Lady Lions close season with strong showing at district meet

By Anthony Collins

LPR Editor                       

   The Lockhart Lady Lions wrapped up their cross-country season Friday at the District 25-5A Championships at Starke Park in Seguin, bringing home a third-place finish in the junior varsity division and placing fifth in a competitive varsity field. With eight schools competing and only three varsity team spots available for the regional meet, the Lady Lions faced some of the toughest competition they had seen all season. Although the varsity team came up short of advancing, several runners turned in strong performances, earned district recognition, and gave the program plenty to build on heading into next year.

   Senior Addison Harrod led the Lady Lions in the varsity 5K race, finishing 15th overall with a time of 20 minutes, 40 seconds. Her performance earned her a spot on the medal podium and Second Team All-District honors. Fellow senior Dayana Delgado followed with a 28th-place finish in 22:58, earning All-District Honorable Mention recognition. Juniors Alicia Rodriguez and Aliya Parra finished 31st and 32nd with times of 23:26 and 23:35, respectively, while freshman Daneli Cedillo was close behind in 33rd at 23:37. Juniors Sofia Rodriguez and Alicia Sanchez rounded out the varsity lineup, finishing 40th in 24:51 and 42nd in 25:23.

   Head girls coach Reuben Ortiz said the Lady Lions entered the district meet knowing they would have to battle for one of the three regional qualifying spots. Seguin ultimately claimed the final berth, but Ortiz was proud of the effort his runners showed against a field that included state-ranked New Braunfels and Smithson Valley. “We knew going into this meet we were going to be fighting for that third-place team spot,” Ortiz said. “Seguin ended up taking it, and it was well deserved. It was a battle for position at district, and we won some of those battles, but every team really stepped up.” Ortiz said the experience of racing against some of the region’s strongest programs will only help his younger runners develop. “This was a true growing experience for our team, and they should be proud of themselves,” he said.

   The Lady Lions found their way onto the team podium in the junior varsity competition, where a determined group effort earned Lockhart third place and bronze honors. Freshman Sariah Barron led the way with her best race of the season, finishing 27th overall in 24:31. Barron made a strong push near the finish, passing two New Braunfels runners to pick up valuable points for Lockhart. Sophomore Maci Lockhart also delivered a personal-best performance, finishing 33rd in 25:07 after battling past a Lehman runner late in the race. Competing in her first full season of cross-country, Lockhart gained valuable experience throughout the year, including time contributing at the varsity level.

   Junior Pyper Bornemann followed in 38th place with a time of 26:19, steadily working her way through the field to help strengthen Lockhart’s team finish. Senior Katherine Silva Garcia placed 40th in 26:39, followed closely by freshman Aurora Casillas in 41st at 26:48 and senior Nevanna Rodriguez in 42nd at 27:10. Freshman Sophia Morgan finished 44th in 30:18, while senior Zoie Le placed 46th with a time of 30:33. Seniors Kendra Mendoza and Alondra Hernandez Medrano finished 49th and 50th with times of 29:54 and 33:18, respectively, while junior Ruth Arriaga Martinez rounded out the lineup in 51st with a time of 34:43. The JV runners worked together throughout the race, with several making late moves that helped the Lady Lions secure their place among the top three teams.

   Ortiz said the junior varsity performance was especially rewarding because it showed how much the younger runners had improved since the beginning of the season. “This was a great team race for Lockhart,” Ortiz said. “We had some great personal bests out there, but it was really exciting to see our top ladies battle as they did. Barron and M. Lockhart got out strong and held on.” With several seniors graduating, Ortiz believes the experience gained by the younger runners will be important as the program looks toward next fall. “We are losing a good group of seniors next year, so watching these two ladies get better and pick up valuable varsity experience throughout the season is very encouraging,” he said. “If they stick to it, they will be big  contributors next year for Lockhart.”

   While the district meet marked the end of the cross-country season, it also reflected the progress the Lady Lions made over the past several months. From the seniors who provided leadership to the younger runners who gained confidence with every race, Lockhart finished the year with individual honors, a junior varsity team medal and valuable experience against some of the best competition in the region.

   The Lady Lions will now turn their attention to training for the upcoming track and field season, which begins in February. For Ortiz and his runners, the work continues, and the lessons learned on the cross-country course will carry over as they prepare for their next challenge.