Four Texas Panhandle teams advance to state on first day of UIL Region I Cross Country Meet

The Texas Panhandle made quite the impact on day one of the UIL Region I Cross Country Meet at Mae Simmons Park in Lubbock. Here’s a recap of the Region I-5A, Region I-3A and Region I-1A team winners and individual qualifiers.

Region I-3A

District 1-3A showed up in a big way at the Region I-3A meet on Monday afternoon.

Both the Dalhart Lady Golden Wolves and Canadian Lady Cats qualified their teams to the UIL Class 3A state meet.

Dalhart took home a silver medal with 75 points to finish 31 points behind champion Holliday (44). Canadian, the District 1-3A champion, took the fourth and final spot to state with 193 points.

Leading the Lady Golden Wolves was sophomore Circe Johnson. Johnson put together a great race to place eighth overall with a time of 12:50.6. Teammate Lylianah Flores was right behind Johnson in 13th thanks to a time of 13:14, and Danna Arriaga ended up 15th with a 13:20.3.

Canadian, who will make its third straight showing at state as well as junior and team leader Konnar McClendon, had another superb showing. McClendon led the Lady Cats placing in the top five with a fifth-place finish clocking a 12:34.6. Arriona Black was right behind McClendon placing 10th for the Lady Cats running a 13:02, and Elizabeth Guerrero came in 27th (13:37.3).

Friona’s Yvonne Legarreta continued her storied high school career by making it back to the state meet for a historic fourth time. Legarreta, who was the defending Region I-3A champion, earned a bronze medal on Monday pacing a time of 12:26.9.

In boys’ action, though there weren’t any qualifiers, the Dalhart boys team took fifth with 132 points. Alfred Rodriguez topped the day for the Golden Wolves in 15th (17:34.3) and Canadian’s CJ Jiminez placed 16th (17:36.2).

Region I-1A

Coming as no surprise, Springlake-Earth standout Taytum Goodman claimed her unprecedented fourth straight Region I-1A individual championship on the difficult course of Mae Simmons Park on Monday.

The senior, and three-time UIL Class 1A state champion, will now head back to Round Rock looking to end her amazing high school career with a fourth championship.

Goodman left the field in the dust clocking an impressive time of 11:30.5, to win the meet by almost a full minute beating Jayton’s Jace Chisum (12:20.2).

Thanks to Goodman’s the Lady Wolverines defended their regional team crown registering 85 points.

As for the Texas Panhandle schools, the Nazareth girls and Texline boys were the highlight. The Swiftettes punched a ticket back to the state meet with a third-place finish of 107 points. Sophomore Madison Brockman paved the way for Nazareth earning eighth place running a time of 13:20.7. Teammate Chloe Birkenfeld followed in ninth thanks to a 13:25.8, and Kelsie Gunter came in 22nd (14:03.6).

Texline’s Jada Clay had a great showing by winning a bronze medal with a third-place finish to make her way to Round Rock. Clay put together a top Amarillo-area time of 12:38.5. Claude’s Shealee Brannon made it back to Round Rock for a second straight year finishing sixth (13:14.4), as did Melody Rampley of Silverton who placed eighth (13:19.8). White Deer’s Macie Stack also qualified as an individual running a 13:46.3.

The Texline boys team found the Silver medal stand with 119 points. Jayton dominated the region with 46 to claim the team title. Tornado junior Will Clay led the way placing ninth overall running to a time of 18:24.8. Teammate Joe Clay followed in 14th place (19:02.2).

Happy’s Brance Ferguson put on quite the show getting second overall and finding the silver medal stand clocking a 17:24.1, finishing nine seconds behind the individual champion, Wiley Gaskins of Ackerly Sands (17:15.6). Silverton’s Alex Acevedo (18:16.5), Claude’s Hunter Lovell (18:21.2), Nazareth’s Bryson Brockman (18:50) and Follett’s Aiden Schilling (19:04) also qualified as individuals.

Region I-5A

A pair of Amarill ISD boys’ competitors advanced out to state during the Region I-5A meet to kick things off on Monday morning.

Reigning District 3-5A champion Abdirisak Saidgurhan of Palo Duro was impressive placing fifth overall clocking a time of 15:54.5. Amarillo High’s Parker Maybin punched his ticket as an individual as well placing ninth overall with a 16:02.6.

The Amarillo High Lady Sandies finished in 11th overall as a team. Kylee Costley led the Lady Sandies taking 40th place (20:42.9).

Regional information 

The top four teams and top 10 individuals not on the qualifying teams advance to the UIL state meet set for Nov.3-4 at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock. For a look at the full results from Monday’s regional results please visit

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