Lake Highlands senior Ava Peeples ran to a 7th place finish at the Marcus I Inv.
Tomorrow, Dallas Lake Highlands senior Ava Peeples will run at a regional meet for the first time in two years.
As a freshman, Peeples attended Dallas Bishop Lynch where she won several meets in her first year in high school. She eventually ran her way to the TAPPS state 5A meet where she finished in 4th place. That year, the times good and were moderate, but not earth shattering. On the track, her success continued as she earned trips to the state meet in teh 1600m and the 3200m.
She would transfer to Lake Highlands for her sophomore year and the times and the success were even faster and better. Peeples would run to a 12th place finish in the UIL 6A state meet as she just missed medaling by a few spots.
Last year, as a junior, It was likely for Peeples to enter the seasonas one of the top girls in the state and she started things off that way.
In her first meet, she started out with the second fastest time of her career at the time with a a 18:36.50. Two weeks later, in her second meet of the year she dropped a 17:40.60 5K, making expectations and hopes for her junior year immediately sky rocket through the roof.
However, as far as running, Peeples would not be seen or heard from again for the remainder of the cross country season. Peeples suffered an injury and had to sit out and bypass every other meet after week two leading up to the regional meet and beyond. With rest and rehab, she would return and see herself get well and have another good track season.
This year, the 2018 cross country season for Peeples has been as good as the 2017 season appeared it was heading towards. With a 17:56 start to the season at the Marcus I Invitational, she has gone as fast as 17:24.30 with her blazing fast race at McNeil Invitational.
Peeples followed the McNeil race up with an easy win at district and now, will get to run once again at the Region 1-6A meet that was taken from her last year.
Over the last two years, she has been one of the best girls in Texas. She was just unable to prove it last year, but now she can and tomorrow will be her chance to prove she is back. She can earn her right to run and finish her career a long way from where it began, but right where her regular season should end, at the state meet.
