Rangers run to Region V runner-up honors in Snyder
Ranger College head cross country coach Kathy Graham always believed her squad could compete for the Region V cross-country title. Now, everyone else does, too.
Sparked by a sensational run by Edward Njunguna, the Ranger College men's cross-country team nailed down its best finish at the regional meet in more than two decades this past weekend at Western Texas College in Snyder by running to second overall.
"We had solid performances by all scoring men runners," said Graham, who watched on as her team raced past perennial cross-country power New Mexico Junior College for the regional runner-up honors.
"We've been chasing them all season," she said. "We had lost twice to them this year by three points each time. This time, we beat them by nine."
NMJC entered the meet ranked No. 10 in the latest NJCAA Division I cross-country rankings, Ranger was ranked No. 12.
As a team, Ranger College saw all seven of its runners finish in the top 28 spots, including Njunguna, who trimmed 40 seconds off his previous appearance on the WTC course and raced to 10th overall.
Njunguna finished the 8-kilometer course in a time of 27 minutes, 52.10 seconds.
Jeremias Serrano Velez turned in Ranger's top individual time – and the fastest time at the meet by anyone not from El Paso Community College, which entered the meet ranked No. 3 in the nation. The freshman standout legged out a time of 26:28.80 and finished fifth in the overall standings.
Njunguna and Serrano Velez both earned all-region honors with their performances.
El Paso Community College took the top spot in the team standings. The Tejanos, who finished with just 20 points, swept the top four spots in the race. EPCC was led by Gideon Cheplak's winning run of 25:29.90.
Gilberto Palomo, Sakariye Ismail and Azael Reyes added to RC's success. Palomo turned in a time of 28:29.90 and finished 15th overall. Ismail checked in two runners later at No. 17 with a mark of 28:40.0. Reyes was 20th at 28:47.20.
Jalen Ledesma and Johnbosco Muiruri rounded out RC's efforts. Ledesma was 28th at 29:45.60, while Muiruri was 31st at 30:10.60.
In all, more than 50 runners competed in the event.