Sharyland, Rubio lead Valley into state meet

ROUND ROCK — The Sharyland girls cross country team will be competing in its first state meet when Texas’ top high school runners gather at 10 a.m. today at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock.

“I think there has been some individual runners, but this is the first time Sharyland will be going up there as a team,” Lady Rattlers coach Sandra Guerrero said. “That was our goal, and it felt good for the girls to finally accomplish something they have been working so hard for.”

Guerrero said the accomplishment was most meaningful to the Lady Rattlers’ top two runners, seniors Larissa De Leon and Michelle Jaime.

De Leon (12 minutes, 23.5 seconds) and Jaime (12:34.7) finished 15th and 22nd, respectively, at last week’s Region IV meet in San Antonio.

“It was just so emotional for my two seniors,” said Guerrero, whose team also is the back-to-back District 30-5A champions. “When we found out our place, all the girls just broke down and cried.”

Guerrero said her team has a chance of placing in the top 10, but she knows her team will be running against nationally ranked programs and against past failures by Rio Grande Valley teams.

PSJA North, the regional champion, has advanced to state each of the last three years only to finish last.

“These other teams are fast,” Guerrero said. “I think we have a realistic chance of beating two teams.”

The Lady Rattlers will be joined by a bevy of Valley runners at state that include Donna’s Richard Rubio, who was the top Class 5A individual boys qualifier at seventh place with a time of 16:08.

It was somewhat of a surprise Rubio finished ahead of all other Valley runners in his class, considering he placed eighth at the District 30-5A meet.

“I think Richard has the ability to run under 16 minutes,” Donna coach Efren Ceniceros said. “I think if he paces himself, he has a shot at placing inside the top 20.”

Ceniceros said Rubio hasn’t always run a smart race during the season, hurting his chances at capturing first place at most of the meets in which he has competed.

“I told him he can’t burn everything in the first 800 meters of the race,” Ceniceros said. “At the district race he ran out to a lead, but about the mile mark he started getting tired and everyone started catching him. He started laboring. It was tough for him to finish that race.”

Top girls runners in the race include McAllen Memorial’s Tricia Terry, who is looking for her first top 10 finish in her third year at the state meet, PSJA Memorial’s Gabriela Salazar and PSJA North’s Starla Garcia.

On the boys side, Mercedes’ Alex de la Garza, who placed second at the regional event, also will be looking to land a top 10 finish.

Progreso’s boys team will be the only entire Valley squad competing and is led by Eduardo Cortez (17:12.9), who finished eighth in the Class 3A meet last month.

The Red Ants came in third at the regional meet last week behind La Vernia and Class 3A regional champ Lulig.

Peter Rasmussen covers high school sports for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4448.