Conditions: Sunny, 70 °F - 73 °F, 68% RH, wind NE at 6 mph.
Cheering fans and coaches broke the morning calm at Brooks City-Base’s former golf course as the elite “Gold” division races got underway at the UTSA Six Flags Fiesta Texas Classic. In the first of fourteen races held, 189 girls from twenty-six teams battled for South Texas supremacy on the 3244 meter course under clear skies and a soft morning sun. As she did last year, McAllen Memorial senior Tricia Terry (ninth ‘07 UIL 5A State Meet) took the early lead in the girls’ race with several others in tow. By the mile Terry had a 10 second lead on Ingram’s Janel Campbell and the Dunn twins, Janessa and Emily, of FEAST Home School. Terry increased the pressure in the second mile to capture the individual title by 30 seconds. Campbell and the Dunns dueled over the last half mile with Campbell gradually pulling ahead in the last 200 meters to take silver in 12 flat with Janessa and Emily 3 seconds and 4 seconds behind, respectively. The Dunns’ repeat third and fourth places led FEAST Home School’s title defense over a strong Bastrop squad (115). Zapata (221), Pharr-San Juan-Alamo North (251), and Corpus Christi Carroll (261) rounded out the top five.
A similar scenario developed in the boys’ elite race. San Antonio Churchill’s Paul Snyder (sixth ‘07 UIL 5A State Meet), Alex De La Garza of Mercedes (second ‘07 UIL 4A State Meet), and Big Spring’s Jordan Valle (twelfth ‘07 UIL 4A State Meet) separated from a field of 226 runners in a fast duel. Valle was the first casualty as he fell of the pace at half way while Snyder and De La Garza ran side by side through the two mile mark. As they worked the long gradual climb to the course’s north end Snyder showed his dominance by dropping De La Garza and surging to a fine 15:35 winning time on the challenging 5001 meter course. Valle rebounded by passing De La Garza to take silver. In a tight team race state ranked Corpus Christi Carroll (150), FEAST Home School (157), and South Region #10, state ranked Del Rio (170) all placed runners in the top ten, but Pharr-San Juan-Alamo North’s tight 27 second spread was the key to their 130 point victory in the thirty-three team field.