Memorial's Terry looks to defend regional title

Tricia Terry is human after all.

A Rio Grande Valley runner had never finished ahead of the junior McAllen Memorial cross country star until earlier this year when she finished eighth at the annual University of Texas San Antonio meet in September when three valley runners placed higher than her.

“I think people learned that Tricia puts on her pants one leg at a time like everyone else,” Tricia’s father John Terry said.

Tricia said that September day, the race just did not fall in her favor.

“Anyone could have a bad day,” she said.

She returns to that same course today with a host of Valley runners for the Region IV meet.

The Lady Mustangs runner won the regional crown last year and said she is confident she can finish first again and punch her ticket to state for a third straight year.

The top three teams and top 10 individuals advance to the state race next week.

“I have a lot more competition this year,” Tricia said, adding that her poor performance at UTSA may have opened the door for others who would have thought that beating Tricia was next to impossible before the UTSA meet. “I haven’t exactly had the best year.”

Tricia did not lose a Valley race again this year but was not pleased with her times. She won her third consecutive District 30-5A meet last week in Donna with a time of 11 minutes, 43 seconds.

Both Terry and her father agreed that it was another banner year but admitted they thought her times would have been better overall from last year.

Terry said she can’t pinpoint an exact reason why her times are slower this year other than that it can be for a variety of reasons for her such as growth that all teenagers face.

“God gave me this talent. It’s up to me to do what I want with my talent,” Tricia said.

Tricia will be joined by District 30-5A girls runner-up Beatriz Garza (12:18), who helped Rio Grande City to a third-place finish last week.

It was the first time a Lady Rattlers squad has ever qualified for regionals.

“It was a really big year for us,” Lady Rattlers coach Erasmo Montalvo said. “We never expected this kind of year because we are not really known for our distance running.”

Montalvo said he can’t really remember the last time a girls cross country runner advanced to the state meet and is hoping Garza could sneak into the top 10 today.

“She has run better that her time a district,” Montalvo said. “At the Mission meet two weeks ago she finished at about 11:40. We measured the course and it only about five yards shorter than the UTSA course.

“We think if she can run her race, she can make it.”

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