On this blog you will find weekly profiles on runners of all levels and ages, top 10 high school cross country boys and girls teams along with the top 25 times. You will be able to find schedules and results for high school cross country and track, the USA Track & Field Border Association meets and the many road races in El Paso.
Eastwood junior Adelynn Rodriguez, far right, won the Canutillo Invitational to start her 2023 season. The two-time state qualifier is seeking a third trip.
Two Eastwood Troopers won individual championships at the Canutillo Invitational.
Junior Aidan Torres won his varsity crown while junior Adelynn Rodriguez won her fourth career varsity race at the flat 3.4-mile course at Canutillo Middle School.
“I felt really good; it’s a good way to start the season,” Rodriguez said. “We did a lot of work in the summer and I’m finally injury free. My main focus this summer was to take care of my body. I think you guys are in for a treat this year.”
Rodriguez easily won the race in 20:56.28, well ahead of the field.
Pebble Hills won the team event with 40 points followed by Americas with 46 and Eastwood with 52 points.
Rodriguez, who has made two state appearances, said she hopes to set a personal best this season and make it back to state. She ran a 17:20.1 three mile at Woodbridge her freshman year.
Despite her team’s third place finish, Rodriguez is confident in her team.
“We have a lot of new girls this season, but a lot of them ran with us last year and were very close to varsity,” he said. “We’re barely getting out of base phase and these girls are looking good so you guys should definitely be expecting something from us this year.”
Eastwood junior Aidan Torres won his varsity championship at the Canutillo Invitational.
What hardly anyone was expecting was a victory for Torres.
In a field loaded with some of the city’s top runners such as El Paso High’s Miles Westbrook, Americas’ Diego Romero and Coronado’s Edgar Valles, it was Torres who outlasted the field winning in 17:30.01, 12 seconds faster than Westbrook.
“We were really excited about starting the season,” said Torres who picked up cross country only two years ago. “We’ve been working hard morning and night during the summer, so for us to come out and do as well as we did, we’re really happy.”
A large smile emerged on his face when asked if he was surprised to pick up his first championship.
“We all knew there was going to be some great competition, but we’ve been working really hard and we believed in ourselves; we knew we could get it done,” he said.
The Troopers won the team title as well with 37 points, El Paso was second with 71 points and Coronado was third with 96.
“We were a little down last year but we’re getting better and practicing harder,” he said. We know we could have done a lot better last year so that’s what’s motivating us this season. We’re going to do better.”
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.
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 Franklin girls won the Pebble Hills Invitational last week and will host its own meet on Saturday.
Top 10
1. Franklin:The Cougars opened the season placing eight runners in the top 10 at the Pebble Hills Invitational at Blackie Chesher Park. Sophomore Emily Orr won the event in 19:46.23 followed by classmate Abigail Pinon (20:37.40). Senior Brooke McCune was third in 20:40.44, a trio of junior runners, Sophia Keiser was sixth in 21:00.97, Olivia Elder was seventh in 21:07.10 and Sienna Zarate was eighth in 21:10.02. Seniors Victoria Hoyt was ninth (21:15.21) and Hannah Martinez was tenth in 21:18.89. Franklin will race at its own event on 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.
3. Pebble Hills: The Spartans were third at their own invitational at Blackie Chesher Park with 89 points. Pebble Hills had three runners finish in the top 20 – sophomore Aubrey Arsenault (11th, 21:22.46), senior Carolina Zarrabal (12th, 21:24.18) and freshman Kareena Talavera (20th, 22:34.54). Senior Natalie Franco did not race. The team will compete at the Canutillo Invitational at Canutillo Middle School on Saturday.
4. El Paso High: The Tigers did not run its top runners at the 2.7-mile Mt. View Invitational. It did have two runners, sophomore Calista Sakellako finish eighth in 21:47.21 and freshman Sofia Speer was ninth in 22:00.60. The Tigers are scheduled to race at the Canutillo Invitational at Canutillo Middle School.
5. Hanks: The Knights won the Mt. View Invitational placing three runners in the top 10. Junior Elizabeth Aguirre was second in 19:55.00, sophomore Ashlyn McMillian was seventh (21:33.58) and sophomore Lily Arias was 10th in 22:01.29. Hanks will race at the Franklin Invitational at Mary Frances Keisling Park on Saturday.
6. Montwood: The Rams did not race a full team at the Irvin Invitational but placed two runners in the top 3, including individual winner, sophomore Mia Hairston (18:19.84). Senior Layla Aguilar was third in 19:24.05. The course was 2.7 miles. The team is scheduled to race at the Canutillo Invitational on Saturday.
7. Chapin: The Huskies move up two spots after finishing second at the Pebble Hills Invitational at Blackie Chesher Park with 80 points. Chapin placed two runners – junior Rebecca Duran (fourth, 20:45.50) and sophomore Ava Dennis (fifth, 20:58.27) – in the top 10. Senior Biviana Garcia was 14th in 21:47.68. The team will race at the Franklin Invitational Saturday at Mary Frances Keisling Park.
8. Eastlake: The Falcons did not race. They are scheduled for the Franklin Invitational at Mary Frances Keisling Park on Saturday.
9. Americas: The Trailblazers finished fourth at the Pebble Hills Invitational at Blackie Chesher Park with 106 points. Junior Giselle Abascal was the lone top 20 runner, finishing 18th in 22:22.40. The team will compete at the Canutillo Invitational at Canutillo Middle School on Saturday.
10. Canutillo: The Eagles did not race a full team at the Irvin Invitational. Sophomore Nevaeh Escobedo did manage a second-place finish (19:15.37) on the 2.7-mile course. They will race at their own invitational at Canutillo Middle School on Saturday.
Dropped out: None.
On the brink: Socorro.
Franklin sophomore Emily Orr won the individual title at the Pebble Hills Invitational.
Where: Mae Simmons Park, MLK Blvd. and 24th Street in Lubbock.
At Stake: Top four teams and top 10 individuals not on a qualifying team advance to the UIL Cross Country State Championship, Saturday Nov. 2 and 3 at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock.
Eastwood sophomore Adelynn Rodriguez won the individual title in District 1-6A.
The Franklin girls won its fifth straight District 1-6A title last week and are seeking a return trip to the UIL Cross Country State Championship Nov. 2 at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock.
To get back to Round Rock, the team must finish in the top four at Monday’s Region 1-6A Championship at Mae Simmons Park in Lubbock.
Last October, Franklin narrowly missed out on its third straight state appearance. The team finished tied for fourth with Northwest Eaton with 167 points but Eaton advances on the strength of its sixth runner finishing before Franklin’s sixth runner.
At the district championship at Horizon Golf Course last week, Freshman Emily Orr led the team, finishing second in 19:20.24.
Franklin placed five runners in the top 10 including freshman Abigail Pinon (fourth, 19:51.70), senior Abby Barraza (fifth, 19:55.75), junior Victoria Hoyt (sixth, 20:14.03) and senior Alyssa Laspada (ninth, 20:28.24).
The top three teams and 10 individuals advanced to regionals.
Eastwood sophomore Adelynn Rodriguez won the individual title in 19:10.52. The Troopers finished second at district and Pebble Hills was third and advanced to the regionals.
Also advancing as individuals are senior Kassandra Jimenez (third, 19:42.24) and freshman Mia Hairston (seventh, 20:20.26).
Eastwood’s Rodriguez finished sixth at last year’s regional and advanced to state as did Franklin’s Laspada who had a top 20 regional finish.
Chapin senior Gianny Correa won the District 1-5A title.
District 1-5A
El Paso High and Canutillo ended the District 1-5A Championship at Mary Frances Keisling Park tied at 36 points. However, the Tigers were awarded the championship when its sixth runner, freshman Calista Sakellakos, finished four spots ahead of Canutillo’s sixth runner, freshman Adrianna Boyd.
El Paso, Canutillo and Chapin advanced to the Region 1-5A championship Tuesday at Mae Simmons Park in Lubbock.
Also advancing is Jefferson’s Nohemi Garcia who finished eighth in 21:30.97.
El Paso had four runners in the top 10 – junior Andrea Castillo (fourth, 20:51.61), senior Jezarae Valenzuela (fifth, 21:01.24), freshman Clarissa Castillo (ninth, 21:36.52) and junior Sofia Ramirez (tenth, 21:41.14).
Huskies senior Gianny Correa won the individual title in 19:36.58 and sophomore Rebecca Duran was sixth in 21:14.91.
The Eagles had three runners in the top 10 including senior Natalie Rivera (second, 20:16.07), freshman Nevaeh Escobedo (third, 20:38.28) and senior Jennifer Najar (seventh, 21:21.83).
Hanks won the team championship in 2-5A.
District 2-5A
Hanks won the District 2-5A Championship at Horizon Golf Course with 23 points.
Hanks had five runners place in the top 10 including junior Destinee Loeza (second, 21:45.82), sophomore Elizabeth Aguirre (third, 21:55.73), freshman Lily Arias (fifth, 23:24.62), freshman Alina Levario (eighth, 23:57.78) and freshman Jessica Fino (tenth, 24:07.43).
Bel Air was second and Horizon was third to also advance to the Region 1-5A Championship Tuesday in Lubbock.
Del Valle senior Valeria Loo-Kung won the title in 21:30.40. Horizon’s Jaquelin Gonzalez was fourth in 23:21.16 and Estephanie Tena was sixth in 23:27.70.
Bel Air’s Carolyna Noriega was seventh in 23:35.58 and Marysol Vidal was ninth in 24:01.56.
Riverside won the team title in 1-4A.
District 1-4A
The Riverside Rangers won the District 1-4A Championship at Horizon Golf Course with 21 points.
The Rangers took the first three spots and five out of eight.
Camila Luna was the first to complete the two-mile course in 14:25.21 to win her first district championship.
Kim Castro was second in 14:25.40, Paula Tapia was third in 15:14.94, Jisclem Camacho was seventh (15:41.96) and Hillary Hernandez was eighth (15:49.39).
Riverside, along with Austin and Irvin, will compete in the Region 1-4A Championship Monday in Lubbock.
The Panthers had three runners in the top 10 – Jayleen Robles (fourth, 15:28.73), Dalia Santiesteban (ninth, 15:49.61) and Jefet Trejo (tenth, 15:54.86).
Irvin had one runner – Zoe Estrada-Moreno (fifth, 15:35.03) – in the top 10, Irvin.
Harmony’s Yatznelly Galindo also advances to regionals, finishing sixth in 15:40.04.
San Elizario won the 2-4A Championship.
District 2-4A
San Elizario won the District 2-4A Championship at Horizon Golf Course with 18 points.
The Eagles had five runners in the top seven including district champion Kylee Pardo who completed the 2-mile course in 13:55.19.
Katelyn Montoya was second (13:55.41), Alexandra Ordaz was fourth (14:49.64), Osmary Vazquez was sixth (14:58.65) and Briana Mancillas was seventh (15:09.72).
El Paso Young Women’s Leadership Academy and Clint also advanced to regionals.
Young Women’s had three runners – Jeanette Rivera (third, 14:10.76), Jenisa Gomez (eighth, 15:15.25) and Lluvia Armendariz-Padilla (tenth, 15:20.48) – in the top 10.
Also advancing to regionals are Faben’s Antoinette Ogaz (fifth, 14:56.01) and Avery Guerrero (ninth, 15:19.78) from Valle Verde Early College.
Tornillo senior Kylene Elias won her third district championship.
District 4-3A
Tornillo defended its District 4-3A title scoring 19 points.
Kylene Elias won her third district championship finishing the two-mile course in 12:45.
Olivia Garcia was second in 13:07, Wendy Garcia was fourth (13:18), Brianna Ibarra (fifth, 13:19) and Nataly Escajeda (seventh, 13:33).
Tornillo, which finished fourth at regionals last year, is seeking its second straight trip to state.
The team will race the Region 1-3A championship Tuesday at Mae Simmons Park in Lubbock.
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.
Riverside’s Camila Luna won the Class 4A division of the District Preview.
Top 10
1. Franklin: The Cougars dominated the Class 6A District Preview at Horizon Golf Course, placing seven runners in the top nine to score 22 points. FreshmanAbigail Pinon lead the way finishing second in 20:22.76 followed by Victoria Hoyt (third, 20:24.91), Emily Orr (fourth, 20:37.58), Sofia Camacho (sixth, 20:50.38), Sophia Keiser (seventh, 21:04.77), Abby Barraza (eighth, 21:09.72) and Alyssa Laspada (ninth, 21:13.79). The team will travel to Mesa, Arizona to compete in the Desert Twilight Invitational.
2. Eastwood: The Troopers did race this weekend. The team will compete at the Desert Twilight Invitational in Mesa, Arizona on Friday night.
3. Pebble Hills: The Spartans did not run its varsity on Saturday. The team will race at Nike South in The Woodlands on Saturday morning.
4. Montwood: The Rams move up one after an impressive second place finish at the Class 6A District Preview at Horizon Golf Course. Montwood seniorKassandra Jimenez won the event in 20:22.05 and freshman Mia Hairston was fifth in 20:46.20. The team will race at Nike South in The Woodlands on Saturday morning.
5. Eastlake: The Falcons were without a few of its top runners including junior Itzel Chavez at the Class 6A District Preview at Horizon Golf Course. Its top finisher was Natalie Martinez who finished 11th in 21:58.33. The team will travel to Mesa, Arizona to compete in the Desert Twilight Invitational.
6. El Paso High: The Tigers finished second at the Class 5A Preview at Horizon Golf Course. It must be noted that its top runners, junior Andrea Castillo and senior Jezarae Valenzuela and other runners, took a wrong turn on the course. Freshman Calista Sakellakos was seventh in 24:33.59, Marfil Sandino was eighth in 24:46.55 and Aleah Ortiz was ninth in 24:56.50.
7. Canutillo: The Eagles won the Riverside/Clint ISD Course Preview on Friday with 31 points. Natalie Rivera won her second individual championship finishing in 20:37.97. Nevaeh Escobedo was fifth in 22:34.52 and Jennifer Najar was sixth in 23:01.55.
8. Coronado: The T-Birds’ rested many of its top runners and finished fourth in the Class 6A Preview. Kyra Walker was the top runner for Coronado, finishing 16th in 23:09.50. The team will race at its own invitational on Saturday at Don Haskins Park.
9. Americas: The Trailblazers moved up a spot after its third-place finish in the Class 6A Preview at Horizon Golf Course. Sophomore Lexee Salas was tenth in 21:45.99 and classmate Laila Morales was 12th in 22:24.63. The team is scheduled to race at Nike South in The Woodlands on Saturday morning.
10. Hanks: The Knights were second at the Riverside/Clint ISD Course Preview. Sophomore Elizabeth Aguirre was third in 22:01.93) and junior Destinee Loeza was fourth in 22:12.51). The team will race at the Desert Twilight Invitational in Mesa, Arizona on Friday night.
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.
Clint ISD Course Preview: 8 a.m., Friday, Sept. 23 at Horizon Golf Course. Riverside, Bel Air, Ysleta, Del Valle, YWLA, Parkland, Hanks, San Elizario, Clint, Horizon, Mt. View, Anthony, Valle Verde, Fabens, Loretto, Radford, Canutillo, Tornillo.
EPISD/SISD Preview: 8 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 24 at Horizon Golf Course. Coronado, Irvin, Austin, Franklin, Burges, El Paso, Chapin, Bowie, Andress, Jefferson, Pebble Hills, Eastlake, Montwood, Socorro, Americas, El Dorado.
Eastwood raced at the ultra-fast Woodbridge Classic. Six of the seven runners achieved personal best.
Top 10
1. Franklin: The open team placed eight runners in the top 10 and swept the Loretto/Cathedral Open Saturday at Veterans Park. Finishing one through six were sophomore Sienna Zarate (21:28.84), junior Brooke McCune (21:34.77), sophomore Tessa Gibbons (21:45.29), junior Hannah Martinez (21:51.16), junior Breckyn Wiebe (22:31.50) and senior Shani Malone (22:38.82). Sophomore Olivia Elder was eighth in 22:53.41 and senior Kayla Hicks was tenth in 23:04.54. The varsity will race at theEPISD/SISD Preview at Horizon Golf Course on Saturday.
2. Eastwood: Six Troopers set personal records in the rated division of the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic in Irvine, Calif., Friday night. The team finished 17th in the 34 team, 226 runner race. Sophomore Adelynn Rodriguez lead Eastwood, placing 40th in 18:04.4 on the 3-mile course. The 1-5 split was 1 minute and 7 seconds.
3. Pebble Hills: The Spartans placed fifth in the Class 6A division of the Lubbock Invitational at Mae Simmons Park. SeniorNatalie Martinez Lopez was the only top 10 finisher, finishing ninth 20:41.8. Freshman Aubrey Arsenault had a top 20 race, finishing 19th in 21:33.6. The team is scheduled to race at the EPISD/SISD Preview at Horizon Golf Course on Saturday.
4. Eastlake: The finished eighth in the Class 6A division of the Lubbock Invitational at Mae Simmons Park. Junior Itzel Chavez was the top Falcon runner, placing 24th in 21:54.2. The team is scheduled to race at the EPISD/SISD Preview at Horizon Golf Course on Saturday.
5. Montwood: The Rams did not race on Saturday. Montwood is scheduled to race at the EPISD/SISD Preview at Horizon Golf Course on Saturday.
6. El Paso High: The Tigers easily won its own invitational at Mary Frances Keisling Park with 17 points.El Paso High had five runners in the top six spots including the top three – junior Andrea Castillo (21:06.81), senior Jezarae Valenzuela (21:28.99) and junior Sofia Ramirez (21:49.86). Freshman Kylie Alvarez was fifth 22:04.20 and fellow 9th grader, Clarissa Castillo, was sixth in 22:21.76. The team will race at the EPISD/SISD Preview at Horizon Golf Course on Saturday.
7. Canutillo: The Eagles did not race its varsity last week. The team will race at the Clint ISD Course Preview Friday at 8 a.m. at Horizon Golf Course.
8. Coronado: The T-Birds’ finished second at the El Paso High Invitational atMary Frances Keisling Park. Coronado had two runners finish in the top 10 – junior Alexa Lawrence (fourth, 21:58.93) and senior Christina Duncan (ninth, 22:35.84). The team will race at the EPISD/SISD Preview at Horizon Golf Course on Saturday.
9. Hanks: The Knights were seventh in the Class 5A division of the Lubbock Invitational at Mae Simmons Park. Hanks had two runners, sophomore Elizabeth Aguirre (ninth, 20:53.7) and junior Destinee Loeza (10th, 20:53.7), in the top 10. The team will race at the Clint ISD Course Preview Friday at 8 a.m. at Horizon Golf Course.
10. Americas: The finished ninth in the Class 6A division of the Lubbock Invitational at Mae Simmons Park. Tornillo Invitational. Sophomore Laila Morales was the top runner, placing 36th in 22:49.9. The team is scheduled to race at the EPISD/SISD Preview at Horizon Golf Course on Saturday.
Dropped out: None.
On the brink: Socorro.
Eastlake junior Itzel Chavez leads the young Eastlake Falcons.
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.
Woodbridge Cross Country Classic: 8 p.m., Friday, Sept. 16 at Orange County Great Park in Irvine, Calif. Eastwood.
El Paso High Invitational: 8 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 17 at Mary Frances Keisling Park. El Paso, Coronado, Socorro, Del Valle, VVECH, Riverside.
Loretto/Cathedral Open: 8 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 17 at Veterans Park. Irvin, Franklin, Andress, Radford, El Dorado, San Eli, Ysleta, Bel Air, YWLA, Anthony, Eastwood, Santa Teresa, Gadsden, Chaparral, Bowie.
Lubbock Invitational: 8 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 17 at Mae Simmons Park. Jefferson, Burges, Austin, Chapin, Pebble Hills, Eastlake, Montwood, Americas, El Dorado, Hanks, Ft. Hancock, Tornillo.
Most of the teams will be headed to the Lubbock Invitational on Saturday.
Top 10
1. Franklin:The Cougars did not race last week. The open team will race at the Loretto/Cathedral Open Saturday at Veterans Park.
2. Eastwood: The Troopers varsity did not race last week. Senior Nahlur Gurrola finished ninth at the Tornillo Invitational in 21:33.37. The open team placed fourth. The team will race at the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic in Irvine, Calif., Friday night.
3. Pebble Hills: The Spartans did not race all its varsity runners at the Ysleta Invitational at Shawver Park. Senior Natalie Martinez Lopez won the event in a season best 19:46.69. The team will race at the Lubbock Invitational at Mae Simmons Park on Saturday.
4. Eastlake: The Falcons did not race all of its varsity runners at the Ysleta Invitational. However, junior Natalie Martinez was fifth in 21:54.55. The team will race at the Lubbock Invitational at Mae Simmons Park on Saturday.
5. Montwood: The Rams placed three runners in the top five to win the Tornillo Invitational with 42 points. Senior Kassandra Jimenez picked up her third straight individual championship winning in19:13.61. Freshman MiaHairston earned a personal best 20:40.10 and finished third while senior Jazmine Miranda was fifth in 21:05.36. Montwood will race at Lubbock Invitational at Mae Simmons Park on Saturday.
6. El Paso High: The Tigers finished second at the Tornillo Invitational with 48 points. El Paso High had three runners in the top 10. Junior Andrea Castillo was fourth in 20:47.37, senior Jezarae Valenzuela was eighth in 21:32.71 and freshman Clarissa Castillo was tenth in 21:53.66. The team will race at its own invitational atMary Frances Keisling Park.
7. Canutillo: The Eagles did not race its full varsity team but still managed a second-place finish at the Ysleta Invitational at Shawver Park. The team placed three runners in the top six – senior Natalie Rivera (second, 20:52.23), freshman Nevaeh Escobedo (fourth, 21:52.16) and Jennifer Najar (sixth, 22:16.72).
8. Coronado: The T-Birds’ inconsistency makes them difficult to figure out. After a few disappointing weeks, Coronado is back in the top 10 after winning the Ysleta Invitational at Shawver Park placing two runners in the top 10 – junior Alexa Lawrence (ninth, 22:30.08) and senior Christina Duncan (tenth, 22:35.46). The team will race at the El Paso High Invitational atMary Frances Keisling Park.
9. Hanks: The Knights placed third at the Ysleta Invitational atShawver Park, five points behind Canutillo. Hanks had two runners in the top seven – Elizabeth Aguirre (third, 21:43.29) and Destinee Loeza (seventh, Hanks, 22:27.94). The team will race at Lubbock Invitational at Mae Simmons Park on Saturday.
10. Americas: The Trailblazers finished third at the Tornillo Invitational. Its top runners were sophomores Laila Morales (11th,21:54.28) and Gisele Abascal (13th, 22:00.10). The team will race at Lubbock Invitational at Mae Simmons Park on Saturday.
Dropped out: Chapin.
On the brink: Socorro.
The Coronado girls are back in the Top 10 after winning the Ysleta Invitational.
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.
Tornillo Invitational: 6 p.m., Friday, Sept. 9 at Tornillo High School. Tornillo, Franklin, Burges, El Paso, Chapin, Eastlake, Americas, San Eli, Tornillo, Ft. Hancock, Eastwood, Chaparral, Santa Teresa.
Ysleta Invitational: 8 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 10 at Shawver Park. Coronado, Austin, Jefferson, Pebble Hills, Eastlake, Socorro, Ysleta, Bel Air, Radford, YWLA, Anthony, Hanks, VVECH, Del Valle, Riverside, Cathedral, Santa Teresa, Bowie.
Eastlake continues to improve each week.
Top 10
1. Franklin: The Cougars scored 18 points, placing six runners in the top seven at the Trooper Twilight Invitational at the Eastside Sports Complex. Freshman Abigail Pinon won her first varsity race in 19:56.78 followed by fellow freshman Emily Orr (20:02.96). Senior Alyssa Laspada was fourth in 20:12.14 followed by juniors Victoria Hoyt (20:25.80) Abby Barraza (21:02.61) and senior Sofia Camacho (21:06.88). The team will not race on Saturday.
2. Eastwood: The Troopers finished second at their own invitational at the Eastside Sports Complex with three runners in the top 10. Sophomore Adelynn Rodriguez was second in 20:04.84 and seniors Sophia Watts was eighth in 21:10.44 and Salma Lincon was tenth in 21:19.34. The team will not race this weekend.
3. Pebble Hills: The Spartans move up one after winning their own Invitational at the flat and extremely fast course at Blackie Chesher Park. Pebble Hills had four runners in the top 10 including junior Natalie Franco (third, 19:47.10), freshman Aubrey Arsenault (sixth, 20:04.43), senior Natalie Lopez Martinez (seventh, 20:06.08) and junior Carolina Zarrabal (ninth, 20:28.43). The team will race the Ysleta Invitational atShawver Park on Saturday.
4. Eastlake: The Falcons move up a spot after its second-place finish at the Pebble Hills Invitational at Blackie Chesher Park. Eastlake junior Itzel Chavez was the top runner finishing eighth in 20:18.87. Freshman Chloe Del Real finished 11th in 20:45.77. The team will race the Ysleta Invitational at Shawver Park on Saturday.
5. Montwood: The Rams were without several of its top seven runners and managed to finish in fourth place at the Pebble Hills Invitational. Senior Kassandra Jimenez established a season city best 18:44.75 in winning her second straight individual title. The team will not race on Saturday.
6. El Paso High: The Tigers rested three of its top runners and finished fifth at the Trooper Twilight Invitational at the Eastside Sports Complex. Junior Andrea Castillo was ninth in 21:16.04. The Tigers will race at the Tornillo Invitational on Friday night.
7. Hanks: The Knights did not race this weekend. Hanks will return to action Saturday at the Ysleta Invitational at Shawver Park.
8. Canutillo: The Eagles did not race a full team at the Pebble Hills Invitational. Senior Natalie Rivera was second in 18:59.60 and freshman Nevaeh Escobedo was tenth in 20:35.04.
9. Americas: The Trailblazers are back in the top 10 after placing third at the Pebble Hills Invitational. Sophomores Lexee Salas (14th, 20:57.82), Laila Morales (15th, 21:22.62) and Gisele Abascal (18th, 21:38.94) had top 20 finishes. The team will race at the Tornillo Invitational on Friday night.
10. Chapin: The Huskies finished fifth at thePebble Hills Invitational. Two runners, sophomore Rebecca Duran (fourth, 19:58.44) and senior Gianny Correa (fifth, 20:01.61), had top five finishes. The Huskies will race at the Tornillo Invitational on Friday night.
Dropped out: Coronado.
On the brink: Socorro.
Freshman Abigail Pinon has lead the Cougars the past two weeks.
Chris Moreno picked up his third individual title at the Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle.
San Elizario senior Chris Moreno, who ended the 2021 season with a Class 4A state silver medal around his neck, has continued his winning ways.
Moreno won his third straight invitational on Saturday at Del Valle High School, holding off Tornillo’s Daniel Romero in the final 100 meters.
Moreno finished in 16:19.62 and Romero in 16:19.98. Eastwood’s Alex Flores was third 16:24.18 followed by Hanks’ Alejandro Tarin (16:46.51) and Eastwood’s Matthew Marshall (16:50.51).
“The first mile and a half I was pacing myself behind Alex and little by little I caught up to him,” Moreno said. “I started to relax and pushing it a little more when Danny came up. I had to have a good kick at the end to win.”
Rounding out the top 10 were Eastwood’s Anthony Casillas (16:56.74) and Leo Espino (16:57.45), Parkland teammates Michael Castorena (eighth, 16:59.44) and Efren Moncada (tenth, 17:27.73) and Immanuel Christian’s Israel Quintana (ninth, 17:13.73).
Moreno said the stiff El Paso competition helps him prepare for what he sees at regionals and state.
“El Paso has a lot of great runners, so we push each other every weekend,” he said. “We all work together to be better runners.”
He is also sticking to the rigid San Elizario training schedule.
“Every week we train harder than the previous week,” he said. “If you train hard, the races will be easier. We’ve been training on hills which gets us stronger, plus we’re doing a lot of distance which should help us in the earlier season. We’ll do more speed work when we get closer to state. Right now, I’m happy with where we’re at.”
Montwood’s Kassandara Jimenez looked strong at Del Valle.
Kassandra Jimenez; Eastwood boy’s cruise
Kassandra Jimenez has had a busy summer.
The Montwood senior is coming off a spectacular summer track season, earning a USATF national championship in the steeplechase, a silver in the 3,000-meter run and a fourth-place finish in the 1,500.
After finishing second at the Canutillo Invitational, Jimenez came back on Saturday to win the Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle in a season-best 19:42.10.
Pebble Hills’ Natalia Martinez Lopez was second (19:47.27) followed by teammate Natalie Franco (20:35.64), Canutillo’s Natalie Rivera (20:50.20), Chapin’s Rebecca Duran (20:51.12), Eastlake’s Itzel Chavez (21:05.24), Chapin’s Gianny Correa (21:06.57), Del Valle’s Valeria Loo-Kung (21:07.63), Eastwood’s Salma Licon (21:13.74) and Aubrey Arsenault from Pebble Hills (21:14.20).
Jimenez said summer track has helped her prepare for the fall cross country season.
“Summer track helped me with my speed and turnover,” she said. “Since I ran at the national level, the competition really helped me show myself that I can run with some talented girls. I now know when I put my mind to it, I can end a race strong.”
She said she is not fatigued from the long season.
“I have some really good coaches who have trained me well,” she said. “I’m in a really good state physically and mentally. I don’t feel fatigued or that I’m going to peak too early. I feel like I’m right on track.”
Eastwood continued its winning ways at Del Valle.
The Eastwood boys easily won the team title with 29 points, placing four runners in the top seven.
“We’re really a close team,” Flores said. “We all care for each other so when we are racing, we all know that we are out there for each other.”
Flores, who is running his first varsity season, said the team concept is the only way to go.
“Of course, you have to think about yourself too, but you’re doing it for the team,” he said “Half the race is mental and that really helps you push through to the end. The concept of the race is pushing your body to the absolute limit and sure, it terrifies you, but you are doing it for your teammates so that really pushes you when you feel you can’t go on.”
Flores said this year’s team, with only two runners back from a Class 6A state bronze medal team, is well aware of what the expectations are.
“There is pressure, but we welcome it,” he said. “There is a positive that comes with a legacy, knowing the history helps push us through those hard points of the season. We are not only doing it for ourselves, but the guys who came before us.”
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.
The big this week is Del Valle High School on Saturday.
This week’s schedule
Rudy Alvarez Invitational: 8 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 27 at Del Valle High School. Burges, Jefferson, Andress, Chapin, Del Valle, Pebble Hills, Montwood, Eastlake, Socorro, Americas, San Eli, Ysleta, Bel Air, Hanks, Parkland, VVECH, Eastwood, Ft Hancock, Loretto, Cathedral, Tornillo, Riverside, Canutillo.
Gadsden Invitational: 8 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 27 at Chaparral High School. Irvin, Austin, Bowie, El Paso.
Southlake Carroll Invitational: 8 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 27 at Southlake Carroll High School. Franklin.
Albuquerque Invitational: 8 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 27 in Albuquerque. Coronado.
The Pebble Hills girls have moved up another spot this week. They will race at Del Valle on Saturday.
Top 10
1. Franklin:The Cougars opened the 2022 season with a resounding 1-5 sweep and a perfect score. Franklin placed runners in the first six spots and 10 out of the first 11 at its own invitational at Mary Frances Keisling Park. Senior Alyssa Laspada won the individual title in 20:07.26 followed by a pair of freshmen – Emily Orr in 20:36.10 and Abigail Pinon in 20:38.16. Sophomore Tessa Gibbons was fourth in 20:41.73 and senior Sofia Camacho was 20:42.09. The team average was 20:33.07. Franklin will travel to Southlake Carroll on Saturday.
2. Eastwood: The Troopers won the Canutillo Invitational placing five runners in the top 8 for 27 points. Sophomore Adelynn Rodriguez won the event in 19:33.45. Its four seniors finished in consecutive order – Salma Licon, fifth, 21:35.49; Sophia Watts, sixth, 21:38.08; Annika Cuellar, seventh, 21:42.80 and Hannah Tellez, eighth, 22:08.40. Its average time was 21:19.64. Eastwood will race the Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle High School on Saturday.
3. Montwood: The Rams finished second at the Canutillo Invitational with 59 points. Montwood placed three runners in the top nine with senior Kassandra Jimenez placing second in 19:54.12. Freshman Mia Hairston was fourth in 20:54.84 and senior Jazmine Miranda was ninth in 22:08.93.The team is scheduled to race the Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle High School on Saturday.
4. Pebble Hills: The Spartans move up one after finishing second at the Franklin Invitational at Mary Frances Keisling Park. Junior Natalie Franco paced Pebble Hills, finishing seventh in 20:54.83. Freshman Aubrey Arsenault was 13th in 21:26.48. Pebble Hills is scheduled to race at the Rudy Alvarez Invitational Saturday at Del Valle High School.
5. Canutillo: For the second straight week the Eagles move up a spot after finishing third at the Canutillo Invitational. Senior Natalie Rivera was third in 20:41.99 and freshman Nevaeh Escobedo was tenth in 22:09.42. The Eagles race at Del Valle.
6. Eastlake: The Falcons move up two spots after its third-place finish at the competitive Franklin Invitational. Eastlake had two runners in the top 20 – junior Itzel Chavez was 17th in 22:12.14 and junior Natalie Martinez was 18th in 22:21.56. The team will race the Rudy Alvarez Invitational at Del Valle High School on Saturday.
7. El Paso High: The Tigers finished a respectable fourth at the Franklin Invitational at Mary Frances Keisling Park. El Paso had two runners – junior Andrea Castillo (14th, 21:31.64) and senior Jezarae Valenzuela (19th, 22:32.79) – in the top 20. The team’s next race is the Gadsden Invitational at Chaparral High School.
8. Coronado: The T-Birds drop four spots after its fifth-place finish at the Franklin Invitational. Coronado struggled with the wet, muddy course. Senior Kyra Walker was 29th in 23:18.94. Coronado will compete at the Albuquerque Invitational on Saturday.
9. Del Valle: The Conquistadores have not run a full team at the Franklin Invitational. Senior Valeria Loo-Kung was 15th in 21:48.49. Hopefully we will see them in full force at its own invitational on Saturday.
10. Burges: The Mustangs are expected to make its team debut on Saturday at the Rudy Alvarez at Del Valle on Saturday.
Dropped out: None.
On the brink: Hanks, Chapin.
El Paso High junior Andrea Castillo leads the Tigers.
Every Wednesday, El Paso Running will utilize a point system to highlight El Paso’s top girl’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 girls race times and the meets and dates that they occurred.
Franklin Invitational: 8 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 20, Mary Frances Keisling Park. Franklin, Coronado, Irvin, El Paso, Chapin, Pebble Hills, Eastlake, Americas, Hanks, Ft Hancock, Tornillo, VVECH, Ysleta, Del Valle.
Canutillo Invitational: 8 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 20, Canutillo Middle School. Eastwood, Canutillo, Austin, Burges, Jefferson, Andress, Bowie, Radford, Montwood, Socorro, Hanks, YWLA, Anthony, Cathedral, Loretto, Santa Teresa, Gadsden, Chaparral, San Eli, Bel Air.
Franklin senior Alyssa Laspada will begin her final season on Saturday. She has run on the Cougars varsity since she was a freshman.
Top 10
1. Franklin: The Cougars open its season Saturday at its own invitational at Mary Frances Keisling Park. Parking is bad, so get there early.
2. Eastwood: The Troopers open its season Saturday at the Canutillo Invitational at Canutillo Middle School.
3. Montwood: The Rams did not run a full team at the Eastlake Invitational at Blackie Chesher Park but senior Jazmine Miranda finished sixth in 21:00.13. The team is scheduled to race at the Canutillo Invitational at Canutillo Middle School on Saturday.
4. Coronado: The T-Birds won the Irvin Invitational at Skyline Park (2.7 miles) placing three runners in the top 8 including Carolina Pitchkolan (third, 20:04.50), Kyra Walker (fourth, 20:10.07) and Isabella Galindo (eighth, 20:35.57). Coronado is scheduled to race at the Franklin Invitational, Saturday at Mary Frances Keisling Park.
5. Pebble Hills: The Spartans won the Eastlake Invitational at Blackie Chesher Park in an average time of 21:06.94. The team swept the top three spots with freshman Aubrey Arsenault winning in 20:27.08 followed by juniors Natalie Franco (second, 20:33.60) and Carolina Zarrabal (third, 20:45.32). Pebble Hills is scheduled to race at the Franklin Invitational, Saturday at Mary Frances Keisling Park.
6. Canutillo: The Eagles move up one spot after finishing four points behind Coronado at the Irvin Invitational at Skyline Park. Senior Natalie Rivera won the 2.7-mile event in 17:42.75, senior Jennifer Najar was fifth in 20:13.43 and sophomore Arianna Castaneda was ninth in 20:38.54. They will race at its own invitational at Canutillo Middle School on Saturday.
7. El Paso High: The Tigers move up one after finishing third at the Irvin Invitational at Skyline Park. El Paso placed four runners in the top 12 and two in the top the top six. Junior Andrea Castillo was second in the 2.7-mile race in 19:58.64 and senior Jezarae Valenzuela was sixth in 20:21.07. The team will be challenged at the Franklin Invitational, Saturday at Mary Frances Keisling Park.
8. Eastlake: The Falcons break into the Top 10 after finishing second at the Eastlake Invitational at Blackie Chesher Park. Eastlake placed four runners in the top 10 including Itzel Chavez (fourth, 20:50.62), Chloe Del Real (seventh, 21:05.01), Natalie Martinez (ninth, 21:13.09) and Sarah Dovenbarger (tenth, 21:24.40). The team will race at the Franklin Invitational, Saturday at Mary Frances Keisling Park.
9. Del Valle:The Conquistadores will open the season Saturday at the Franklin Invitational at Mary Frances Keisling Park.
10. Burges: The Mustangs will race at the Canutillo Invitational at Canutillo Middle School.
Dropped out: Americas.
On the brink: Hanks, Chapin.
Pebble Hills’ Natalia Martinez will begin her 2022 campaign at the Franklin Invitational on Saturday.
Top Times (3 mile or 5K)
1, Aubrey Arsenault, Pebble Hills, 20:27.08 (Blackie Chesher, 8/12).
2, Natalie Franco, Pebble Hills, 20:33.60 (Blackie Chesher, 8/12).
3, Carolina Zarrabal, Pebble Hills, 20:45.32 (Blackie Chesher, 8/12).
El Paso Running 