by JASON GORDON
Hays freshman runner Esmi Fuentes finished one spot away from qualifying for the UIL State Cross Country Meet.
Fuentes finished 11th at the Class 4A Region IV Region Meet held near the University of Texas-San Antonio campus.
“Esmi was a little nervous at the start but I told her she can hang with any of those girls and to just run and be competitive,” Hays Head Coach Cliff Buckley said. “She ran a great race, finishing the 3-mile course in 19:38. She was in the top 25 after the first mile, and worked up into the top 15 for the second mile and was trying to close on the top 10 for the final kick.”
Buckley said it was incredible to watch Fuentes give everything she had to try to make state.
“She almost made it, which was amazing,” he said. “She is a tough kid and a great competitor. It is a tough pill to swallow to be one place away from going to state, but I am really hoping she can gain two things from this experience – she had an amazing season and she needs to recognize that, and she needs to remember this moment in time and use it to refocus and work harder to ensure that she advances next year.”
Rebel boys Ryan McSpadden finished 19th overall and Esteban Villapando was 24th.
“The boys ran the best race I have seen them run probably all year,” Buckley said. “Both were in the top 40 to start and again they just kept working their way up. It was a very tough region and finishing where they did is something to be proud of.”
McSpadden will be the only runner the Hays boys team will lose to graduation this year while the Lady Rebs will lose three senior runners, Rose Hyak, Marissa Sigala and Jennifer Colonnetta. “Runners are going to have to step up and dedicate themselves in order to advance out of this difficult district next year, but that will be the goal,” Buckley said. “Champions are built in the summer in our sport so we will see who is ready to take that step.”
