Flower Mound families have reason to celebrate. At the 6A regional cross‑country championships held at Mae Simmons Park in Lubbock on Monday, Guyer junior Ruel Newberry sprinted to a first‑place finish in the 5,000‑meter race with a time of 14:35.5, earning a guaranteed lane at the state meet in Round Rock on Nov. 6.
Lady Jags dominate the girls competition
The Flower Mound girls team, known as the Lady Jags, posted a commanding performance, finishing first overall with just 55 points. Adeline Bennett and Liana Cluley‑Garza took the top two spots, clocking 17:31.3 and 17:34.5 respectively. Their teammates followed closely: Eliana Rivera placed eighth, Jewel Barnes finished 22nd, and Allie Driscoll rounded out the scoring group in 30th place. Placeholder runners Megan Schmidt and Saina Awalegaonkar completed the roster in 35th and 82nd.
Boys team secures fourth place and a state berth
The Flower Mound boys also earned a ticket to Round Rock, finishing fourth with a team total of 154 points. The first Jags runner crossed the line in 21st place, contributing 18 points. Owen Dunham (27th, 23 points), Hayes Iacomini (37th, 32 points), Carter Cole (45th, 39 points) and Damien Hicks (48th, 42 points) kept the squad tightly grouped, ensuring a strong team score. Place‑holders Joshua Shemi and Eric Cano added depth with finishes in 54th and 55th.
Other Denton County schools also advance
Marcus High School’s freshman Greyson Potter ran a personal best of 15:47.2 for a 19th‑place finish, qualifying as an individual for the state meet. Byron Nelson High School’s Lady Bobcats captured fourth place among the girls, tallying 129 points. Elena Sather led the team with an 11th‑place finish, while Madison Benton (32nd) and Cheryl Bor (33rd) contributed solid scores. Additional points came from Audrey Pavlicek (36th) and Lyla Calaway (37th). Byron Nelson’s placeholders Talia Ramirez and Layla Geissah finished 57th and 81st.
Regional highlights and upcoming events
Northwest High School’s Zoe Banis and Ava Maldonado each earned individual qualifications, finishing 15th and 24th. Both are expected to compete at state. Hebron High School and Byron Nelson’s boys squads placed 10th and 13th respectively, rounding out a competitive field.
Full results are available on Athletic.net. The 5A boys and girls divisions will compete again on Tuesday morning, with the state championship slated for Friday, Nov. 6 in Round Rock.
Coach Andrew Cook of Flower Mound praised his teams’ focus and preparation throughout the season, noting that the athletes’ dedication reflects the community’s strong family values and commitment to excellence.
Original reporting: Cross Timbers Gazette — read the source article.
