Hornet girls take second at meet

The Lometa cross country teams competed at the San Saba Cross Country Meet last Saturday. Results follow.

Varsity girls

Nayla Rosales placed first, and Taylor Bradley was ninth. Maria Jasso took 12th place, while Maribel Reyes followed in 14th. Elisha Whisenhunt placed 15th, and Hannah Purser took 17th place.

"The girls ran a great race," said Coach Brandy Eckermann. "We placed second as a team. The girls have been working very hard this season to better themselves from last year. We lost two very good runners due to graduation, so they realize they have to work extra hard to make up for that."

Eckermann said times for this early in the season are good, and they will only get better.

Junior high girls

Esmeralda Jasso was sixth, while Adrianna Hernandez finished in 13th place. Taylor Mitchell and Noalle Skipper placed 21st and 22nd, respectively.

The girls, all seventh-graders, are doing a great job, said Eckermann. This meet was their first-ever cross country meet. "To place as well as they did is a big accomplishment. Esmeralda and Adrianna both medaled, which is a great motivator for them and for the rest of the team."

Eckermann said the entire team works hard. "That is a hard quality to find sometimes. I am excited to see what this group is going to do with their talent."

Varsity boys

Lucas Kemp ended in eighth place in his first meet.

"He did a great job. Lucas also plays football so it takes a very strong-willed person to compete in both sports," said the coach.

Kemp is a freshman, and Mrs. Eckermann said he will achieve a lot this year and in the future.

Junior high boys

Dylan Straley earned a secondplace finish, followed by Coty Hand in 12th.

"These two boys run every day with the varsity girls, so they are working twice as hard," said the cross country coach. "It is hard sometimes if you do not have a full team, but those boys are good runners and are going to achieve a lot."