Brownwood High School Cross Country teams competed in the Region I meet in Lubbock Saturday with the Lady Lions qualifying for state along with individual runner Dylan Person from the boys’ team.
Placing third was the BHS girls’ team, made up of Julianne Hood, Tori Burkett, Victoria Hood, Katy Jacobs, Jessica Romero, Ashley Strong, and Alex Bernal who competed along with alternates Jeanne Standridge and Alex Gil with a score of 126. Brownwood High School Cross Country Coach Don Hood was excited, stating that it was a very close race.
“These girls were only 13 points behind first place Dalhart and 4 points behind Liberty Hill,” said Hood pointing out just how tight the race really was.
Making a little history for Brownwood High School, the girls’ team is the first cross country team from the school to ever qualify for state.
“These girls ran hard and I’m pretty sure this is the first cross country team from Brownwood High to make it to state,” said Hood beaming after the race. At first he didn’t think they had qualified for state; however just before the awards ceremony, Brownwood Coach J.B. Gibbs came and told him the good news that had been posted.
The boys’ team also ran an impressive race, with placing 5th as a team, also the highest a boys’ cross country team has ever placed at region. Out of this team, the stand out, Dylan Person placed 2nd with a run of 16:11.49, his personal best performance ever and qualifying individually for the state meet.
“I couldn’t have asked for more from these guys, they ran a fast race,” said Hood. Five of them ran right at 18:00 or less. “If anyone had said at the beginning of the season these guys were going to be competing at region, most people wouldn’t have believed it,” said Hood. “They have improved so much and were not picked as the top district team.”
Hood explained that the boys have worked tremendously hard to get where they are and really have gelled as a team. The team was disappointed that they did not qualifying for state; however Hood said that he was very proud of so many personal records being set and the fact that this too was a very fast run with first place being a 15:55.95 run, over 30 seconds faster than last year’s meet. Hood said he was also pleased that they beat talented teams such as Stephenville and Burkburnett.
Person, who placed 2nd as an individual had improved his best time by 30 seconds which puts him in a position to place possibly in the top five at state according to Hood. Person ran a 16:11.49 at Saturday’s meet.
The girls’ team, along with Person, will travel to Georgetown for the UIL State Meet on Saturday.
Results from the 3A meet are as follows:
BHS Lady Lions (165 runners participating)
18th Julianne Hood 12:35.55
21st Tori Burkett 12:41.43
25th Victoria Hood 12:49.96
28th Katy Jacobs 12:50.94
44th Jessica Romero 13:02.13
48th Ashley Strong 13:09.98
65th Alex Bernal 13:24.78
Girls Team Scores
1st Dalhart 113
2nd Liberty Hill 122
3rd Brownwood 126
4th Lampasas 157
5th Perryton 171
BHS Lions (176 runners participating)
2nd Dylan Person 16:11.49
29th Tristan Stieber 17:32.00
36th Jacob Salazar 17:36.06
51st Michael Westerman 17:47.56
65th Adam Tipton 18:00.17
98th Quantez Johnson 18:50.50
102nd German Hernandez 18:52.55
Boys Team Scores
1st Alvarado 49
2nd Andrews 109
3rd Clint 129
4th Perryton 156
5th Brownwood 161
Dylon Person with his second place finish at the award ceremony.
Lady Lions getting set to run before the race
Quantez Johnson and German Hernandez running at the beginning of the boys’ race
Person approaching the finish line
Coach Don Hood congratulating the boys after the race
The Lady Lions getting their medals for the third place team finish at the award ceremony.
The Lady Lions ‘jumping for joy’ after their third place win
