Houson Chronicle State Meet Preview

UIL STATE CROSS COUNTRY MEET PREVIEW

Barr has eye on one more title

Peaking Kingwood girls on familiar ground as top contender
for girls title

The last time the Kingwood Lady Mustangs squared off against
Southlake Carroll, the Lady Dragons walked away (make that
ran away) from the A&M Invitational with an easy victory.

Still, long-time head coach John Barr, who has guided
Kingwood to six state championships and 13 straight trips to the
medal stand, feels like his club has improved greatly since that
day in September.

"I think we are much better now that we were two months ago,"
said Barr, who will take the Lady Mustangs to Round Rock to
compete against Southlake Carroll in the Class 5A state cross
country meet at 11 a.m. Saturday. "We will just have to see if
that is good enough. Southlake Carroll was quite a bit better
than us (then), but I think each of my girls has improved a
great deal."

Over the past four years, the Lady Mustangs have won Class 5A
state titles in 2001, 2002 and 2004. They finished third in
2003. Kingwood, in fact, has finished among the top three teams
in state for 13 years in a row.

"The second-longest streak after us is three years in a row
by Southlake Carroll," Barr said. "I think that is a pretty nice
statistic. It is a real tribute to the kids."

The Lady Mustangs, who advanced to state by winning the
District 22-5A and Region III-5A championships, are led by
senior Danielle Selner. Selner won the senior division race at
the University of Houston Invitational and the Humble
Invitational. She also finished second to Westfield's Nichole
Jones at the District 22-5A meet and third in the Region III-5A
meet.

"Danielle has been consistent all year," Barr said. "She
always runs her best when her best is needed. I think she will
do that on Saturday. We need her to do that. That is going to be
a key element to our success."

Other seniors who are making the trip to Old Settlers Park
include Rachel Fitzgerald, Lauren Brady and Jessica Cook. The
rest of the club includes sophomores Jessie Porter, Addie Quinn
and Kristen Hanselka.

"We have some great senior leadership on this team," Barr
said, "but the other competitors we face have senior leadership,
too. We just have to go out and execute what we are capable of
doing. That is the key.

"I don't think anybody has better seniors than ours. Our
whole team just needs to go run the way they are capable of
running. We have been running better as a group. I think that is
very important, too. That is as important as everybody's
individual improvement."

Barr said Region II-5A standouts The Woodlands and A&M
Consolidated also have to be considered two of the favorites at
the state meet.

"The Woodlands has a good team," he said. "They have some
good runners. They are a substantial team. They are not anybody
who can be ignored."

He also said Region III-5A rivals Cinco Ranch and Clear Lake
should be in the mix.

"Cinco Ranch is quite good," he said. "We have been able to
beat them fairly well, but they are a good group. Clear Lake
also has a good group. I expect both of them to run well."

Kingwood won the Round Rock McNeil Invitational at Old
Settlers Park on Sept. 10.

"We won, but I don't know that we ran that well," Barr said.
"But there is a good reason for that. It was right after the
hurricane. I wouldn't say we ran poorly, but it was kind of like
our first meet again."

Individually, Barr said Westfield's Jones and Britney Green
should battle Selner at the top. Langham Creek's Nicole Peters
also could crack the top 10.

Jones has not lost a race this year.

"Nichole is really talented," Barr said. "She has great work
ethic. She is a good kid. Britney also got second in the 800
meters at the state meet (last spring). Our district is pretty
darn good.

"We don't have much margin for error, not that you ever
really do. But this year, we have to come out and perform at our
best. If we don't, it could be tough

RUNNING TO ROUND ROCK

Fowler carrying Lamar flag

Sophomore fulfills year-old dream qualifying for Saturday's
state finals

LAMAR'S Halsey Fowler knows what it's like to be at the
University Interscholastic League State Cross Country
Championships.

Fowler traveled to Old Settler's Park in Round Rock last year
to pull for teammate and fellow freshman Shelby Bottoms, who had
qualified individually in the Class 5A girls' division.

But Fowler, now a sophomore, isn't satisfied being a
spectator. She wanted to return to Round Rock this fall as a
full-fledged competitor.

"It was great watching Shelby run, but I felt like I should
have been out there, too," Fowler said.

"That really motivated me."

Fowler's obsession with state has lasted for a full year. The
feeling remained with her all summer and during the Redskins'
grueling two-a-day practices.

"We've been putting in a lot of mileage," said Halsey, a
15-year-old Galleria-area resident. "We go twice a day, at 6:30
a.m. and in the afternoon Monday through Friday.

"It gets old sometimes, but you have to want it."

"Halsey is proof positive that hard work pays off," said
Lamar coach Kelly Thompson. "She sets a goal and is willing to
do anything to reach it."

Fowler's desire and dedication paid off last week as she
qualified for state. Fowler placed sixth at the Class 5A-Region
III meet at North Harris College in Humble.

She was clocked in the 3,200-meter race in 11 minutes, 16
seconds.

"I'm really happy to finally make it to state," Fowler said.

Fowler stayed with some of the area's top runners the entire
race. She wasn't far off the pace set by Westfield's Britney
Green (11:01) and Nichole Jones (11:04).

"Running against those Westfield girls really helped," Fowler
said. "It made me run even faster."

But Fowler, a district track champion and regional qualifier
last year in the 800-meter run, is capable of picking up the
pace.

"I run some of the shorter distances in track, so I know I
can go faster," Fowler said.

Thompson agrees. He believes Fowler will be one of the top
runners in this weekend's state field.

"I think Halsey's got a chance to finish in the top 20, at
the very least," Thompson said. "It's intimidating the first
time you run state. It's a hilly course that can test even the
best runners.

"But I know Halsey will be up to the challenge."

Predictably, Fowler has set her sights even higher. She is
aiming for a top 10 performance on Saturday in Round Rock. But
she knows she will have to run better than she did in an earlier
meet on the state course, when the hilly terrain presented her
with difficulty.

"I think I was eighth in that race," Fowler said. "I never
felt comfortable out there with the hills. Living in Houston,
you don't train on them very much. But I know what to expect
now."

Fowler, the District 21-5A champ, said her only regret is
that she can't share this weekend with her teammates. Lamar's
girls just missed a trip to state by one spot, finishing fourth
at at last weekend's Region III meet.

"We had a great season and almost made it," Fowler said. "But
at least one of us is going. This is something I have been
working toward for a whole year. I'm really excited to be going
to state."

STATE CROSS COUNTRY PREVIEW

Harriers make run for medals

Friendswood, Clear Lake, Clear Creek all eye state hardware

CROSS COUNTRY can be a race of inches, and the Friendswood
Mustangs proved that on their way to a region title last week.

Friendswood held off Klein Oak 68-70 for the Class 4A Region
III crown, and it was so close that if the top six scores
counted towards the team total instead of the traditional five,
Klein Oak would have won by a point.

The Mustangs had seniors Michael Craig finish fourth and
Michael Stamy fifth, and compared to Klein Oak's top finishers
at sixth and 12th, Friendswood had a nine-point edge.

Philip Ellis, another Friendswood senior, added a 15th place,
sophomore Gabe Cuadra was 20th and sophomore Josh Dubose wrapped
up the points at 24th.

Klein Oak scratched away at the lead with it's next three
coming in 14th, 17th and 21st, but it wasn't quite enough to
catch the Mustangs.

Also running for Friendswood were freshman Matt Ellis (28th)
and senior Chad Barber (32nd).

The Mustangs go off Saturday at 11:10 a.m. on the state meet
course at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock against Texas' other
top 4A programs — like Fort Worth North Side, defending state
champion Boerne, defending state runner-up Lockhart, Elgin and
Clint Horizon.

"Klein Oak and our team will be in the mix and anything can
happen at state," Friendswood coach Steve Haffelder said. "Our
goal is always to be on the medal stand, but we've come up short
the past two years (fourth and fifth).

"I was extremely proud of our kids at regionals. Klein Oak
was the favorite going in, but our guys ran a smart race. My No.
3 runner, Philip Ellis, who has been my No. 2 runner all year,
ran a gutsy race because he didn't feel good at all.

"This has been a great group to work with. The team chemistry
is the best I have ever had."

Freshman Sara Brezina will represent the Friendswood girls at
state thanks to a ninth place at regionals.

The Lady Mustangs just missed going as a team, finishing
fourth with 110 points behind region champ Willis (47), Katy
Seven Lakes (58) and Montgomery (82).

Sophomore Candace Campbell added a 14th place for
Friendswood, sophomores Jessica Hays was 36th and Betsy Hoeg
37th, seniors Michelle Roberts 38th and Helen Thompkins 46th,
and sophomore Lauren Miller 55th.

Clear Lake

The Lady Falcons scored 120 and that was bettered by only
region champ Kingwood (35) and runner-up Cinco Ranch (84).

Along with Concienne, Clear Lake had senior Sara Ostrosky
finish 21st, freshmen Julie Blanco 24th and Jeannette Wacker
39th, and juniors Amanda McMahon 44th and Megan Parus 57th.

Clear Creek

Harb's time of 16 minutes, 4 seconds came in behind region
winner Kyle Goldsmith (15:44) and second place Joe Sauvageau
(15:55) of Cinco Ranch, and Cy Falls' Blake Shaw (15:58).

UIL STATE CROSS COUNTRY MEET PREVIEW

City trio to run 'round Rock

Cinco boys, girls teams, Seven Lakes girls to leave
footprints at state meet

Just a few months after winning their second consecutive 5A
state track and field championship, the Cinco Ranch boys now
have a chance to win their first-ever cross country crown.

Seniors John Buck, Chas Keithan, Jonathan Miller, Joe
Sauvageau and Tarique Thomas, along with junior Kyle Goldsmith
and sophomore Zach Flowers, will try to make it two state titles
in one calendar year for the Coogs.

They won't be alone in going for the gold Saturday morning at
Old Settlers Park in Round Rock, as the Lady Cougars will also
be there after placing second in regionals behind Kingwood.
Members of the team include seniors Rebecca Deitz, Erin Hauhe,
Tricia Stewart, Arrena Svoboda and Raquel Tidwell; sophomore
Alli Keithan and freshman Kristen Stone.

To add even more Katy flavor, the Seven Lakes girls team, in
its first-ever year of competition, also qualified for regionals
in Class 4A competition, taking second overall despite fielding
a team made up of strictly freshmen and sophomores. The Lady
Spartans came in just 11 points behind Willis with 58 points,
considerably ahead of third-place Montgomery (82).

Mayde Creek senior Chris Campos was the only other Class 5A
Katy ISD runner to make it to state. Campos was ninth in the
boys field, running a 16:25 to earn his second straight trip to
the state meet. Also, from Cy-Fair ISD, Cy Falls sophomore Blake
Shaw will go for the individual gold, while Langham Creek
sophomore Nicole Peters will run in the girls Class 5A race.

As for Class 4A, however, the Lady Spartans created a tough
act to follow for every other cross country team the school
fields. Freshman Katelyn Colwell finished fifth with a time of
16:03, while fellow frosh Jacqueline Alnes ended up 11th at
16:13.

Joining Colwell and Alnes in Round Rock are sophomores
Marissa Anselmo and Blair McCormack and freshmen Emily Felt,
Madeline Racine and Madison Roberts.

Cinco Ranch head coach Gary Derks said he is excited to see
the success of the school's two programs.

"I think it's just great for our school and both of our
programs," said Derks. "I think it shows how high our goals for
competition are. They have a specific goal and we have a
specific goal and we both want to reach those goals this week.

"Whatever happens is what's going to happen, but for both of
our teams to have this chance, it's just a good deal for Cinco
Ranch."

With Goldsmith winning the Region III gold medal last
Saturday at North Harris County Community College exactly one
week after he placed first in the District 19-5A race and
Sauvageau placing second behind him, the Cougar boys had five of
the top 13 finishers and scored just 28 points to win rather
easily. Kingwood was second with 90 points, while Humble was
third with 108 points.

Kingwood was the girls champion, winning with just 35 points.
Cinco Ranch was second with 84 points and Clear Lake third with
120 points.

Going into Saturday, Derks has already taken a lot of
pressure off his runners, telling them they have already
performed like they need to in Round Rock.

"If we can just do what we did at district, we'll win the
state meet," said Derks. "Nobody else in the state has had all
of their five guys run under 16 minutes at one meet like we did
at district, so I just feel like if we can do that again at
state, we'll be all right."

Goldsmith's first-place time at regionals was 30 seconds
slower than his district-winning performance, but his 15-minute,
44-second pace over the 3.1-mile course was good enough.
Sauvageau was second in 15:55, 11 seconds behind Goldsmith.

They were also the only two runners in the boys field to
break the 16-minute mark.

"It was very, very hot and windy and I think that had
something to do with the slower times (at the regional meet) for
everybody," said Derks. "It was pretty tough conditions,
actually."

Flowers was fifth overall, giving the Cougars three of the
top five runners. Flowers finished with a 16:12 time.

"See, that's the beauty of this team," said Derks. "We feel
like we have three No. 1 runners. Kyle just happens to be
running a little better than the other two right now, but
Sauvageau is a proven No. 1 and Zach's done it, as well. And
then we have a strong No. 4 and a strong No. 5 runner, so we
feel like if we have a good day on Saturday, we've got a real
shot at this and that's what we've told our guys."

Buck rounded out the top 10 at regionals, running a 16:38.
Keithan placed 13th overall and fifth for his team to round out
the Cougar scoring.

The Cinco Ranch girls had no one place in the top 10
individually, but still had a solid team showing to score 84
points for second behind the Mustangs

UIL STATE CROSS COUNTRY MEET PREVIEW

Learning curve tiny for Hulse

Versatile Austin runner ahead of pace in pursuit of Round
Rock hardware

Austin junior Sam Hulse is making the most out of his second
season of cross country.

Hulse, who also plays soccer, baseball and runs track when
time allows, was always among the leaders at every meet
throughout the fall, and at last month's District 19-5A Meet, he
overwhelmed the field, winning by a full minute.

Season No. 2 became even sweeter with last week's sixth-place
finish in the Class 5A boys division at the Region III Meet at
North Harris County Community College, and because of that
top-10 finish, Hulse is in Saturday's UIL State Meet at Old
Settlers Park in Round Rock.

"The top goal all year was to make it to state, and another
was a top-five finish at regionals, and he came real close to
the top five," Austin coach Todd Laney said. "A top 15 or better
finish at state is very realistic after what Sam did in the
toughest (Class) 5A region in the state. He ran a great race
under tough conditions."

On a hot and humid day, Hulse's time of 16:12 put him behind
region champion Kyle Goldsmith (15:44) and runner-up Joe
Sauvageau (15:55) of Cinco Ranch, Cy Falls' Blake Shaw (15:58),
Clear Creek's Ahmed Harb (16:04) and Cinco Ranch's Zach Flowers
(16:12).

By placing four runners in the top 10, Cinco Ranch dominated
the team standings with 28 points, finishing well ahead of
Kingwood (90) and Humble (109).

Hulse was the only District 20-5A runner to place among the
top 40 at regionals.

"He's a jack of all trades," Laney said. "He plays soccer,
baseball and competes in the mile and two-mile (1,600 and 3,200
meters) in track. Sam really has come a long way in a short time
in cross country. He finished 18th at regionals last fall, and
now he's going to state, and he still has another year to go.

"We're still talking about his state meet strategy, but I
imagine it's going to be pretty much what he's done all year.
He'll stay in contact with the leaders, just like at regionals."

This is Hulse's first time on the Round Rock layout.

"We're going up Friday and he'll have a chance to check it
out," Laney said.

The Brazos girls and boys are headed to Round Rock in Class
2A following high finishes at last week's Region IV Meet in San
Antonio.

The Lady Cougars were second to Academy (84-126) with Brandi
Witte giving Brazos a second place (12:33) and Heleigh Pustka
coming in fifth (12:59).

Patrick Krol's third-place finish (18:15) led the Brazos boys
to a third place overall at regionals.

Needville's Logan Smart qualified for state in Class 3A with
a region fourth place (17:42), and East Bernard's Molly
Farrell's ninth place (13:12) gives her a place in Saturday's
Class 2A girls state field.

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY

Fast finish rockets Robertson to state

Alvin sophomore uses strategy, skill to land meet berth

Alvin coach Scott Durham thought the leaders of the Class 5A
girls division at last week's Region III Meet might run quickly,
but this was ridiculous.

"It was insane," he said. "A 2:18 (2 minutes, 18 seconds)
over the first 800 meters. That's what (defending state
champion) Nichole Jones (of Westfield) did, along with a couple
of others, and the next group was right around 2:30. I just
didn't understand it."

That's what happened during the opening stages of the race at
North Harris County Community College, but it was the end that
mattered.

Despite not approaching the speed of sound in the early
going, Alvin sophomore Brittainy Robertson finished strong,
nailing down a state meet berth with a fourth-place time of
11:14.

"It was a great region run for her, and she did what we hoped
she would do," Durham said. "She was a little at the back of the
pack at the start, but so was almost everyone else, and she
finished very well."

In fact, almost exceptionally well, according to Durham.

"I thought for a moment or two she had a shot to win it," the
coach said.

Robertson's career-best clocking was bettered by only three
runners — Britney Green (11;01) and Jones (11:04) of Westfield
and Kingwood's Danielle Selner (11:08).

Robertson, who finished 30th at regionals as a freshman,
wasn't bothered by what some considered an out-of-control start.

"I felt pretty comfortable, and I really didn't think it was
that fast," she said. "I'm sure it will be the same thing at
state, but I'll just try to do what I did at regionals."

Robertson won last month's District 24-5A Meet at 11:34.
She's set to go off Saturday at 11:40 a.m. at Round Rock's Old
Settlers' Park, 3300 Palm Valley Blvd.

"I think she'll use the same strategy at state," Durham said.
"She'll stay back, see what unfolds in front of her, and make a
move at the end."

UIL STATE CROSS COUNTRY MEET PREVIEW

Pearland's Mose hits her stride

Measured pace puts Lady Oilers senior on road to state
honors

Pearland senior Christina Mose is learning a new game plan
during the final stages of her Oiler cross country career.

It's paid off with a berth in Saturday's UIL State Cross
Country Championships in Round Rock.

"Christina really likes to get out front and stay there from
the very start, and she did that most of the time this year, but
at regionals and state it's not in her best interest to do
that," Pearland coach Lori Ziegelmeyer said. "Now it's more of
staying in or around the top 20 in the early going, and then
working your way up."

Mose finished seventh with a time of 11 minutes, 32 seconds
in Class 5A at last week's Region III Meet, and she's looking
for another high finish at Saturday's state event.

"She just did very, very well," Ziegelmeyer said. "Nichole
(Jones of Westfield) and some of the other girls really started
fast, and Christina stayed right there, and was about 11th at
the mile mark.

"She'll most likely use the same strategy at state."

This is Mose's second trip to the state meet and her first as
an individual. She advanced with Pearland's team as a sophomore.

"The course isn't new to her, so there shouldn't be any
surprises there," Ziegelmeyer said. "She was ranked 12th going
into regionals, and came away with a top-10 finish, and we're
looking for Christina to have another good day at state."

Mose, who is a top performer in the 800 and 1,600 meters
during the spring, runs at 11:40 a.m. Saturday at Old Settlers'
Park in Round Rock.