Progreso boys running well

Miguel Jimenez was surprised when he found out that his Progreso boys cross country team was ranked in the top 10 in Class 3A by the state's coaches.  The latest edition of the Cross Country Coaches Association of Texas' poll has the Red Ants ranked seventh in the state among Class 3A boys' teams.

"We were at a meet and everybody was saying congratulations after reading about it," he said. "We didn't know about it."

However, after finishing eighth in the state meet with a mostly freshman team last season, Jimenez know his team was pretty solid.

"I believe they are probably the hardest working group of students I've ever had," Jimenez said. "When it comes to putting in the mileage, they really know how to work hard."

Among the standouts for the Red Ants is sophomore Eduardo Cortez, who finished second in District 32-3A, eighth at the Region IV meet and 14^th at the state all as a freshman and after basically running on varsity for only about half a season. The Red Ants won the District 32-3A team title and finished eighth at the regional meet.

Jimenez said Cortez started the year running freshman meets and was moved up to the junior varsity, but after about half-a-dozen meets his talents couldn't be denied and he was moved up to varsity.

Cortez said he was a little nervous and had some jitters while running on the varsity as a freshman.

"I'm more confident this year," he said. "I've been through a little more."

Part of that growing confidence is an awareness that he can improve on his solid freshman season.

"I want to improve and finish in the top 10 of the state and help the team get better," Cortez said.

VALLEY TOP 10

There wasn't much movement in the Rio Grande Valley Cross Country Coaches Association boys' poll for this week with PSJA North, Hanna, Edinburgh North, Sharyland, Edinburg, Donna and San Benito all holding on to the same spots as last week from first to seventh in the poll.  Weslaco East moved up from 10^th to eighth with Progreso at ninth and newcomer Edcouch-Elsa at 10^th.

In the girls' poll, three teams dropped out: Sharyland, Edinburg North and Mission.  Edinburg and PSJA stayed in the top two spots.  Zapata, who is ranked seventh in the state among Class 3A girls, entered the poll for the first in third. Mission moved up from eighth to fourth; Mission Veterans entered the poll at five with McAllen Memorial falling to sixth.  Hanna entered the poll at seventh with La Feria falling from fourth to eighth and San Benito from third to ninth with Los Fresnos entering the poll at 10^th.

ON TAP

A good number of Valley teams will be competing in the University of Texas-San Antonio Richard Romo Classic today.  It will held at Brooks City Base, which is the same location for the Region IV meet.

Paul Conatzer covers cross country for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at 956-683-4442 or by e-mail at pconatzer@themonitor.com.