Chargers set for another title run
Boerne Champion girls return four of top six from 2019 Class 5A gold medalists
There’s no mystery in determining cross country preseason rankings.
Glance at the state results from the previous season, determine how many runners are returning, and go figure.
The fact that Boerne Champion’s girls top the Cross Country Coaches Association of Texas Class 5A preseason rankings shouldn’t be a surprise. The Chargers return four of the six runners who rolled to last year’s state title by 29 points.
Champion’s boys, who return their top five runners from a team that was third at state, are ranked No. 2.
“Rankings are great,” said Jonathan Tate, who coaches Champion’s boys and girls teams. “They help us promote our program, but they rarely have a positive effect in the way we run.”
Instead, Tate looks at this runners’ offseason work, particularly during the pandemic. He said it was good overall, and that brings him the most comfort as the team is set to open the season Saturday with a home meet.
Even the loss of Express-news Girls Athlete of the Year Kelsie Vicknair to graduation hasn’t lessened the expectations for Boerne Champion’s girls, at least among the state’s coaches.
Much of Champion’s hopes for a back-toback state champion lies with the continued development of junior Anastacia Gonzales,
who has emerged as one of the country’s top middle-distance runners.
In February, Gonzales set a San Antonioarea record in the 800-meter run with a time of 2 minutes, 10.04 seconds. That was the nation’s top high school time in the pandemic-shortened spring season. She also had the nation’s seventh-fastest time (4:56.72) in the 1,600.
Tate said Gonzales has done a good job of building on that base to longer distances.
“She’s turned into a great 5K runner,” Tate said.
Gonzales, who finished 16th at state last year, returns with junior Kate Williams (ninth at state), sophomore Grace Flores (21st) and junior Katie Houck (24th).
The Chargers are bolstered with the additions of sophomore transfer Josey Whitaker, who finished eighth in 2A for Stacey, and senior Molly Breuer, the Chargers’ former No. 1 runner who has been sidelined the past two years with injuries.
Senior Foster Wilfong, Boerne Champion’s top boys runner, has shown tremendous improvement, Tate said.
Wilfong, senior Christopher Martinez, senior Devin Duran, junior Camden Vicknair and junior Hunter Lampkin all stood on the UIL state podium after the Chargers finished third.
The Chargers are listed behind Grapevine in the preseason rankings. Grapevine finished second at state to El Paso Eastwood, which is now in Class 6A. Five of Grapevine’s top six runners were sophomores at state last season.
Meanwhile, Cole’s boys are ranked No. 1 in Class 3A. The Cougars finished fourth at state last year with one freshman and five sophomores. Cole’s girls are No. 8 in 3A and led by sophomore Finley Hunting, who was second at state.
San Antonio Christian, which claimed boys and girls TAPPS Class 5A state championships last year, is now in Class 6A. That will set up a clash of dynasties on the boys side between the Lions and Antonian.
The Lions claimed their fifth state title in six years, while Antonian won its ninth TAPPS 6A crown in the past 10 years.