The Irion County girls cross country team just snagged the Class 1A gold medal, marking their first-ever state title in the sport, while Menard’s Danni Ruiz absolutely flew to an individual state championship on Saturday at Old Settler’s Park in Round Rock. This wasn’t just a win; it was a statement from both programs, with Menard also celebrating their first state championship.
Ruiz Absolutely Dominates the 2-Mile Course
Danni Ruiz is simply unreal. She locked up that individual state title with an insane time of 11 minutes and 35 seconds on the 2-mile course in the Class 1A race. Talk about putting in work! She crushed Bellevue’s Mattie Broussard, beating her silver medal time by a full 13 seconds. That’s not just a win, that’s a *domination*. While Ruiz was busy making history, Menard finished fourth in the team standings. Shout out to their other runners, too, like Taytum Chambless (26th, 12:58), Mackenzie Wright (72nd, 13:39), Channing Chambless (73rd, 13:40), Isabelle Devine (78th, 13:45), and Aerie Meddaugh (128th, 15:14). Every single one of them contributed to a massive day for Menard!
Irion County Girls Made History With a 52-Point Masterclass
Get this: The Lady Hornets didn’t just win the Class 1A team gold medal, they did it with a stunning 52 points. They placed five runners in the top 36, blowing past second-place McMullen County by a mind-boggling 62 points! This is their *first* state title in cross country, and they earned it with a performance that will be talked about for years. Madeline Skelton led the charge for Irion County, finishing fourth overall in 12:05. Right behind her was Faryn Callaway (sixth, 12:06), then Presley Parker (12th, 12:30), Reese Rey (20th, 12:50), and Natilee Hernandez (36th, 13:05) rounding out their top five in the top 36. Harper McDowell (52nd, 13:21) and Bradie Garza (111th, 14:36) also ran their hearts out for the team. What a day for Irion County!
Boys Bring the Heat With Silver and Top Finishes
Not to be outdone, the boys also showed up huge! Irion County’s Parker Kramer snatched a silver medal, running the 5,000-meter course in 16 minutes and 27 seconds. He was just nine seconds shy of gold, right behind Roby senior Camden Lummus. Kramer’s incredible run helped lead Irion County to a ninth-place finish in the team standings. George Sanchez (66th, 18:57), River Braddock (83rd, 19:22), Aiden Aldrete (89th, 19:34), Landen Aldrete (125th, 20:53), Nathan Garcia (133rd, 21:21), and Zane Jackson (142nd, 22:23) also left it all on the course. Eden’s Jorge Mendez showed up big too, locking in an eighth-place finish in 17:07. Garden City also put on a strong display, securing seventh in the team standings with Thomas Hilliger leading them at 19th place in 17:44. Kannon Flores (37th, 18:10), Korbin Cervantes (60th, 18:46), Cooper Baker (108th, 19:54), Clayton Hillger (130th, 21:06), Cade Baker (142nd, 22:07), and Rene Cano (147th, 22:23) all battled hard for Garden City.
What a day for cross country in West Texas! These individual and team state titles aren’t just wins; they are declarations, setting a new standard for these programs and for every athlete who stepped onto that course. The future looks absolutely electric for cross country across the state. Who knows what these athletes will accomplish next?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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