WACO – The St. Paul Lady Cardinals scored a team total of 43 points and made it back-to- back state cross country championships when they won the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) meet Saturday, Oct. 25.
[ NOTE: click on photo to enlarge ]The Shiner St. Paul girls' cross country team poses for pictures after receiving their gold medals at the TAPPS Class 2A state cross country meet Saturday in Waco. Front row, L-R: Juliette Siegel, Ashley Wachsmuth, Allie Kutac, Mallory Grabarkavietz. Back row, L-R: Coach Dana Beal Sestak, Elyssa Wagner, Emmi Morgan, Natalie Jackson, Asst Coach Kerry Morgan.
[ NOTE: click on photo to enlarge ]photos provided by Dana Beal Sestak
Natalie Jackson paced the Lady Cardinals finishing the 3200 meter course in 12:41.7 to place second out of 86 competitors in the meet.
Three other Lady Cardinals, Emma Morgan (13:23.2), Elyssa Wagner (14:02.1) and Mallory Grabarkievtz (14:07.6), finished sixth, 13th and 14th respectively.
Alyssa Kutac ran a 14:16.7 to place 24th, while Ashley Wachsmuth finished right behind Kutac with a 14:21.1 for 25th place.
Juliette Siegel closed out the Lady Cardinal’s runners with a time of 14:31.4 and 28th finish.
Temple Holy finished as the runner-up with a team total of 81 points and Haltom City Bethlehem placed third with 103 points.
Spring Providence’s Avery Martin topped all runners to win the gold medal with a time of 12:34.2.
The TAPPS state cross country championship was the fourth for the Lady Cardinals as they also won state titles in 2008, 09, and 13.