High School Girl’s Cross Country Poll: Week 1

Every Wednesday, El Paso Running will utilize a point system to highlight El Paso’s top girls 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 girls 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., Mary Frances Keisling Park.  Franklin, Chapin, Irvin, Bowie, Eastlake, Hanks, Horizon, Loretto, Anthony, Immanuel, Harmony, LPI, YWLA, Radford.

Canutillo Invitational: 8 a.m., Canutillo Middle School.  Coronado, Burges, Jefferson, Austin, Canutillo, Bel Air, Eastwood, Del Valle, Mt View, Parkland, Clint, Socorro, Montwood, El Dorado, Americas, Ft Hancock, San Elizario, Cathedral, Pebble Hills, El Paso.

The Franklin girls are ranked No. 5 in the state.

Top 10

1. Franklin: Coming off a ninth-place finish in Class 6A at the UIL State Championship, the Cougars enter the season ranked No. 5 in the state. Watch for big seasons from juniors Emily Orr and Abigail Pinon and seniors Sophia Keiser, Sienna Zarate and Tessa Gibbons. Be on the lookout for freshman Sophia Barraza. Franklin’s season begins Saturday at Mary Frances Keisling Park.

2. Eastwood: The Troopers finished first at Friday’s 2.8 mile Del Valle’s Midnight Madness run. Senior Adelynn Rodriguez won the event in 15:47.55 as Eastwood runners took five of the top seven spots. Freshman Natalia Gomez was second in 17:28.32 followed by senior Paulina Estrada (third, 17:42.89), freshman Carlee Caraveo (sixth, 18:22.62) and junior Madison McGuire (seventh, 18:33.97). Eastwood is schedule to race at the Canutillo Invitational on Saturday.

3. Chapin: The Huskies ended the 2024 season finishing 14th at the Class 5A UIL State Championship. The team started this season at the Pebble Hills Invitational at Biggs Field on Saturday. Senior Rebecca Duron won in 20.48.99 and sophomore Jocelynne DiazTorres was third in 21.10.83. Chapin will race the Franklin Invitational at Mary Frances Keisling Park on Saturday.

4. Americas: The Trailblazers had five runners in the top 10, including four in the top six, at the Pebble Hills Invitational at Biggs Field. The team was led by senior Lexee Salas who was second in 20.58.95 followed by sophomore Carli Day (fourth, 21.15.77), senior Laila Morales (fifth, 21.19.02), senior Gisele Absscal (sixth, 21.30.83) and freshman Isabelle Bolly (tenth, 22.03.92). The team is schedule to race at the Canutillo Invitational on Saturday.

5. Pebble Hills: The Spartans placed two runners in the top 10 at the Pebble Hills Invitational at Biggs Field. Aubrey Arsenault was eighth in 21.55.86 and Ivy Torres was ninth in 21.57.95. The team will race at the Canutillo Invitational on Saturday.

6. El Paso High: The Tigers placed five runners in the top 8 to win the Andress Invitational at Veterans Park. Junior Calista Sakellakos was first in 21:33.00, followed by Clarissa Castillo (second, 21:51.30), sophomore Sofia Speer (third, 22:11.10), sophomore Emma Guevara (fourth, 22:16.50) and senior Claudia Ferret (eighth, 25:13.20). El Paso is schedule to race at the Canutillo Invitational on Saturday.

7. Socorro: The Bulldogs finished second at the 2.8 mile Del Valle’s Midnight Madness run Friday night. It had five runners in the top 20 in the 188-runner race. Freshman Crystal Delgado had a top 10 finish, placing eighth in 18:41.85. Junior Nadine Villasana was 15th in 19:16.75 followed by sophomore Addy Carbone     (16th, 19:17.24), senior Alina Caballero (18th, 19:17.74) and Victoria Perez (20th, 19:21.97). The Bulldogs are schedule to race at the Canutillo Invitational on Saturday.

8. Hanks: The Knights finished third at the 188-runner Del Valle Midnight Madness. Senior Elizabeth Aguirre was the top runner, finishing fifth in 18:01.46 and junior Ashlyn McMillan was tenth in 18:54.11. The course was 2.8 miles. The Knights will race at the Franklin Invitational Saturday at Mary Frances Keisling Park.

9. Eastlake: The Falcons had decent season opener at the Pebble Hills Invitational at Biggs Field. Junior Marielle Rubio was the top runner placing seventh in 21.42.49. Eastlake will race at the Franklin Invitational on Saturday.

10. Coronado: The T-Birds finished fourth at Del Valle Midnight Madness. Its top runner was freshman Alejandra Torres who finished the 2.8 mile course in 19:30.11. The T-Birds will race at Canutillo Invitational at Canutillo Middle School on Saturday.

Dropped out: None.

On the brink: San Elizario.

Chapin senior Rebecca Duron is one of the top returning runners. She won the Pebble Hills Invitational at Biggs Field on Saturday in 20.48.99.

Top Times (3 mile or 5K)

1, Rebecca Duron, Chapin, 20.48.99 (Biggs, 8/10).

2, Lexee Salas, Americas, 20.58.95 (Biggs, 8/10).

3, Jocelynne DiazTorres, Chapin, 21.10.83 (Biggs, 8/10).

4, Carli Day, Americas, 21.15.77 (Biggs, 8/10).

5, Laila Morales, Americas, 21.19.02 (Biggs, 8/10).

6, Gisele Absscal, Americas, 21.30.83 (Biggs, 8/10).

7, Calista Sakellakos, El Paso, 21:33.00 (Veterans Park, 8/10).

8, Marielle Rubio, Eastlake, 21.42.49 (Biggs, 8/10).

9, Clarissa Castillo, El Paso, 21:51.30 (Veterans Park, 8/10).

10, Aubrey Arsenault, Pebble Hills, 21.55.86 (Biggs, 8/10).

11, Ivy Torres, Pebble Hills, 21.57.95 (Biggs, 8/10).

12, Isabelle Bolly, Americas, 22.03.92 (Biggs, 8/10).

13, Sofia Speer, El Paso, 22:11.10 (Veterans Park, 8/10).

14, Emma Guevara, El Paso, 22:16.50 (Veterans Park, 8/10).

15, Isabella Azzone, Pebble Hills, 22.20.92 (Biggs, 8/10).

16, Adryel  Grijalva, Eastlake, 22.40.52 (Biggs, 8/10).

17, Elizabeth Bustillos, Eastlake, 22.42.49 (Biggs, 8/10).

18, Nevaeh Escobedo, Canutillo,  22:43.50 (Veterans Park, 8/10).

19, Adrianna Boyd, Canutillo, 23:41.20 (Veterans Park, 8/10).

20, Nadia Soto, Eastlake, 22.45.33 (Biggs, 8/10).

21, Nahomy Ojedo, Eastlake, 22.50.21 (Biggs, 8/10).

22, Maria Garcia, Tornillo, 23.42.89 (Biggs, 8/10).

23, Lauren Orantia, Canutillo, 23:46.50 (Veterans Park, 8/10).

24, Lilia Yanez, Americas, 23.49.24 (Biggs, 8/10).

25, Aubrey Arsenault, Pebble Hills, 23.53.77  (Biggs, 8/10).

Americas Lexee Salas is geared up for her senior season. She finished second at the Pebble Hills Invitational in 20.58.95.

Power Rankings

1, Adelynn Rodriguez, 20 (1).

2, Natalia Gomez, Eastwood, 19.

3, Paulina Estrada, Eastwood, 18.

4, Alexia Martinez, Fabens, 17.

5, Elizabeth Aguirre, Hanks, 16.

6, Carlee Caraveo, Eastwood, 15.

7, Madison McGuire, Eastwood, 14.

8, Crystal Delgado, Socorro, 13.

9, Angel Quinonez, Fabens, 12.

10, Ashlyn McMillan, Hanks, 11.

Calista Sakellakos, El Paso, 10 (1).

Karyssa Duarte, Eastwood, 10.

Rebecca Duron, Chapin, 10 (1).

Venus Jimenez, Eastwood, 9.

Lexee Salas, Americas, 9.

Clarissa Castillo, El Paso, 9.

Mia Hairston, Montwood, 8.

Sofia Speer, El Paso, 8.

JocelynneDiazTorres, Chapin, 8.

Danika Sifuentes, Eastwood, 7.

Emma Guevara, El Paso, 7.

Carli  Day, Americas, 7.

Nevaeh Escobedo, Canutillo, 6.

Nadine Villasana, Socorro, 6.

Laila  Morales, Americas 6.

Addy Carbone, Socorro, 5.

Gisele Absscal, Americas, 5.

Adrianna Boyd, Canutillo, 5.

Lauren Orantia, Canutillo, 4.

Marielle Rubio, Eastlake, 4.

Aubrey Cameron, Montwood, 4.

Alina Caballero, Socorro, 3.

Claudia Ferret, El Paso, 3.

Aubrey Arsenault, 3.

Johanna Castro, LPI, 2.

Dayanara Gonzalez, Mt. View, 2.

Ivy Torres, Pebble Hills, 2.

Victoria Perez, Socorro, 1.

Alina Verdugo, DaVinci, 1.

Isabelle Bolly, Americas, 1.

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Author: Victor R. Martinez

My love of running began with my son Deric. His passion and talent for distance running opened my eyes to a sport I never imaged I would embrace with such enthusiasm. As a journalist at the El Paso Times, I was the lead writer for cross country and track for several years and I was able to tell the stories of these amazing unsung athletes. Never a runner myself, I decided to change that when I turned 50 in 2016 when I trained for my first 5K. I've been running ever since and I love every minute of it - well - sort of.

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