It’s what they have been working towards since they first started training for the season. Now after several meets, including the District 11-5A meet, several members of the Redhawks cross country team have the chance to qualify for the UIL 5A state meet at Tuesday’s 5A Region II meet at UT Arlington. 

On the girls’ side, the team enters the regional meet on something of a hot streak as the team won the district championship with all seven of its runners finishing in the top 19. Leading the way for the Redhawks was junior Caitlyn Ruback. 

“It meant a lot to advance as a team and it’s really exciting for all of us,” Ruback said. “It would definitely mean a lot to make it to state, especially as a team once again because it’s a really great experience. It will take a lot of hard work, dedication, and we all have to run great races.”

Having just started running cross country in 8th grade, advancing to state would be a big deal for freshman Vaness Park.

“I started doing track in 7th grade doing long distance and tried cross country in 8th grade,” Park said. “It meant a lot to me since I started out on JV and working my way to varsity and making it to regionals. For me to get to state it would mean a lot to me knowing as a freshman I get that opportunity to run at state.”

The lone boys’ representative at the regional meet is senior Dominic Ward who finished 9th at the district meet. 

“It was cool because I didn’t qualify last year and it’s my senior year so it’s a nice accomplishment to be top 10 in the district,” Ward said. “It would mean a lot in Texas because it’s one of the hardest states to actually qualify for a state meet.”