Wylie East sophomore Evangeline Williams, pictured in previous action, won first place in the Hoka McNeil Invitational with a time of 17:59. Photo by Kim Dill Higginbotham

By David Wolman

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Some of the top runners in Texas descended on Old Founders Park in Round Rock last Saturday for the Hoka McNeil Elite Invitational. 

Wylie and Wylie East were among teams that ran at Old Founders Park – the site of the Class 6A state meet – with good success to show for their efforts, especially for Lady Raiders sophomore Evangeline Williams.

Two weeks after Williams broke the school record, she put forth another strong effort last Saturday, winning first place in the gold girls division with a time of 17:59. 

Madison Akers turned in the next fastest time for Wylie East, placing 45^th with a 19:38. Isabelle Price placed 158^th in 21:19, Reagan Tolar was 171^st in 22:00, Alexis Schmidt clocked a time of 22:21 for 180^th, Layla Talbott placed 183^rd in 22:26 and Amiya Runsewe finished 191^st with a 22:43.

Wylie freshman Annabelle Angeles represented the Lady Pirates in Round Rock. She placed 116^th with a 20:43.

Senior Zachary Brumfield paced the Wylie boys with a 33^rd-place finish in a time of 16:03. Thorne Owen also cracked the top 100. He placed 85^thin 16:40. Landon Cooper was 164^th in 17:30, followed by Karter Kekuna, who placed 169^th in 17:34. Jaron Savage finished 171^st with a 17:35 and Michael Gonzales placed 224^th with an 18:56 to round out the efforts for the Pirates.

Wylie East also had full representation in Round Rock. 

Kaleab Endale captured 91^st place with a 16:45, John Middleton placed 98^th with a 16:50, Nathnael Kebede placed 152^nd in 17:25, Kirubel Feyissa took 115^th with a 17:26, Roman Lopez finished 176^th with a 17:38, Carter Roberts was 183^rd in 17:42 and Jaden Parish placed 210^th in 18:24.

Those runners for Wylie and Wylie East who didn’t compete in Round Rock took aim in the Rodriguez Cross Country Invitational last Friday at Wylie High School.

Wylie experienced the most amount of success at the Dustin Rodriguez Invitational. The Lady Pirates placed second in the elite varsity girls 5-kilometer race with 52 points and won first place in the open varsity division with 39 points.

The collective balance of the Lady Pirates was on full display in the elite varsity girls 5K race as all five runners placed in the top 20. Seniors Kyler Eiben (20:32) and Kinsley Ferguson (20:40) placed ninth and 10^th, respectively, while freshman Vanessa Vazquez (20:41) placed 11^th. Junior Alexis Lee (21:02) captured 16^th place. Senior Paige Orr took 19^th in 21:36. 

Wylie had similar success in the open varsity girls 5-kilometer race. Freshmen Sarah Barbe (10^th, 21:45), Kyndell Bacon (11^th, 21:46) and Tesnin Idris (12^th, 21:46) turned in the top times for the Lady Pirates. Sophomore Finley Radford (17^th, 22:12) and junior Nikki Bhakta (18^th, 22:23) also placed in the top 20. Sophomore Mia Palka (49^th, 24:12) rounded out the efforts for Wylie.

Wylie East also had representation.

Junior Addison Ziem (21^st, 22:29), sophomore Renata Saucedo (37^th, 23:27) and senior Madison Edwards (46^th, 24:09) competed for the Lady Raiders at the Dustin Rodriguez Invitational.