Mariana Sigala finished off her cross-country career in style, finishing 36th at the UIL Class 4A State Cross Country Championships at Round Rock’s Old Settler’s Park. (Photo by Emily Cromwell)
by JASON GORDON
Hays High senior Mariana Sigala finished 36th last Saturday at the UIL Class 4A Cross Country Championships at Round Rock’s Old Settler’s Park.
The race included more than 100 of the top runners from around Texas, and it capped an outstanding career for the Lady Rebel runner who was also on the Hays girls team that made it to the same state event in 2008.
“The state meet was incredible and I was thankful for everyone who came out to support me,” Sigala said. “The competition there was so intense and I’m so glad I was able to experience it a second time. It was a perfect way to end my cross country career.”
Hays head coach Cliff Buckley said he couldn’t be prouder of Sigala.
“We are closing the books on a big chapter of Hays cross-country,” Buckley said. “She did it with style and hard work. She started her first season at State and she went out the same way.”
Buckley said Sigala’s accomplishments wouldn’t soon be forgotten.
“Mariana has worked her way into the Hays record book many times,” Buckley said. “Some of her race times will stick around quite a long time before someone comes along and breaks them.”
Buckley echoed Sigala’s sentiments about the tough competition level at state.
“The state 4A race is one of the toughest around,” he said. “She had some adversity early but true to form she was picking off runners until the very end. I saw her with about 300 meters left sprinting by a pack of four runners as they came into the final section of the race. She never let up. She kept grinding until there was no more course left. Mariana solidified her legacy here at Hays High.
It marked the end of a successful cross-country season for Hays that saw Sigala advance to state and the boys team advance to regionals.
“We still have a very strong but young core of runners returning on the girls team,” Buckley said. “Rose Hyak, Jennifer Colonnetta, Carly Hogue and Tabitha Rodriguez will be our returning girls varsity runners. On the boys side, we will be returning five of our seven runners from the team that made it to regionals, so that is very exciting. For us there is no offseason. We will begin working again very soon to keep up with the competition for next year.”
