Strong performances highlighted another quality effort by the Durant High School cross country teams at the Ennis, Texas Invitational Meet last weekend.
The Lady Lions placed third in the team standings only behind team large school powers Rockwall and Kaufman. The Lions, meanwhile, checked in fourth as a team, placing behind private schools Plano John Paul and Dallas Shelton in addition to Garland.
Both Durant squads will travel to Edmond on Saturday for the Pre-State Meet at Edmond Santa Fe beginning at 10 a.m.
In a power-packed field at Ennis, Avery Sager was a strong medalist in the girls division, taking fifth place with a time of 21 minutes, 16.73 seconds.
Katelyn Mauck contributed an 18th place mark of 23:26.34, Laynee Emert checked in 21st in 23:51.81, Ella Sorrels was 30th at 24:52.01, Brightyn Pilgreen added a 32nd clocking 25:12.15, Alexi Powell ended 43rd in 26:44.17 and Kira Hoffman rounded out the Durant times with a 49th place showing of 27:49.55.
Zach Ervin was the Lions’ top performer, also finishing as a medalist in fourth place individually with a mark of 18:18.36 over the 5K course.
Durant also picked up a strong 25th place effort of 19:58.04 from Elijah Parker. Madison Roper pitched in a time of 20:19.16 for 29th, Christian Ortiz posted a 41st place mark of 21:09.32, Chris Becerra claimed 48th at 21:38.02, Jonathan Hitchcock took 65th in 22:56.63 and Mitchell Palmer wrapped up in 76th by posting a time of 24:30.79.
Each team also had several participants in the Silo Invitational at Fort Washita last week.
Three Lady Lions notched Top 10 showings with Emert ending third at 14:59.19 on the two-mile course. Rachel Cordell was fourth in 15:06.77 and Sorrels added a 15:25.61 for seventh.
Other Durant girls placers in the high school race included Kira Hoffman, 17:01.90 (15th); Alexi Powell, 17:36.54 (22nd); Grace Snow, 18:14.55 (25th); Ari Hernandez, 18:46.72 (26th); Jozelynn Coffey, 19:59.92 (28th); Lily Determan, 22:15.13 (29th); and Kylee Snow, 23:10.29 (33rd).
For the boys, Parker keyed the Durant charge in placing fifth with a time of 19:21.93 on the three-mile course.
The Lions also had Chris Becerra, 20:35.38 (15th); Landon Laster, 22:23.33 (23rd); Jonathan Hitchcock, 22:30.77 (25th); Mitchell Palmer, 22:41.20 (26th); Carson Veenstra, 22:47.84 (27th); Jayden Davault, 23:24.10 (30th); Kyric Lehrling, 23:28.45 (31st); Tristan Dixon, 28:09.34 (34th); Kaden Reed, 28:58.39 (37th); Abraham Reyna, 32:22.35 (41st).
