The Waurika high school cross country squads opened the season last Saturday by competing in the Duncan Invitational at Duncan.
The Lady Eagles managed a fourth-place finish competing against several of the best teams in this part of the state – including two that will compete in a higher class.
Blanchard was the team champion with 46 points, while Merritt finished with 56. Waurika came in with 91 points.
In the boys’ competition, the Eagles finished 10th, but had to run against the likes of Duncan, Cache, Elgin and Lawton Eisenhower. Cache was the team champion with 45 points and Duncan finished second with 98. Waurika had 241 points – just one point behind Lawton Eisenhower.
Tallin Mora led the way for the Lady Eagles as she earned ninth place with a time of 13:34.21, which is her second best time ever.
Asia Smith also earned a medal by finishing 17th place with a time of 13:50.66.
Aubree Showalter came in at the 27th spot in the crowded girls’ field with a time of 14:53.21.
The fifth runner for the Lady Eagles, Faith Roberson, managed to finish 39th giving the Lady Eagles five runners in the top 40 of the meet. Roberson’s time was 15:40.11.
Brooklyn Barnes headed the junior varsity group for the Lady Eagles. Her overall finish of 55th was good enough to medal among the JV competitors. She finished the two-mile course with a time of 17:34.55.
Kaci Reynolds was 63rd (19:44.52) Savanna Ritter was 65th (20:27.45) and Hope Cummings was 67th (21:22.53) to round out the Lady Eagle competitors.
Waurika was competing against teams from Class 4A through Class 2A.
The Eagles had to compete in one division that included schools from every class – from Class 2A to 6A. Waurika held their own, however, against the bigger schools.
Cache Dunn paced the Eagles on the day with a 31st-place finish. His time was 20:00.30.
Gustavo Gomez was 51st with a time of 21:41.05 for the Eagles, while Trent Arellano earned the 62nd spot, but was just behind Gomez with a time of 22:20.17.
Alex Gomez was 64th (22:22.80) and Kevin Garcia earned 74th place (23:11.83) to round out the scorers for the Eagles.
Octavio Gomez (81st, 23:32.64), Malachi Dodson (117th, 29:06.55) and Colby York (121st, 30:24.30) rounded out the competitors for the Eagles in the meet.
Waurika will return to action Saturday when they travel to Madill for the Madill Cat Run.
Junior High Results at Duncan
Waurika Boys
Team Scoring: Elgin 63, Altus 73, Blanchard 74, Hollis 87, Duncan 106, Waurika 113, Cache 126.
15. Aiden Jenkins 13:45.33; 32. Jaxson Simmons, 14:58.83; 36. Ryder Watkins, 15:15.99; 38. Ledger Watkins, 15:53.63; 41. Austin Eck, 16:48.64;
Waurika Girls
Team Scoring: Merritt, 47, Hollis 72, Comanche 50, Altus 108, Rush Springs 121, Blanchard 121, Duncan 184, Waurika 190, Ryan 226.
20. Charley Sellers, 12:38.21; 47. Niesca Camarillo, 14:15.78; 50. Destiny Foster, 14:36.96; 77. Gabby Gunter, 17:20.55; 85. Chancy Sellers, 18:19.99; 87. Paisley Young 18:28.27.
