40th Annual Amarillo Invitational Cross Country Meet
Amarillo ISD will host the largest local cross country meet of the year Saturday at Thompson Park. More than 500 runners are expected to participate in the 40th Annual Amarillo Invitational Cross Country Meet.
All of the Amarillo metro teams except for the Canyon girls and Bushland boys are expected to participate. Ten Schools are registered in Division I (Class 4-5A), and 33 schools are expected to send runners in Division II (1A-3A).
¦ Where: Thompson Park (the start and finish are on the northeast side of the lake.)
¦ When: Saturday; JV girls: 10 a.m.; JV boys: 10:40 a.m.; Varsity girls Division II (Class 1-3A): 11 a.m.; Varsity boys Division II: 11:20 a.m.; Varsity girls Division I: 11:40 a.m.; Varsity boys Division I: 12 pm.
¦ 2012 team champions: Division I (Class 4A-5A) girls: Lubbock Monterey; Division I boys (Class 4A-5A): Tascosa Division II (Class 1A-3A and private schools) boys: Boys Ranch; Division II (Class 1A-3A) girls: Bushland
¦ Individual returning champions: Randall's Erika DeWitt won the large school girls race in 2012, but she may not run due to an injury.
Junior Sara Smith of Dalhart is the returning small-school girls' champion. Tascosa's Reid Splawn is the top returning boy. In the small-school boys, three-time champion Quinlin McGregor of Highland Park graduated.
¦ Meet notes: In the large-school girls, the Randall Lady Raiders, undefeated this year despite running without No. 1 runner DeWitt, are ranked No. 9 in the state in Class 4A and appear to be the favorite.
The Tascosa boys are seeking their seventh consecutive title in the large-school boys division.
The small-school races will feature seven state-ranked teams, according to the Cross Country Coaches Association of Texas pre-season poll.
The Bushland girls, the defending Class 2A state champions, are ranked No. 1 in the state. Dalhart is ranked No. 6 in Class 3A girls. Boys Ranch is ranked No. 2 in Class 2A boys. The Gruver girls are ranked No. 2, and the Stratford girls are ranked No. 4 in Class 1A. Sunray is ranked No. 5 and Hartley No. 9 in Class 1A boys.
¦ Newcomers making a statement: Randall freshman Karyss Betzen finished second in her high school debut at Borger and is coming off a win in Lubbock where she avenged her earlier loss to Lubbock's Tayler Fell.
Tascosa 300-meter hurdle state qualifier Maarkaisha Richardson is quickly adjusting to running three miles and won the AISD City meet last week. Richardson finished third at Borger, just behind Betzen.