2024 Region 4-1A
*** Written and expressed state meet qualifiers aren't guaranteed or updated qualifiers. Please see UIL Qualifiers list HERE.
Region 4-1A Girls
Rylie Eckert (Richland Springs) was able to outlast the Tilden McMullen County duo of London Yanity and Isabella Billingsley.
Billingsley took the race out on a very strong pace and created space between herself and Eckert and Yanity who were a little more guarded against the pace.
That conservative approach led the latter two to advance ahead of the early leader with Eckert getting the win in 13:03, Yanity second with a time of 13:06, and Billingsley third in 13:20.
Cassidy Slavinski - 6th, Caroline Trudeau - 7th, and Camie Taylor - 9th all joined Yanity and Billingsley in the top 10.
Tilden McMullen County dominated the race only tallying 22 total points. Their team average was 13:35 with a 57-second spread.
Team Qualifiers
1. Tilden McMullen County - 22 points - 0:57 Spread I 13:35 Avg
2. Richland Springs - 121 points - 2:55 Spread I 15:06 Avg
3. Brookeland - 161 points - 2:40 Spread I 15:31 Avg
4. Moulton - 190 points - 2:10 Spread I 15:49 Avg
Indiv. Qualifiers
13. Estrella Martinez (San Isidro)
16. Brianaly Resendez (Goodrich)
17. Harley Gilliam (Brookesmith)
20. Saige Gasaway (Fayetteville)
21. Angelina Palacios (Leakey)
2024 Region 4-1A Boys
Region 4-1A Boys
Sebastian Talamantez (Comstock) is the reigning and defending state champion in 1A and it would have been very surprising for him not to win the Region 4-1A race. Well, he did with a 16:37 run.
Jose Ventura (Lasara) was second with a 16:59 run and Eli Williams (Zephyr) was third in 17:26.
As a squad, Comstock followed Talamantez' lead and won the team title. Edgar Crane and Gerardo Ibarra were sixth and seventh overall.
Tilden McMullen County got their usual leading performance from Brandon Timms who was fourth overall. Joseph Timms and Nate Little were big for them as well.
Williams and Aaron Fagan led Zephyr and Ventura's Lasara squad helped seal their qualifying position.
Team Qualifiers
1. Comstock - 43 points - 2:22 Spread I 18:01 Avg
2. Tilden McMullen County - 72 points - 2:32 Spread I 18:41 Avg
3. Zephyr - 73 points - 3:04 Spread I 18:37 Avg
4. Lasara - 166 points - 5:04 Spread I 20:00 Avg
2024 Region 4-2A girls
Region 4-2A Girls
Kaycei Salazar (La Villa) won the Region 4-2A title outlasting Payten McGee (Goldthwaite) over the last half of the race. Her 12:47 was the winning time.
McGee was runner-up and was the only other sub 13-minute runner with her 12:55.
Jackie Earley (Johnson LBJ) as third with a time of 13:15.
McGee and teammate Emily Bartek who finished fourth helped Goldthwaite win the team title.
The rest of the qualifying teams were only separated by ten points each. Mason was second with 128 points, Mumford was third with 138 points, and Weimar was fourth with 148 points.
Skidmore-Tynan was fifth and missed out by two points with their 150 point total and Thorndale was close with 154 points.
Team Qualifiers
1. Goldthwaite - 57 points - 1:39 Spread I 13:52 Avg
2. Mason - 128 points - 1:18 Spread I 14:42 Avg
3. Mumford - 138 points - 1:24 Spread I 14:39 Avg
4. Weimar - 148 points - 1:12 Spread I 14:50
- - - -
5. Skidmore-Tynan - 150 points
6. Thorndale - 154 points
Indiv. Qualifiers
3. Jackie Earley (Johnson City LBJ)
6. Sarah Pena (Skidmore-Tynan)
10. Nadia Gonzalez (Thorndale)
13. Ruby Rodriguez (Schulenburg)
15. Kelyn Yanez Olalde (San Saba)
16. Clarissa Gonzalez (Ben Bolt)
Region 4-2A boys
Region 4-2A Boys
Shane Stawar (Port Aransas) got the individual regional win with his 17:26 winning time.
Matthew Schwandner (Brackettville Brackett) was second in 17:31, and Calixto Valencia (Junction) was third in 17:39.
Mason won with 81 points.
Team Qualifiers
1. Mason - 81 points - 1:23 Spread I 18:34 Avg
2. Port Aransas - 95 points - 2:14 Spread I 18:44
3. Agua Dulce - 138 points - 2:31 Spread I 19:14 Avg
4. San Antonio Stacey - 172 points - 2:39 Spread I 19:32 Avg
- - - -
5. Premont - 177 points
Indiv. Qualifiers
2. Matthew Schwandner (Brackettville Brackett)
3. Calixto Valencia (Junction)
9. DeMarcos Gonzalez (Premont)
2024 Region 4-3A Girls
Region 4-3A Girls
It wasn't a surprise that Sophia Bendet (Randolph) won the Region 4-3A title. It would have surprising if she hadn't. She went 11:29 to win the title and her teammate Aubrey Milam was second in 12:01.
Brooklyn Albert (Poth) was third with her finishing time of 12:37.
Albert helped Poth to the regional win. They ran a 13:36 team average
Team Qualifiers
1. Poth - 95 points - 1:48 Spread I 13:36 Avg
2. San Antonio Cole - 114 points - 1:23 Spread I 13:48 Avg
3. Hondo - 132 points - 1:21 Spread I 13:59 Avg
4. Vanderbilt Industrial - 160 points - 1:45 Spread I 14:09 Avg
- - - - -
5. Randolph - 160 points (lost on tie breaker 77<82)
Indiv. Qualifiers
5. Elizabeth Felcman (Hallettsville)
8. Madison Teague (Great Hearts Northern Oaks)
11. Juliet Alcott (Great Hearts Northern Oaks)
17. Kaydence Schroeder (Bishop)
2024 Region 4-3A Boys
Region 4-3A Boys
This race was a one man race, then it was a two man race, and by time the final half mile came it was a three man race that would up boiling down to the final steps until it was decided.
In the end, Jose Barrera (San Diego) - 16:29 edged out Gary Custer (Hebbronville) 16:30 with Johnny Rey Alvarez (Lytle) was third in 16:33.
Alvarez might have come up short on winning the individual regional title, but his Lytle squad did get the team win.
They ran a 17:15 team average and a 1:12 spread.
Team Qualifiers
1. Lytle - 60 points - 1:12 Spread I 17:15 Avg
2. Great Hearts Northern Oaks - 128 points - 1:54 Spread I 17:54 Avg
3. Vanguard Rembrandt - 140 points - 2:41 Spread I 17:59
4. Altair Rice - 150 points - 1:59 Spread I 18:09 Avg
- - - -
5. Progreso - 154 points
Indiv. Qualifiers
4. Joel Telles (IDEA Weslaco Pike)
12. Nathan Villarreal (Progreso)
13. Ilias Braxton (San Antonio Cole)
2024 Region 4-4A Girls
Region 4-4A Girls
Rilyn Grona (Fredericksburg) ran like a woman on a mission at the Region 4-4A Championships. When she assumed the lead, there was very little anyone could do to snag it away from her.
Grona ran 12:16 with Bianca Bosquez (Robstown) 17-seconds back at 12:33 and Cierra Garcia (La Feria) third when she finished in 12:51.
The team race saw a tie at the front as Davenport and La Feria tied for first with 92 points. Davenport's sixth runner finished 66th over La Feria's sixth runner finished in 121st place to break the tie in Davenport's favor.
Team Qualifiers
1. Davenport - 92 points - 1:12 Spread I 13:25 Avg
2. La Feria - 92 points - 1:20 Spread I 13:25 Avg
3. Fredericksburg - 121 points - 1:44 Spread I 13:34 Avg
4. Floresville - 128 points - 0:56 Spread I 13:44 Avg
Indiv. Qualifiers
4. Eva Zabarcencu (Comal Canyon Lake)
5. Madison Gilliam (Geronimo Navarro)
13. Lilia Flo (Geronimo Navarro)
2024 Region 4-4A Boys
Region 4-4A Boys
The La Feria are one of the best teams in Texas and it's heavily in part due their top three runners. Armando Morales, Anthony Morales, and Nathan Salinas.
In this race, Armando won the regional title going for a 15:55 winning run, Anthony was third at 16:11, and Salinas was third finishing in 16:31.
What was a bit of a shocker was how game Elijah Bliss is. The Davenport senior entered the region with a 15:58 on his resume and a 16:04 as his next best run. I wasn't exactly sure how legit the courses were and just figured he was closer to 16:23, 16:37 or somewhere in between, which were his next best runs.
However, he had other plans and he showed how good he really is by separating the La Feria trio with his 16:05.
The La Feria Lions went on to win the region with their 41 point total and 16:48 team average.
Team Qualifiers
1. La Feria - 41 points - 1:49 Spread I 16:48 Avg
2. Davenport - 86 points - 2:13 Spread I 17:26 Avg
3. Floresville - 100 points - 1:28 I 17:40 Avg
4. Hidalgo Early College - 149 points - 2:14 Spread I 18:06 Avg
Indiv. Qualifiers
7. Tristan Schenk (Comal Canyon Lake)
8. Derek Adams (Fredericksburg)
10. Jacob Rivera (Kingsville King)
15. Aiden Hallock (Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway)
16. Royce Havens (Rockport-Fulton)
2024 Region 4-5A Girls
Region 4-5A Girls
Any race with Elizabeth Leachman (Boerne Champion) is highly anticipated. Her minimal racing this year made us even more eager to watch the Region 4-5A race.
Unfortunately, the result was one of the only most wouldn't have expected. After leading most of the race as she consistently does, she was unable to finish the final mile of the race due to some complications that caused her to drop out.
However, after two years of helping to lead Boerne Champion, it was her teammates that helped carry her to the 2024 state meet next week.
Even without her contributions, the Champion girls were still able to run to a third place finish after going for a 20:40 team average adn a 1:14 spread.
Individually, Dana Rojas Vazquez (McAllen) gave a valiant and intentional effort the entire race to stick as close to Leachman as possible.
I'll be honest, that is the most determined I've seen a Texas girl try to hang with Leachman in the last two years. She was successful doing it for much of the race. She was within 5-10 seconds for much of the race.
It actually took over 200m for Leachman to get to the front (which is atypical for her), but Vazquez wasn't waiting around for her, she took control of the race until Leachman made her way up to the front.
My personal opinion is that when Leachman dropped out, it wasn't something Vazquez was prepared for and it took a mental and physical toll on her trying to carry the pacing the last mile of the race.
Brady Solansky (Smithson Valley) caught up with Vazquez with about 400m remaining in the race and would go on to run 18:05 to win the regional title. Vasquez held on to second in 18:20.
As the starter told the runners before every race, to make it to state, it's not about your time, but it is about your place at regionals.
Solansky's first place was instrumental in her Smithson Valley team winning the regional team title. Lilly Koenig-5th, Mia Perez-10th, Aubrey Pozzi-11th, and Skyler Fonseca-15th didn't hurt and actually helped they win handily.
Vazquez' second with teammate Kenzi Ramirez finishing fourth helped the Bulldogs finish second and return back to Round Rock.
Team Qualifiers
1. Smithson Valley - 39 points - 1:32 Spread I 19:04 Avg
2. McAllen - 79 points - 2:14 Spread I 19:33 Avg
3. Boerne Champion - 125 points - 1:14 Spread I 20:17 Avg
4. Laredo Nixon - 177 points - 3:01 Spread I 20:40 Avg
Indiv. Qualifiers
3. Savanah Moya (New Braunfels)
6. Yazmin Guerra (PSJA Southwest)
7. Genesis Ramirez (La Joya Palmview)
8. Dana Rodriguez (Edinburg Vela)
9. Elaina Lucido (Corpus Christi Carroll)
13. Sofia Lauren Garza (Mission Sharyland)
17. Laura Jonas (Liberty Hill)
20. Emerald Aguirre (San Antonio Southside)
21. JJ Arellano (Leander Rouse)
2024 Region 4-5A Boys
Region 4-5A Boys
Before the season started, it was known that this would be an outstanding race. There are just some very good teams and a small handful of them can advance to the state meet.
Last year, really about every year we see a team who could have and sometimes should have advanced just not have it happen.
Trust me, that was on the minds of every athlete racing and at the front of the coaches minds.
Individually, we saw two different racing strategies executed by winner Nathan Salinas (Mission Sharyland) and runner-up Charlie Houck (Boerne Champion).
About half-mile into the race, Houck surged to break out of the lead pack and developed a lead of his own. His strategy was effective and nearly flawless. Houck essentially controlled the pace and the race until the final 600m when he was overcome by Salinas.
Salinas' approach was from a more controlled aspect. He wasn't rushed and didn't look to be exhausting much energy at any point in the race. His first mile was very controlled and conservative. Clearly having target paces/heart rates, you could see Salinas checking his watch periodically and then resuming his trot. Methodically moving up as the race progressed, Salinas did as well unabated until he was at the homestretch, on the track, in the lead.
Salinas' win was in 15:52, Houck was second in 15:56.
Gage Horejsi (Leander) didn't even individually qualify for regionals. He had an asthma attack in the middle of his district race and ran 18-minutes. Thanks to his Leander teammates coming through and qualifying for regionals, he was able to compete. He finished third with at time of 16:08.
Team wise, Weslaco East has been consistent and good all season long and they were once again on Tuesday.
Freshman Alexander Nava and his brother Aaron Nava not only looked good with their shades, but they ran good with 7th and 8th place finishes to lead the way.
McAllen has been ramping things up this season and finishing in a flurry here at the tail end of the year. Last year, it was the opposite, they started off fast and then it was the region race where they had their worst performance and didn't make it to state.
That was motivation for their entire 2024 season.
Boerne is a very low key and a very modest team. They were third at 4A state meet last year and they have a chance to podium again this season.
Boerne Champion was third last year at the 5A state meet. This wasn't their best race of the year, not even close, but they have a chance to get back on the podium.
Team Qualifiers
1. Weslaco East - 69 points - 0:37 Spread I 16:48 Avg
2. McAllen - 80 points - 0:29 Spread I 16:53
3. Boerne - 80 points - 0:49 Spread I 16:51
4. Boerne Champion - 94 points - 1:42 Spread I 16:50 Avg
Indiv. Qualifiers
1. Nathan Salinas (Mission Sharyland)
5. Roehl Rodriguez (McAllen Memorial)
6. Channon Davis (San Antonio Wagner)
11. David Zuniga (Sharyland Pioneer)
13. Javier Ramirez (Eagle Pass Winn)
2024 Region 4-6A Girls
Region 4-6A Girls
It was a sophomore sweep in the 4-6A girls race.
Eleanor Smith (San Marcos) won the race in 18:22. That was just ahead of her classmates Isabella Porter (San Antonio Johnson) in 18:25, and Kailyn Brunson (San Antonio Brennan) who was third in 18:26.
The shock in this region was Austin Vandegrift not winning and not only that, it was that they didn't advance to state. They are the No. 7 ranked 6A team and they finished sixth in the region race.
It is just one of those things that happens to the best and it is usually happens at the wrong time of the season. I am very high on the Vandy girls and know it was just a bad day.
It was good day for San Antonio Johnson. Coach Tummins was very optimistic about his team and they seemed to take his spirit and belief to show how good of a squad they are.
Team Qualifiers
1. San Antonio Johnson - 103 points - 2:53 - Spread I 19:43 Avg
2. Vista Ridge - 106 points - 1:28 Spread I 20:04 Avg
3. Round Rock - 132 points - 2:04 Spread I 20:10 Avg
4. San Antonio Reagan - 136 points - 0:55 Spread I 20:21 Avg
Indiv. Qualifiers
3. Kailyn Brunson (Northside Brennan)
4. Kassia Kozarski (Cibolo Steele)
7. Olivia Laudicina (Austin Lake Travis)
8. Sophia Lopez (Round Rock Stony Point)
10. Miah McAulay (Austin Bowie)
11. Caroline Krupa (Austin Vandegrift)
13. Kallie Van Prooyen (San Antonio Churchill)
14. Ada Mathias (Northside Brandeis)
15. Adelyn Miller (Northside Taft)
2024 Region 4-6A Boys
Region 4-6A Boys
Individually this was a big boy type of race. With the 2023 6A individual runner-up Hudson Haley (Austin Vandegrift) fellow sub 15-minute teammate Kai McCullough and all-state track and cross country runner Gavin Chapa (San Antonio Reagan).
Those three guys along with Zachary Miller (San Antonio Brennan) dipped under 15:40. Chapa won followed by the Vandy duo.
Vandegrift won the team title once again and they did it with a solid stat line. They continue to run tight and they continue to gain momentum throughout the race and build stronger and stronger to the finish.
Tummins' San Antonio Johnson had a fantastic team run as well, which saw them get second. theirl 2, 3, and 4 runners were tight and helped guide them to the second spot.
Harlingen might have been the surprise of the qualifiers. They had a good average and even though they didn't get a gap under 60-seconds, they weren't over by much at 1:05.
Round Rock finishing in the top four wasn't a surprise, but at fourth was a little too close for comfort. Their top runner Andrew Esparza took a push and fall in the middle of the race, but got up to keep it from completely crushing their chances. Their 2, 3, 4 were impactful in this race.
Team Qualifiers
1. Austin Vandegrift - 27 points - 0:36 Spread I 15:46 Avg
2. San Antonio Johnson - 129 points - 0.42 Spread I 16:48 Avg
3. Harlingen - 132 points - 1:05 Spread I 16:43
4. Round Rock - 133 points - 0:56 Spread I 16:44 Avg
Indiv. Qualifiers
1. Gavin Chapa (San Antonio Reagan)
4. Zachary Miller (Northside Brennan)
8. Griffin Hummel (Austin Bowie)
9. Jayce Love (Schertz Clemens)
11. Ben Hamilton (Austin Westlake)
15. Aiden Adams (Northside Clark)
16. Nicholas Maldonado (San Antonio Madison)