The San Antonio Christian boys and coaches pose after winning the TAPPS 5A Boys Cross Country State Championship team title
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On October 31, 2022, The San Antonio Christian (SAC) won the 2022 TAPPS 5A Boys Cross Country State Championships in Waco, Texas.
The SAC boys moved down to the TAPPS 5A classification this year from 6A. You might think that moving down would guarantee them a shot at a state title.
It put them in a good position, but it wasn't a sure thing.
To capture this seasons' honor, SAC took control of their own destiny and started from day one with the motivation to challenge for the state title.
They started base training earlier than they ever had as well as quickly uniting to make personal sacrifices.
A group of seniors mixed with a fabulous freshman would also create the positive impact. Adrian Rule, who was a SAC student for years was finally able to compete with the high school team now that he entered his freshman season. Rule would make an immediate impact with his running.
Seniors Kyle Whaley, Jack Hicks, Caleb Zell, and Landon Webb would team with junior Jack Hawkins to recognize the opportunity the addition of Rule would create for them. Coaches Melissa Dirkson and Kenny Dirkson would use that experience and the infusion of Rule to take advantage and disallow the opportunity to pass.
SAC would face three big hurdles en route to their championship; 1. Franco Parra, 2. Marco Parra, and 3. An inopportune injury that would sideline one of their top runners from training and competition for the majority of the season.
The Parra twins are not only two of the best distance runners in TAPPS, they are regarded as two of the best in the country. Their San Antonio TMI team was the adversary team that would stand between SAC and the championship.
Zell, would suffer an injury that would drastically limit his training and keep him from running all season long. His first competition of the season and last of his high school career would be the state meet. Fellow seniors Whaley and Hicks credit him for the championship as much as the rest of the team collectively.
The San Antonio Christian boys 2022 season is a microcosm of reasons cross county is as special of a sport that it is. Their 40 < 46 point victory for the TAPPS 5A state championship is evidence of that as well as the reason we love cross country.