Badger XC teams place 3rd in regional tune-up
The Amarillo College cross country program made their final preparations for their upcoming regional competition during the New Mexico Junior College Invitational III on Oct. 13.
Each Badger team placed third in their respective divisions and Ariyah Gomez added another top-10 finish to her decorated XC resume. The sophomore and Randall High alum placed sixth in a field of 33 runners, finishing the women’s 5K race in a time of 19 minutes 58 seconds.
Gabe Enriquez paced the Badger men’s team via a 11th place finish. The sophomore from Tascosa High School recorded an 8K time of 26 minutes 24 seconds.
Freshman Hugo Briones clocked the second-fastest time (26:38) on the Badger men’s team for the first time this season. Briones placed 14th in a field of 47 runners.
The Tulia High School product shaved 1 minute and 11 seconds off his time from the Badgers previous race in the same location – Harry McAdams Park – three weeks prior.
Amarillo High freshman Jerin Perkins finished two seconds after Brinoes to place 15th. Perkins cut nearly three minutes off his time from the Badgers’ previous outing in Hobbs, New Mexico.
Sophomore Colton Thurman finished in 17th place, followed by Christian Rosales (19th), and Isael Giron (22nd).
Sophomore Xavier Soto clocked a personal-record time of 29 minutes and improved his time by 1 minute 45 seconds in a six-day span. The Dumas High grad placed 27th.
Freshman Armando Flores took 33rd (30:16).
The Badgers finished 25 points behind 12th ranked El Paso Community College and 21 points ahead of 21st ranked South Plains. The pair of fellow Region V squads placed second and fourth respectively.
Sophomore Rome Rubio finished second on the Lady Badgers team in a time of 21 minutes 45 seconds. Her time was good enough 19th place in the women’s division.
Alexia Alvarez placed 27th (23:52) and Elaina Arredondo took 28th (24:06). The latter improved her time by 1 minute and 6 seconds from the Badgers’ first race at Harry McAdams Park on Sept. 22.
The Lady Badgers were 32 points behind runner-up and 15th ranked El Paso Community College and 32 points ahead of fourth-place Wayland Baptist.
Amarillo College will travel back to Hobbs to compete in the NJCAA Region V Championships on Saturday, Oct. 28 at Harry McAdams Park.