Top Texas Runners Compete in Elite 5K Race

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 In the biggest cross country meet so far this season, the Kingwood girls placed second among some tough competition in the Elite 5K race.  The race was held Saturday morning in The Woodlands at the Bear Branch sports complex and featured 23 teams and 163 individuals.   Some of the runners were from other states including Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and California.

Though it wasn’t their strongest showing of the year, the Mustang girls managed 93 points to finish second behind Southlake Carroll’s 57 points.  College Park girls were third with 121 points.  Palos Verdes CA finished 4^th with 144 points, Lewisville Flower Mound was 5^th with 150 points, and The Woodlands girls were 6^th with 157 points. 

The top individuals of the day were Karis Jochen (1^st) A&M Consolidated, Maddie McLellan(2^nd) The Woodlands, and Cali Roper (3rd) Willis.  Kingwood girls’ top finishers were Ashley Mills (19^th), Catie Daigre (20^th) and Sandie Raines (21^st). Laura Craig (25^th) and Grace Howley (34^th) finished the scoring team with sixth- and seventh-runners Kerstin Sheehan (44^th) and Sarah Bradley (57^th) not far behind.   

The boys Elite 5K race also saw tough competition with 22 teams and 170 runners.   Kingwood boys placed 4^th with 181 points behind Southlake Carroll (1^st, 32 points), Palos Verdes CA (2^nd, 75 points)and The Woodlands (3^rd, 132 points). 

Top individuals were Craig Nowak (1^st) Cypress Woods, Johah Diaz (2^nd) Palos Verdes, and Joe Sansone (3^rd) Southlake Carroll.    Kingwood boys’ top finishers were Daniel Shellhouse (36^th), Trent Higgins (39^th) and Sergio Rodriguez (46^th). 

Justin Brinkley (47^th) and Eric Redondo (48^th) finished the scoring team with sixth- and seventh-runners Glen Kelly (49^th) and Tyler Brady (69^th).

Kingwood and many of the same teams will race the Bear Branch course again Nov 19^th to compete for a seeded position at the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, OR.  The top two teams and top five individuals will qualify for the national meet.