Aledo competes on state course

To say the Aledo cross country teams are familiar with the course at Old Settler's Park in Round Rock would be an understatement akin to saying the Dallas Cowboys couldn't stop the running game of a fifth-grade football team.

After all, the Aledo program has been sending runners to state on a regular basis for years, including qualifying both the girls and boys last season, believed to be a first for the elite program.

And they regularly compete in the annual McNeil Invitational at Old Settler's Park, which is, of course the same site at which they hope to return on Nov. 2 for yet another appearance at state.

For a second straight time, the Ladycats placed second on the course. They were state runners-up at state in the fall of 2023.

Meanwhile, the Bearcats finished 28th as a team.

Both teams qualified to compete in the Gold Division, the toughest of all divisions in the elite meet. The division featured a field of 33 teams and 265 runners among the boys, along with  32 teams and 244 runners among the girls, all considered to be some of the best high school runners in the state.

The top overall finisher for Aledo was Jack Fink, who placed 20th individually for the Bearcats. He clocked a time of 15 minutes, 55.62 seconds over the 5K course.

Leading the Ladycats was Molly Garrison, who finished 21st individually. Her time over 5K was 18:43.42.

Also for the Ladycats: Micah Neal, 33rd, 18:53.89; Mykel Murry, 44th, 19:03.70; Sophia Brandenburg, 86th, 19:54.81; Madison Larsen, 116th, 20:18.46; Mayden Mitchell, 190th, 21:22.81.

Also for the Bearcats: Tyler Connelly, 41st, 16:20.21; Dominick Barrera, 203rd, 17:45.95; Ian Robbins, 209th, 17:50.06; Thatcher Pettit, 238th, 18:12.51; Luke Schabel, 242nd, 18:16.25; Reed Murray, 253rd, 18:32.40.

The Ladycats and Bearcats will hit the road again this week. They travel to Fayetteville, Arkansas to compete in the Chili Pepper Festival, hosted by the University of Arkansas. The junior varsity was running in the Reunion Run in Decatur at press time.