Friday, November 5, 1999
 High
school cross country
Teams ready to battle for state
berths
By AL PICKETT
Sports Editor
The goal Saturday is to finish in the top three as a team or
the top 10 individually.
Either accomplishment at the regional high school cross country
meets will earn a berth in the state meet next week in Round Rock.
Area runners will be competing at three regional sites —
Region I in Lubbock, Region II in Arlington and Region IV in San
Antonio.
Abilene High and Cooper are sending their boys and girls teams
to the Region I-5A meet in Lubbock after all four teams qualified
last week at the District 4-5A meet.
The district champions — the Abilene High girls and Cooper
boys — will both be legitimate contenders for the top-three
finishes.
Abilene High coach Rene McAden said defending state champion
Amarillo High and Flower Mound Marcus are the favorites in the
girls race. She expects her Lady Eagles, led by district champion
Kristen Adkins, to battle El Paso Montwood, El Paso Americas and
Arlington Sam Houston for the other spot to advance to state.
McAden guided the Lady Eagles to a state meet appearance as
a team in 1996.
In the Region I-5A boys race, Cooper coach Eric Bengs expects
his team, led by district champion Dwayne Benoit, to battle El
Paso Austin, Flower Mound Marcus and The Colony for a trip to
state.
“We’ve never been to Austin,” Bengs said, “That’s
our goal. Realistically, we have as good a shot as some of those
teams.”
Even if the Lady Eagles and Cougars don’t qualify as a
team, Adkins and Benoit are expected to finish among the top 10.
Here is a look at some of the other leading Big Country contenders
at Saturday’s regional cross country meets:
Region I-4A in Lubbock:
The Stephenville girls won the District 6-4A title, placing four
runners among the top eight finishers. Big Spring is sending both
its boys and girls teams to the meet as District 5-4A runners-up.
Region I-3A in Lubbock:
The Ballinger, Merkel and Wylie girls and Clyde, Ballinger and
Wylie girls were the qualifying teams from District 6-3A. Lisa
Bull of Wylie and Micahel Hunt of Clyde were the individual district
champions. Bull qualified for state two years ago as a freshman.
Region I-2A in Lubbock:
The Eula boys and girls, led by Farley Flatt and Brittany Densman,
should be contenders for berths in the state meet after winning
the District 8-2A titles. Also qualifying for regional were the
Hawley boys and girls, Hamlin girls and Jim Ned boys. The Coahoma
girls, led by Rachel Williams, won the District 3-2A crown.
Region II-2A in Arlington:
Staci Benefield and Jessica Stovall had a 1-2 finish at the District
15-2A meet, leading the Cisco girls to a second-place team finish
and a trip to the regional meet.
Region IV-2A in San
Antonio: The Winters boys, Early boys, Coleman girls and Bangs
girls qualified for regional from District 25-2A. Jimmy Rodriguez
of Winters made the top individual contender from the Big Country
at this regional meet.
Region I-A in Lubbock:
Katherine Duncan of Roscoe will be seeking her fourth straight
regional girls championship. The Roscoe boys and girls and Roby
and Munday girls qualified for regional from District 8-A. Hector
Lujan of Aspermont was the boys district champion. The Benjamin
girls, Jayton boys and Allen Puebla of Rule qualified for regional
from District 13-A.
Al Pickett can be reached at 676-6772 or picketta@abinews.com.
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Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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