Mineola girls 15th in state cross country meet

By Sam Major
photos@wood.cm
Posted 11/14/19

The Mineola girls cross country team competed in the 3A UIL state championship meet Saturday morning in Round Rock, finishing in 15th place with a 13:40.94 average time.

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Mineola girls 15th in state cross country meet

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The Mineola girls cross country team competed in the 3A UIL state championship meet Saturday morning in Round Rock, finishing in 15th place with a 13:40.94 average time.

Juliana Stanley ran the 3,200-meter course in 13:12.03 to lead the group effort, garnering 45th place for the team’s score.

“All of our girls finish right beside each other, because we’re one and the same,” said coach David Smith.

Hannah Zoch and Shylah Kratzmeyer did just that, in 53rd and 54th place, respectively. Kapri Riley and Emily Wiley also crossed the finish line close together, in 93rd and 94th place. Keilee Riley finished in 145th.

Alyssa Lankford watched her teammates compete from the sidelines due to injury. “They did their best.” They went out faster than they would have liked, which presented a challenge in the second part, which is “always the hardest, because you’re just so tired.”

Kratzmeyer thinks the team did well, “especially with three-fifths of the team hurt, I think we did the best we could do.”

Keilee Riley ran with a hurt hip. “It’s really frustrating because I was hurt last year with my hip, too.” She says the race is “more nerve-wracking just because it’s state, it’s the big show, and everyone’s watching you here to see how good you actually are.”

Coach Smith says they “take the mentality that yes, I’m running by myself, but we’re a family, and we’re going to do this together.”

All queried runners’ favorite part of the journey to state was their teammates and getting to be with them. Kapri Riley said, “That’s why I run. Running isn’t my favorite sport, but I love all my teammates, so I love spending time with them.”

Smith says the team returned to state, “because we know how to grind, we’re going to outwork everybody else.”

Zoch is already looking forward to working to return for next year’s meet so they can “come back and smoke some people.” With no seniors on the cross country team, the Lady Jackets runners’ hopes are high.