Region 4-4A
Girls Individual Race Preview:
CCCAT Ranked Teams: No.1 Fredericksburg, No. 6 Davenport, No. 10 La Feria
For Fredericksburg and Davenport, this will be round two of a Royale Rumble. Round one was their District 27-4A Championship where they took on each other, Geronimo Navarro, Comal Canyon Lake, Bandera, Boerne, and Wimberly.
I think any of those teams could qualify for the state meet if they were able to advance. Only ten points separated the third and final regional qualifying position and the sixth place.
Fredericksburg is really clicking ... they ran a 11:35 team average at the district meet with only a 1:04 compression. Davenport ran like a podium team as well with a 12:10 team average and only a 1:02 compression. They will need to be that good again because they'll have to compete with La Feria and Alice, Robstown, Tuloso-Midway, and Sinton.
Sinton won District 30-4A with a 12:59 average. They'll need every bit of that to stave off the three teamf from District 31-4A. Robstown won the district with 46 points, which was just four points ahead of both Tuloso-Midway and Alice who both had 50 points.
Be ready for a great race because every second, every meter, and every runner will matter.
Favorites: Fredericksburg, Davenport, La Feria
Teams To Watch: Sinton, Robstown, Tuloso-Midway, Alice
Girls Individual Race Preview:
A lot of times at regionals, spectators get lost watching either the individual race or the team race. The girls 4-4A team race will the "must see" of all races in the region, but don't over look the girls running in the front.
The race at the front will be crucial for team standings, but also because it is going to be very good. Taylor Grona and Cadence Patterson went head-to-head at districts with Grona coming out on top 10:57 < 11:06. This isn't the race they're putting all of their marbles on, but it's the next race on the schedule.
Ann Claire Cop and Rilyn Grona are good enough to win most races and will be right behind the two leaders of this race. Davenport has a duo of Madeline Reagan and Kendall Fallon and they've both shown the ability to go under 11:50.
Favorites: Taylor Grona, Cadence Patterson, Ann Claire Cop, Rilyn Grona, Madeline Reagan, Kendall Fallon
Sleepers: Izabella Ohler, Allison Dodds, Madison Gilliam, Taytum Moeller
Boys Team Race Preview:
CCCAT Ranked Teams: No. 3 La Feria and No. 7 Boerne
This one is easy, La Feria is the best boys team in Region 4-4A by far. That isn't a knock on anyone, but this Lions team isn't far from being the best team in the entire state of Texas regardless of classification or league.
La Feria ran the district meet without No. 3 Nathan Salinas and No. 4 Evan Torres and they still dominated and that even got some younger guys a taste of the varsity championship season level.
I think just as evident that La Feria is the best team, I think it's easily as much of a given that Boerne is the next best. They ran a 16:35 team average for a district win and only a 0.42 second split.
Favorites: La Feria and Boerne
Teams To Watch: Floresville, Alice, Davenport, Calallen, Kingsville King, Sealy
Boys Individual Race Preview:
The Morales twins are the cream of the crop in this race and it's a joy to watch them run. Armando Morales has the top time coming into regionals with a 15:19 SB and Anthony Morales has a 15:23. They'll press each other in what will look like a tempo run until it's time to decide the winner. Whoever has enough left for their kick usually winds up winning.
If teammates Salinas and Torres run they should be close to the front. Ethan Luu (Geronimo Navarro) checks in under sixteen-minutes with his 15:42.
Favorites: Armando Morales, Anthony Morales, Nathan Salinas, Ethan Luu
Sleepers: Arlen Hanle, Eli Perez, Isaac Wright