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Contributed photos Blake Cockrell finished 21st at the Buda meet. -
Ezekiel Atkinson was 49th at the Buda meet. -
Tyler Hamblin (left) and Nick Dahl (right) push each other to improved times at Buda meet. Contributed photo
Marble Falls fielded a reduced team at the Hays Invitational in Buda Saturday, Sept. 16 where the team encountered a crowded field on a muggy humid morning. “But then again everyone runs on the same course in the same conditions,’’ said Marble Falls coach Chris Schrader.
In the JV girls the Mustangs team of Tori Thompson, Chloe Ellis and Carmella Lozano really stepped up to the plate running their very first 5000m race. This is 1.1 miles more than their normal racing distance of 3200m. “Here is where the silver lining comes in,’’ Schrader said. ”The girls performed admirably in the longer race and came away with some solid times.’’ Freshmen Tori Thompson was the first Mustang athlete in 10th place with a time of 22.38.56 averaging 7.18/mile, or 97.2% of her normal 3200m race pace 7.06/mile. “An excellent step in the right direction and a strong indication of increasing fitness,’’ Schrader said.
Sophomore Chloe Ellis followed close behind in 15th place with a 23.06.20 (7.27/m) This was equally as impressive as she carried 97% of her 3200m race pace for an extra mile.
Cross… Freshmen Carmella Lozano was 53rd with a time of 25.29.27 or silver lined at 99.3% of her PR 3200m pace. “We are headed in the right direction,’’ Schrader said. In the boys varsity 5000m, Sophomore Tyler Hamblin hammered out a fourth place 19 seccond PR of 16.40.11, 19 seconds under his old PR. 16.59 Hamblin averaged 5.22/mile and continues to improve at every opportunity. Sophomore Blake Cockrell was the next runner in 21st place in 17.44. 26 closing very strongly over the last mile. His time is 26 seconds faster than his old PR of 18.10.
Cockrell’s average pace was 5.43/mile.
Sophomore Ezekiel Atkinson continues to regain his 2021 fitness level with a 49th place time of 18.54.31 four seconds ofF his 2021 PR.
In the JV 5000m race sophomore Marco Almazan ran a solid fourth place with a time of 18.59.84, a huge 41 second PR over his 2021 best.
Freshman Malin Nelson ran a great race of 34.04 for 152nd place and more significantly a 2minute 57 second PR over his first 5000m race from last week.
“With each passing day the boys and girls on our small team are seeing big fitness gains,’’ Schrader said.
The next meet will be at the McNeil Invitational in Round Rock on Sept. 23. The boys will run 5000m and the girls 3200m.