Lions named Regional runners up, advance to State Championships

By LPR Staff
Editor/POST-REGISTER

As the herd continues to thin in races that become more and more competitive, the Varsity Lions Cross Country team continues to prove its collective mettle as the Lions rise to every challenge presented to them. Those challenges continued this weekend, as the Lions faced 22 other teams, beating 21 of them, to earn second place

in Region III, Class 4-A.

The Lions missed the first place mark by seven points, being outscored 102-109 by Friendswood.

Sophomore Nate Moore, a young runner who is rapidly emerging as one of the Lions’ up-and-coming team leaders, was the first Lion across the finish line, earning sixth place overall in the field of high achievers from across the state. Moore clocked a time of 16:25 for the course.

Junior Mack O’Neill, freshman Robert Uhr and senior David Dinh kept in a tight pack to finish the race, crossing the finish line in 27th, 28th and 29th place respectively, with fewer than four seconds between the second and fourth man. O’Neill’s final time was 17:16, Uhr finished in 17:19 and Dinh crossed the line at 17:20.

The Lions’ fifth man, who rounded out scoring for the team, was senior Noah Tunningley. Tunningley completed the race in 36th place in 17:28.
Senior Roy Garcia and sophomore Joseph Anchondo also competed in the race, finishing in 17:46 (53rd place) and 18:25 (83rd place) respectively.

The Lions will travel to Old Settler’s Park in Round Rock on Saturday for the State Championship. Races will begin around 10 a.m.