Cuero Cross-Country hits the course
As the leaves hint at the change of seasons and the air turns crisp, the Gobbler and Lady Gobbler Cross-Country Teams charge into the heart of the running season, displaying remarkable progress and resilience. Despite having only two seasons under their belts, the runners shine with promise. Coach Edgar Vanderstucken stated “Our runners, who have all been running for just two cross country seasons, are seeing a lot of success because they are consistent in their practices and huge supporters of their teammates.” The camaraderie built among the team has been crucial in nurturing a successful running environment, where each member believes in the importance of hard work and determination.
“We are halfway through the season and are looking to get a little faster and a lot more mentally tough,” Vanderstucken remarked. The results from the recent Port Aransas XC Invitational demonstrate their progress and serve as a powerful motivation to keep pushing forward. With the JV boys securing a commendable 4th place, our 8th-grade girls clinching 3rd, and both 7th-grade teams showing strength with the girls in 1st and the boys in 3rd, it’s clear that our athletes are developing not just speed but also a fierce competitive spirit.
Individual results from the Port Aransas Invitational: JV Boys – 3 mile race-Logan Garcia - 11, 21:36Ismael Botello 13, 21:37Furman Saldana - 17, 22:17Malachi Juntunen - 25, 22:56Adam Alaniz - 28, 23:18Mason Valdez - 33, 24:17Drake Corpus - 38, 25:30De’Marion Dilworth - 39, 25:46JV Girls – 2 mile raceKamryn Villa - 3, 14:52Bailey Blank - 5, 15:28Jeana Naranjo 15, 16:11Jaylee Sanchez - 16, 16:118 JH Girls – 2 mile raceCarmen Jurosek - 6, 15:35Stephanie Hernandez - 9, 15:57Kaylen DeLeon 11, 16:01Lainey Dyer 13, 16:26Lily Hogan 36, 19:097 JH Girls – 2 mile raceTrinity Jimenez - 5, 15:38Evelyn Nezhad - 7, 15:54Paisley Bixenmann - 8, 15:54Rilynn Bade - 11, 17:37Paisley John - 26, 20:128 JH Boys – 2 mile raceAlex Gomez - 2, 13:09Angelo Vasquez -70, 15:057 JH Boys - 2.0 Miles3rd place teamRyder Beldin - 18, 16:21Weston Slovacek 20, 16:37Parker Fortanas - 27, 17:19Jacob Resendez - 30, 17:28Drew Chilek - 35, 18:24James Jones - 44, 20:19 “We have grasped the importance of consistency in practice and intensity in practice. Now we need to translate it to a full race,” Vanderstucken said of the team. The high school Cross-Country Team will head to the Texas A&M Corpus Christi Islander Invitational scheduled for Saturday, September 13, The race will be another test of the Gobbler runner’s abilities and teamwork, and hope it will serve as a meet to showcase their running talent.
Elias Gomez runs neck and neck with a participant from Odem in Port Aransas. Gomez finished the race in 2nd place with a time of 13:09. Photo by Brian Gomez
