LC-M boys storm to surprising finish at 19-4A CC Championships

Published 12:08 am Friday, October 14, 2022

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VIDOR – There were some slippery slopes at the District 19-4A Boys Cross Country Championships at Claiborne Park Thursday, but it didn’t stop the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears from reaching their team goal – making Regionals.

The Bears put together a surprising second-place team finish to qualify for the Class 4A Region III Regional Cross Country Championship.

“I couldn’t be happier for the guys,” said LC-M coach Dean Adkins. “We were really pushing for that third spot to get to regionals, but they all went out and got the job done. I knew we could probably get our top two or three runners to regionals, but to get the whole team, it’s so awesome.”

The top three teams and top 10 individual all automatically qualify for Regionals.

The Class 4A Region III Cross Country Championships are Oct. 24 at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville.

Lumberton took first-place team honors with 43 points. LC-M was second with 61 followed by Vidor (64), Silsbee (78), Bridge City (101) and West Orange-Stark (172).

Lumberton’s Gaige Gordey took the individual title on the 5K course, running a 17:35.70. His Raiders teammate Eli Quinn was second with a 17:43.40 while Vidor’s Andrew Fawcett took a solid third, running a 17:59.30.

Keiffer Reed led the Bears, finishing seventh with a 18:39.20. He was followed by teammates Ethan Hoffpauir (eighth, 18:45.20), Jonathan Ly (11th, 19:05.20), Marshal Braus (13th, 19:16.20), Richard Perez (22nd, 20:42.00), James Martin (24th, 21:00.10), and Derek Lopez (26th, 21:35.70.)

Behind Fawcett for Vidor were teammates Branson Healy (fifth, 18:25.30), Michael Huish (12th, 19:08.90), Evan Jose Guerrero (17th, 19:48.40), Kaden Whitman (27th, 21:54.30), Marcus Harris (33rd, 23:07.20) and Austin Taylor (34th, 23:19.40).

Victor Hernanez qualified for Regionals for Bridge City, placing sixth with a 18:31.30. He was followed by Cardinals teammates Kerwin Dominguez (14th, 19:24.50), Samuel Richey (18th, 19:53.30), Jacob Rougeau (29th, 22:09.50), Aitius Smith (35th, 23:36.60), Brady Simmons (36th, 23:38.70) and Hayden Petitjean (38th, 24:21.50).

Chaddrick Lee led WO-S, finishing 28th with a 22:06.37. He was followed by teammates Christian Anderson (31st, 22:30.20), Noah Platzer (40th, 25:12.00), Tristan Trotter (41st, 25:58.90), Elijah Hall (42nd, 26:39.00), Ja’terrius Steward (43rd, 26:43.70) and Braylon Solomon (44th, 28:07.50).