Cross Country Teams Win Another Region Title

The Jeff Davis cross country teams traveled to Cook High School for the Region 1-AA Cross Country Championships. Both the boys and girls team were looking to defend their 2022 Region Titles, while also hoping to extend their Region Title streaks. The boys streak was at three straight titles (2022, 2021, 2020) while the girls streak was at seven (2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016).
The Junior Varsity runners got the meet started. For the first time in several years the region had enough runners to hold a JV race. The Yellow Jacket runners got out to a strong start for both the boys and girls. The teams dominated from start to finish in the JV race and it was also a sign to come in the Varsity Races.
Sophomores Will Morris and Eric Trejo led the JV race from the start battling each other for the top spot. In the end Trejo (1st) eased ahead of Morris (2nd) in the final straightaway to take the top spot. Followed by Jovani Barragan (3rd), DJ Ryals (4th), Bryan Hulett (5th) which is a perfect score of 15. Eighth grader Ignacio Rubio finished in sixth followed by Clayton Maxey (8th) and Gabriel Osorio (21st).
In the JV girls race the results were much the same. Although none of the other schools had enough runners to score a JV girls team the Lady Jackets also dominated the results in the girls race. Eighth graders Mattie Clair Worthington (1st) and Fernanda Valdelamar (2nd) led the way for the Lady Jackets. Laysie Lewis (3rd), Isabella Rubio (4th) and Jazmin Gonzalez (5th) rounded out the scoring for the Lady Jackets, as the team took the first five spots.
The varsity races were a little more competitive but the Jacket squads still turned in dominating performances in both the boys and girls races to hold on to their Region Title streaks. The boys team put six individuals in the Top 10 and seven in the Top 11, while all seven runners from the JD squad finished in a 49 second spread. Results were very similar in the girls race as five girls finished in the Top 10 and two more girls were 11th and 12th.
Pierce Parlor (4th) and Josue Avila (6th) led the Yellow Jackets to their 4th straight Region Title as they also earned All-Region honors. The following runners finished in the Top 10: Mario Franco (7th), Joseluis Mendoza (8th), Gael Valora (9th), and Konnor Munsayac (10th). Senior Kevin Vega just missed the Top 10 in 11th place. The strong showing team helped the team to a 40 point advantage over Region Runner-Up Worth County.
The team scoring was the following: Jeff Davis (34), Worth County (74), Cook County (77), Berrien County (79), Dodge County (118), Fitzgerald (150), and Sumter (214). The top four teams advance to the State Championship.
In the Girls varsity race Ellie Kate Marchant (2nd), Allie Lewis (3rd), and Rebeca Lopez (4th) each earned All-Region honors. Aurie Taylor (7th) and Lily Relihan (8th) rounded out the scoring for the Lady Jackets, while Mayrani Trejo (11th) and Christina Wilcox (12th) also had excellent races.
JD girls squad totaled 24 points finishing 30 points ahead of Region Runner-Up Worth County. The team scoring was the following: Jeff Davis (24), Worth County (54), Cook County (75), and Fitzgerald (83). Berrien, Dodge, and Sumter all did not have enough runners for team scoring. The top four scoring in the girls race also advanced to the State Championship.
The cross country teams will travel to Carrollton to compete in the State Championship this Saturday. The boys team will run at 9:30 a.m. followed by the girls team at 10:30. Both the boys and girls team are considered for the top spots in Class 2A by MileSplit (see attached article). Both teams are hoping to reach the podium when all the dust clears.