Published: November 13, 2009 10:01 am      

Area runners to compete at State cross country meet

By DARIN ALLRED

Register Sports Editor



The state’s best high school cross country athletes will converge on Round Rock Saturday for the UIL State meet.

The Lindsay Lady Knights and Era Lady Hornets will both compete for the Class A team championship after qualifying thanks to outstanding performances at the regional meet last Saturday. Lindsay won the regional meet, while Era was third.

Lindsay coach Robin Hess expects her team to challenge for a medal along with Gruver, Shamrock, Sunray and Seymour. Sundown won the state team championship last year, but they finished third at their regional meet. Shamrock was second last year, while Lindsay was third, Seymour was fourth and Sunray was fifth.

Lindsay’s Kelsey Hermes should be the area’s top runner at the state meet. Hermes finished eighth at state last year and was the regional champion last Saturday. She and the other top runners will be battling with Round Top-Carmine’s Laurie Byrd, who is one of the top runners this season.

Other members of the Lindsay team include Jessica Block, Megan Caillier, Bethani Eberhart, Jordan Fleitman, Shirley Hess and Megan Holt.

Era’s team includes Carlee Black, Leah Doughty, Cheree Kiser, Sabrina Mask, Dana Schumacher, Jacy Steelman and Brittany Wilson.

Also qualifying for the Class A meet as individuals are Muenster’s Emily Hellman and Saint Jo’s Kate Weger.

Hellman placed fourth at the regional meet last weekend, while Weger was tenth.

The Class A girls race is scheduled for 1:20 p.m.

A pair of area girls will run in the Class 2A race.

Valley View’s Taylor Felderhoff and Callisburg’s Morgan Reed qualified after their top-ten finishes at the regional meet in Arlington last Saturday.

Felderhoff placed third at the regional meet, while Reed was tenth.

The Class 2A girls race is scheduled for 10 a.m.

The only area boys runner in the Class 3A race will be Gainesville’s Giovanni Carranza. The sophomore was seventh at the regional meet last Saturday.

The Class 3A boys race is scheduled for 11:10 a.m.

All the races will be run at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock.