Most RGV cross-country runners hung up their running shoes at the end of the UIL season Nov. 6. For some Valley athletes, however, the closing of the UIL season didn’t mark the end.
Several RGV distance runners made their way to North Carolina last week, competing in the 2021 Eastbay South Region Cross-Country Championships on Nov. 27 at McAlpine Park in Charlotte.
The top 10 from the championship divisions in each region earned spots at the Eastbay National meet Dec. 11 at Balboa Park in San Diego, California.
In the boys championship division, PSJA North senior Hector Solis delivered a memorable performance, finishing 12th with a time of 15 minutes, 20 seconds, narrowly missing out on a national bid.
Solis’ performance boosted his confidence going into track season, he said, showing him he was capable of competing with the best of any state.
“It was very exhilarating going up against the best of the south,” Solis said. “One of them was a Notre Dame commit. Others were Texas commits. It just really shot my eyes.
“It fueled my fire. I didn’t even qualify for the next meet in San Diego, but it was really a confidence booster knowing that I can compete with that type of elite standard of runner.”
Joining Solis at the podium was Vanguard Rembrandt senior Faith Cruz, who entered the race fresh off her fourth-place finish at the UIL Class 3A state cross-country meet on Nov. 5.
Cruz set a personal best at the Eastbay meet, finishing second in the senior girls division with a time of 19:13.
“The competition there is very different but also the weather and terrain,” Cruz said. “But having the opportunity to compete against girls from different states was fun and an experience I was glad to get.
“Going up there is a challenge. But if you’re able to go up there and push yourself, do it to be able to see what the competition is like outside of Texas. It’s just a great opportunity especially for athletes in the Valley.”
One of the biggest obstacles for both runners was adjusting to the weather and terrain presented by running in North Carolina.
Still, preparing mentally was the most important thing, Solis said, making sure he was ready to handle the cold as well as the level of competition.
“It’s more of a mental preparation knowing you’re going into uncharted territory,” Solis said. “You have to be ready for everything. You have to be able to adapt for whatever.
“I dreamed and thought about it day in and day out. The main thing I did to prepare myself was tell myself I belonged there.”
Cruz and Solis were just two of 31 area athletes to compete at the Eastbay South Region Championships this year. Other notable athletes included Harlingen High’s Geovany Cisneros and Donna High’s Kevin Hernandez, who competed
in the championship division alongside Solis.
Cisneros and Hernandez finished 70th and 74th out of 249 runners. Meanwhile, Edcouch-Elsa’s Matthew Garcia finished 15th in the boys senior division with a time of 16 minutes, 51 seconds.
Edcouch-Elsa’s Rebecca Davila and Miranda Guerra finished 23rd and 25th, respectively, in the sophomore division, while IDEA Pharr’s Naomi Cotero placed 36th in the freshman girls division with a time of 21:33.
While falling short of a national bid, competing in the event is an opportunity any runner in the Valley shouldn’t pass up, Solis said.
“Some words of encouragement I have are just go after it,” Solis said. “You have to do what you can to make your dreams a reality… I remember telling my coach that no matter the outcome of my senior season I was going to go after this and do my best to get to this level. That’s the message I have to anybody back home. If you think this might not be for you, you’ll never know unless you try it.”
