“In the dust of defeat as well as the laurels of victory there is a glory to be found if one has done his best.”
– Eric Liddell
On Monday, November 23rd, the lads and lady completed a season which was always one step away from never happening. Other States cancelled their seasons, postponed their seasons or had major changes for their season. On the 100th year of the UIL, the leadership of the organization fought for the athletes and gave them an opportunity to compete. Compete we did and Coach Ruiz in his guidance limited our venues of competition to four sites for 9 races.
Eisabel Guererro began the day for Lytle by qualifying for the second year as a State qualifier. Even though the race is two miles you can tell much by how the runners start. After 800M, Eisabel was about 60th. It is really hard in a race of State caliber runners to make up ground. Eisabel battled and was 58th after the mile. She finished in 49th place out of 128 girls with a time of 13:08. Eisabel battled to the end and fought nagging pains and injuries all year.
With a prediction of finishing no better than 8th according to Texas Mile Split projections, the boys’ team came into the Meet with their sights set for better. We began the year with four Seniors, two Juniors and one Sophomore, which Coach Ruiz had penciled in to take us to the State meet. After one quitting due to Covid, one failing and one breaking their arm we began the day with two Seniors, one Junior, one Sophomore and three Freshman. Cross Country is a team sport and each of the five scoring runners must be on their best or near their projection for the team to medal. We got off to a great start with every boy close together at the 800M. At the mile we were keeping pace with a fast pace with every boy between 4:56 and 5:12 for the first mile. However, the race is 5K or 3.2 miles and at the end the lads placed just out of medal position, placing 4th with 135 points and 32 points away from 3rd place Whitesboro.
Runner - Place - Time
JoseCarlos Hernandez - 15th - 16:27
Jose Cortez - 23rd - 16:36
Robert Wagner - 34th - 16:48
Gregorio Alcorta - 66th - 17:21
Abel Sanchez - 96th - 17:54
Brandon Obando - 109th - 18:16
Daniel Mercado - 121st - 19:54
Pictured of the three seniors with the signatures from their 7th-grade year. There are at least eight 7th Grade boys’ signatures on the paper and these are the three who ended their final race for Lytle on the highest stage in Texas. The boys began as 7th Graders, finishing 4th in the District and they walk away as Seniors being 4th in the State. Over their four years they have accumulated three straight District titles. Two straight Region IV titles and in their Sophomore year they walked away with a 3rd place State Medal. For three years they ended their season at the State race finishing 3rd, 6th and 4th. They have set the bar higher for Lytle Cross Country and we in the Cross Country Family appreciate all their hard work over their six years of service.
It was the longest season I can remember. The State meet was held two weeks later than usual. We have been training since June except for a couple of Covid interruptions. This season couldn’t have been possible without the support of so many people. Mrs. Smith’s support, making tough decisions which allowed us to continue to compete. Coach Wilson’s support and backing on all the practice and safety issues we implemented. Coach Jones kept us supplied with sanitation wipes and liquids in addition to scheduling our athletes for training help. We joke with the athletes that we will give them a parade and this year the parents support in goodie bags and send offs in front of True Value allowed us to fulfill our word of giving them a parade.
For fifteen years I have watched Coach Ruiz set a standard of excellence for a program where many said success could not be achieved. I have seen tough choices being made because the standard of excellence is the requirement for all our runners. If the qualification of the top four teams had been used in 2006, Lytle would have been represented in the State meet 8 of 14 years. Since 2006, we have been a consistent top 20 team. Yes, we had a good season but we are Lytle Pirates and as Pirates we want Gold. Take what we can and give nothing back. We will be back next year to defend our Regional Title and bring back gold. This is who we are and what we expect.
The last stanza of the Lytle Cross Country Creed:
“I do not do this for myself,
If I do this for myself
I forget the path of my brothers
I do it for the pack.
We are LYTLE
PIRATE STRONG
For each other
Pull as one.”
See photos in Google album: Lytle Cross Country at State 2020