First, we saw the Varsity Girls race come down to a close ending in a team battle between Eastwood and Montwood.
Montwood was running fast and strong as they placed their top two runners ahead of Eastwood's number one as they went first and fourth putting them in good position for the win. However, Eastwood's top three runners came across right ahead of Montwood's three runner.
With Montwood running strong with their back end pack having their four - seven runners closing in together as a pack and making a push for the finish line, it was the Eastwood's four and five that came up strong for the win.
With Montwood a little ahead in the score and their five through seven closing strong, Selma Licon was able to place ahead of the number four and and five with a strong race of her own. Licon finished with a time of 21:26 to bring the tam score to 46 points and a 20:53 team average.
That was good enough to give them the three point win over Montwood.
The boys race was almost just as close and again it involved Eastwood, but San Elizario was the competitor for them. Both teams have won state championships in recent years and were no doubt ready to provide an entertaining race.
San Elizario hit big with the number one runner Edwin Gomez coming in as the low stick. Gomez won the race and their two and three runners came in not too far behind, only being broken up by Eastwood's top finisher in fifth place. San Ellie finished with a sixth and seventh place to bring their total to 14 points after three runners.
However, Eastwood is a pack running type of team and they put their two through four runners all ahead of San Ellie's four and five. The team score after four runners was 32 to 42 in favor of San Elizario, but Eastwood's strength that makes them hard to beat is their depth and talent and it would present a challenge.
In the end, it was time to watch the clock and the finish line as Eastwood had a total score of 59 as they awaited for San ellie's runners to cross. Their number five, six and seven runners all finished before San Ellie's five runner, but none of that mattered.
The difference maker ended up being San Ellie's number five runner, Alan Ceballos. He came in just in time for San Elizario with his 22nd place finish, making the score 54 - 59 in favor of San Elizario.
The front pack runners get most of the glory on teams all across the country. However, no team win or big time performance can come with out the entire team. Without the contributions of the fives, the team scores are incomplete.
Even though, the team usuallly waits for the five, they are sometimes the most important piece to a team's puzzle. Without the performances of Licon and Ceballos, Montwood and Eastwood could have possibly found another way to win, but these two came up big and they deserve our tributes.