Area runners claim berths to state cross country meet
By Jason Chlapek
Gatesville Messenger
Ten area runners will compete in the state cross country meet Nov. 6-7 at Old Settler’s Park in Round Rock.
Gatesville Lady Hornets Riley Higginbotham and Jayde Muegge and Hornet Charles McLeod will compete as individuals, while the entire Jonesboro girls team qualified. Higginbotham and Muegge finished 18th and 23rd, respectively, in the Region III-Class 4A Meet Monday in Huntsville, while McLeod was 16th in the 4A boys race Monday in Huntsville, and the Lady Eagles took fourth in the team standings at the Region IV-A Meet in Corpus Christi.
The top four teams and top 10 individuals not attached to a top-four team qualified for the state meet. Higginbotham and Muegge were part of a Lady Hornets team that finished sixth in the team standings, while McLeod was a member of the 10th-place Hornets team.
Jonesboro senior Lynlee Deats qualified for her fourth state meet in as many years. She also was the top finisher for Jonesboro with a second-place individual finish.
Landree Deats (15th), Paislee Cullar (17th), Ryli Bryson (83rd) and Haleigh Newcomb (84th) also scored for the Lady Eagles. Rylee Retana and Madison Barron also competed for Jonesboro.
In Round Rock, the Class 4A girls race starts at 10:55 a.m. Nov. 6, while the 4A boys race begins at 11:25 a.m. The Class A girls race starts at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 7.