizon Golf Course.

3. San Elizario: The Eagles finished tenth in the 242-runner, 30-team Sweepstakes Division of the Desert Twilight XC Festival at Toka Sticks Golf Course. Seniors Julian Guerra (28^th, 15:53.8) and Angel Maese (44^th, 16:05.7) were the top runners for       San Elizario. The Eagles will be chasing its tenth consecutive District 1-4A title next week.

4. Coronado: The T-Birds won the All City Meet at Horizon Golf Course with 34 points. Coronado placed four runners in the top 8 – senior Edgar Valles (third, 16:28.99), sophomore Humberto Serna (fifth, 16:46.27), junior Max Sandhu (seventh, 16:57.14) and sophomore Rodrigo Pinales was eighth in 17:03.27. The team will race for a spot to regionals at the District 1-6A Championship on Oct. 12.

5. El Paso High: The Tigers finished second at the All City Meet at Horizon Golf Course with 53 points. The team had three runners in the top 9 including junior Miles Westbrook (second, 16:13.57), senior Leo Valenzuela (fourth, 16:42.73) and junior Ulysses O’Rourke (ninth, 17:05.00). The Tigers are looking to defend its District 1-5A title on Oct. 12 at Horizon Golf Course.

6. Pebble Hills: The Spartans were third at the All City Meet at Horizon Golf Couse with 100 points. Senior Mark Barajas was the top runner, finishing sixth in 16:54.77. The team will race in the District 1-6A Championship at Horizon Golf Course Oct. 12.

7. Burges: The Mustangs were fourth at the All City Meet with 137 points. Sophomore Jesus Gastelum-Bustamante was tenth in 17:08.55 and senior Esteban Armendariz was 15^th in 17:36.614. The team will race at the District 1-5A Championship Oct. 12 at Horizon Golf Course.

8. Chapin: The Huskies split its squad at Nike South in The Woodlands. Senior Sean Sanchez ran the Elite Division and finished 91st in 16:43.9 while the others raced in the regular varsity division. Out of 543 runners, junior Braulio Torres was 54^th in 17:14.6 and senior Dauntae Herrera was 57^th in 17:16.1. The team will compete in the District 1-5A Championship Oct. 12 at Horizon Golf Course.

9. Bel Air: The Highlanders move up one after finishing sixth at the All City Meet. The team had two in the top 20 – senior Leonardo Resendez (14^th, 17:31.19) and senior Hernnan Duarte (20th, 17:49.41). Bel Air will attempt to defend the District 2-5A title on Oct. 12.

10. Del Valle: The Conquistadors move back into the top 10 after finishing 10^th in the 246-runner, 34-team Large School Division at the Desert Twilight XC Festival at Toka Sticks Golf Course in Mesa, Ariz. Junior Damian Espinosa finished ninth in 17:05.6. 12 and freshman Jordan Diaz was 26^th in 17:37.0.  Del Valle will race for a spot to regionals at the District 2-5A Championship on Oct. 12.

Dropped out: Socorro.

On the brink: Montwood, Americas.

Top times (3 mile or 5K)

1, Aidan Torres, Eastwood, 14:33.6 (Woodbridge, 9/16).

2, Matthew Engle, Franklin, 15:01.20 (Southlake, 9/23).

3, Sulliman Rodriguez, Eastwood, 15:24.6 (Woodbridge, 9/16).

4, Leo Espino, Eastwood, 15:27.2 (Woodbridge, 9/16).

5, Juan Leal, Franklin, 15:33.71. (Southlake, 9/23).

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

7, Luke Cruz, Eastwood, 15:38.3 (Woodbridge, 9/16).

8, Adan Castillo, Franklin, 15:40.90 (Southlake, 9/23).

9, Diego Romero, Americas, 15:44.98 (Veterans Park, 9/16).

10, Sebastian Gonzalez, Franklin, 15:46.40 (Southlake, 9/23).

11, Carlos Mendez, Franklin, 15:49.30 (Southlake, 9/23).

12, Edgar Valles, Coronado, 15:51.19 (Mary Frances Keisling Park, 9/16).

13, Julian Guerra, San Elizario, 15:53.8 (Desert Twilight, 9/29).

14, Leo Valenzuela, El Paso, 15:55.41 (Mary Frances Keisling Park, 9/16).

15, Jonah Herd Jr, Eastwood, 15:55.6 (Woodbridge, 9/16).

16, Mark Barajas, Pebble Hills, 15:56.80 (Veterans Park, 9/16).

17, Eric Gonzalez, Eastwood, 15:59.6 (Woodbridge, 9/16).

18, Angel Maese, San Elizario, 16:05.7 (Desert Twilight, 9/29).

19, Max Sandhu, Coronado, 16:05.98 (Mary Frances Keisling Park, 9/16).

20, Humberto Serna, Coronado, 16:08.09 (Mary Frances Keisling Park, 9/16).

21, Jacob Martinez, Franklin, 16:08.20 (Southlake, 9/25).

22, Gabriel Uranga, Franklin, 16:09.40 (Southlake, 9/25).

23, Israel Quintana, Immanuel Christian, 16:11.23 (Veterans Park, 9/16).

24, Sebastian Mendez, Franklin, 16:22.10 (Southlake, 9/25).

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

Power Rankings

1, Miles Westbrook, El Paso, 87 (5).

2, Diego Romero, Americas, 81 (4).

3, Aidan Torres, Eastwood, 65 (3).

4, Leo Valenzuela, El Paso, 62.

5, Edgar Valles, Coronado, 52 (1).

6, Matthew Engle, Franklin, 46 (2).

7, Mark Barajas, Pebble Hills, 40.

8, Humberto Serna, Coronado, 38 (1).

9, Max Sandhu, Coronado, 35.

10, Ulysses O’Rourke, El Paso, 34.

Israel Quintana, Immanuel, 29 (1).

Damian Espinosa, Del Valle, 28.

Juan Leal, Franklin, 25.

Adan Castillo, Franklin, 23.

Sebastian Gonzalez, Franklin, 22.

Sulliman Rodriguez, Eastwood, 22.

Rodrigo Pinales, Coronado, 22.

Julian Guerra, San Elizario, 21.

Leonardo Resendez, Bel Air, 20.

Luke Cruz, Eastwood, 16.

Aydan Lugo, El Paso, 15.

Angel Maese, San Elizario, 14.

Leo Espino, Eastwood, 13.

Jesus Gastelum-Bustamante, Burges, 13.

Carlos Mendez, Franklin, 12.

Hernnan Duarte, Bel Air, 12.

Seth Truax, Chapin, 11.

Lorenzo Shields, El Paso, 11.

Eirik Arredondo, Austin, 8.

Evan Romero, Canutillo, 8.

Preston Eastman, Coronado, 8.   

Braulio Torres, Chapin, 8.

Malin Arnoldussen, Burges, 7.

Christian Hurtado, Americas, 7.

Sean Sanchez, Chapin, 7.

Daniel Romero, Tornillo, 7.

Bradley Jacobo, Montwood, 6.

Esteban Armendariz, Burges, 6.

Jeremiah Loustaunau, Austin, 6.

Julian Miramontes, Eastwood, 6. 

Jose Rosa, Chapin, 6.

Francisco Reyes, Jefferson, 5.      

Jesse Ortiz, Fabens, 5.

Ryan Lozano, Eastwood, 5.

Justin Ontiveros, El Paso, 4.

Gabriel Uranga, Franklin, 4.

Eric Gonzalez, Eastwood, 4.

Renee Galaviz, Socorro, 4.

Gustavo Salazar, San Elizario, 4.

Job DeSantos, Eastwood, 4.

Jorge Soto, Pebble Hills, 3.

Yael Lira, Bel Air, 3.

Sebastian Mendez, Franklin, 3.

Pedro Jimenez, Austin, 3.

Giovon Hermosillo, Andress, 3.   

Jonah Herd, Eastwood, 3.

Sergio Lara, Eastwood, 3. 

Jayden (Seth) Vargas, Montwood, 2.

Benjamin Lerma, Canutillo, 2.

Daniel Romero, Tornillo, 2.

Aiden Aguirre, Canutillo, 2.

Diego Ruiz Eastwood, 2.    

Antonio Arreola, San Elizario, 2.  

Ivan Martinez, Socorro, 2.

Isaac Marquez, Eastwood 1.

Abraham Martinez, Horizon, 1.

Jacob Martinez, Franklin, 1.