The Gonzales Apaches hosted a relay-style, fun-filled race to kick off the 2018 Cross Country schedule for high school teams. Approximately 400 runners from 14 different schools competed varsity through JV on the beautiful course at Independence Park just outside of Gonzales.
“It was a great opportunity for our young runners to get their feet wet, so to speak,” stated Head Coach Khera Vay. “Even though this isn’t a typical Cross Country meet in any fashion, it did allow the younger runners to feel what it feels like to compete against mostly varsity competition.”
Teams could divide how they saw fit with a combination of any level of runner. Runners running at the varsity level had three runners on each team that ran a mile each, circulated through three runners on each team, and then each runner ran another mile to total six miles for the entire race. JV runners ran one mile each between three runners for a total of three miles per race.
“Coach Beaty and I got a good look at what type of competitive level some of our runners ran with,” continued Vay. “The runners that ran in Gonzales last year learned how to better pace themselves throughout this particular race. Many of our runners competed at a level above and beyond what we, and probably even them themselves, thought they were capable.”
The importance of the race as far as evaluating progress cannot be denied. After the meet, runners, parents, and friends went to Palmetto State Park for a few hours of swimming, cooking out, and team bonding. The kids had a great opportunity to just be kids and have a lot of fun.
Results
Varsity girls (3 person/6 miles): 1st—St. Michael’s—33:43, 2nd—Goliad—34:56, 3rd—Tuloso Midway—35:28, 4th—Gonzales—35:43, 5th—St. Michael’s (2)—36:03, 6th—Devine—36:08, 7th—Navarro—36:11, 8th—Devine—36:15.
Varsity boys (3person/6miles): 1st—Lockhart—27:40, 2nd—St. Michael’s—27:50, 3rd—Tuloso Midway—29:07, 4th—Lytle—29:20, 5th—Lockhart (2)—29:37, 6th—Navarro—30:39, 7th—Lytle (2)—30:40, 8th—Bastrop—30:59.
JV girls (3 person/3mile): 1st—Karnes City—17:48, 2nd—Gonzales—18:07, 3rd—Gonzales (2)—18:09, 4th—St. Michael’s—18:11, 5th—Tuloso Midway—18:15, 6th—Karnes City (2)—19:02, 7th—Gonzales (3)—19:30, 8th—Devine—19:52.
JV boys (3 person/3mile): 1st—St. Michael’s—14:48, 2nd—Karnes City—15:09, 3rd—Lytle—15:16, 4th—Lockhart—15:22, 5th—Tuloso Midway—15:25, 6th—Lockhart (2)—15:32, 7th—Lytle (2)—16:03, 8th—Tuloso Midway (2)—16:25.
By Jerel Beaty
Staff Writer
Cross country teams compete in Gonzales
