Perez repeats as 4A girls champion at Region IV meet
SAN ANTONIO — Emily Perez of La Joya Juarez-Lincoln qualified for the UIL state meet a fourth straight year by winning her race at the Region IV meet Saturday at the National Shooting Complex in northwest San Antonio.
Perez, who won the girls individual title last weekend at the District 32-4A meet in Mercedes, triumphed Saturday in the Class 4A girls division at the regional meet in 11 minutes, 1 seconds over a 2-mile course. It was her third straight year to win the race at the regional level. Perez finished fifth at state in Class 4A one year ago.
The top three teams and top 10 individual finishers in each division at Saturday’s Region IV meet qualified for the UIL state meet Nov. 12 at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock.
“Emily is very happy (that she is going to state again),” Juarez-Lincoln coach Eva Gutierrez said. “She did a very good job today.
“It was a very challenging course,” Gutierrez added. “There were long slopes and the runners had to go in and out of the woods. I think the last 800 yards was the only flat part of the course.”
Juarez-Lincoln’s boys qualified for state as a team by taking third place behind winner Cedar Park and runner-up Boerne Champion. The top finisher for the Juarez-Lincoln boys was Joel Gracia, who came in ninth over a 3.1-mile course.
Edinburg High’s girls also qualified for state a second straight year by finishing third behind winner Laredo Alexander and runner-up New Braunfels High on Saturday.
Even though the Lady Bobcats weren’t all that pleased because they weren’t able to run together as in past meets, they still achieved their goal of qualifying for state. Yvonne Zerda and Laura Mendoza led the Edinburg High girls by finishing 28th and 30th, respectively. Other strong finishers for the Lady Bobcats were Katia Romero, Stephanie Vasquez, Alex Cruz and Evelyn Aranda.
“It was a tough course, a rugged course, and there were some narrow spots (that didn’t allow us to run together as a group),” Lady Bobcats coach Tencha Lancaster said. “The girls were upset by how we ran, but I told them I’m a firm believer that things happen for a reason.
“Laredo Alexander’s girls ran together and their top five girls all finished in the top 20 (to win the team title decisively),” she added. “Maybe this was a good way for our eyes to be opened for next week (at state), and maybe this will get us grounded for what we need to do. Laredo Alexander did what we needed to do today. Our girls felt better once they realized they were still going to state. We know we can do better.”
Rio Grande Valley runners who qualified for state individually Saturday included Valley View’s Jose Delgado, third in the 4A boys division; Los Fresnos’ David Guillen, fourth in the Class 5A boys division; Port Isabel’s Arturo Fierro, fifth in the Class 3A boys division; Weslaco East’s Jose Martinez, sixth in the 4A boys division; San Benito’s Brenda Lopez, sixth in the 5A girls division; and Mercedes’ Marissa Mata, ninth in the 4A girls division.
Tigers coach Pete Martinez said Mata is the first girl from Mercedes to qualify for state in cross country.
The Mercedes boys and the Los Fresnos boys narrowly missed out on trips to state as both squads finished fourth. The La Feria girls were sixth.
San Perlita’s Andres Watson made up for a disappointing district finish as he won the regional title in San Antonio with a time of 16:34 on Saturday.
Watson, a senior, was ill during the 32-1A meet and finished third, but he got his revenge at regionals.
“He knew he could beat those two guys who finished ahead of him,” San Perlita athletic director Tom Wolfe said. “He was very determined out there and he achieved his goal.”
Watson advances to the state meet on Saturday in Round Rock.
Regional results for other Valley runners and teams weren’t immediately available.
