By L. SCOTT HAINLINE
Chronicle Correspondent
Friendswood should have one of the most powerful boys cross country teams in the state next year with at least five of its top runners returning.
Still, before the Mustangs really start thinking about 2007, they have Saturday's UIL State Meet in Round Rock in front of them.
"You never know what's going to happen at state, and even though we really don't have one standout, these guys run very good as a team," Friendswood coach Steve Haffelder said. "We only have one senior (Chris Demetriou), so in many ways, this is a springboard to next season, but that doesn't mean we're not going after a top-five or better finish."
Friendswood won its fifth consecutive Class 4A Region III title last week with 41 points, besting runner-up Seven Lakes (87) and third-place Foster (93), the region's other state qualifiers.
Junior Gabe Cuadra led the parade of Mustangs in the top 10 with a fifth-place time of 16 minutes, 14.74 seconds. Sophomore Matt Ellis was right behind in sixth place (16:25.59), and in his best finish of the year, freshman Brandon Swindler came in seventh (16:29.89). Junior Josh Dubose added a 10th place (16:35.24) and Demetriou completed the scoring at 18th (17:04.97). Meanwhile, junior James Blake was 21st (17:10.01) and junior Ryan Wood was 56th (18:03.30)
More of Article
By L. SCOTT HAINLINE
Chronicle Correspondent
Friendswood should have one of the most powerful boys cross country teams in the state next year with at least five of its top runners returning.
Still, before the Mustangs really start thinking about 2007, they have Saturday's UIL State Meet in Round Rock in front of them.