Abilene High's Andruw Villa eyes big things at Class 5A state cross meet
Andruw Villa remembers sitting in class while the Class 5A state cross country meet was being run on a Friday last year in Round Rock.
All the Abilene High junior could think about was how he should be running on the Old Settler’s Park course for the third consecutive year.
Yet it wasn’t meant to be. Achilles’ tendonitis in both feet forced him to end his season before the region meet. All after finishing 14th at state in the Eagles’ last season in Class 6A in 2021.
It was even more aggravating considering the Eagles qualified for the region meet as a team, yet he couldn’t run with them.
“It was pretty frustrating,” Villa said. “It was my junior year, and I was coming off one of my best years my sophomore year. I really had high expectations for state, and it just got ruined at the end of the season.”
More: High school cross country Abilene High's Andruw Villa takes second at Region I-5A cross country meet
More: High school cross country Hawley twins Francis, Karl Patanpatan lead Bearcats back to 2A state cross country meet
Making up for lost time
Missing state last year fueled his desire to not only get back his senior year but finish with a bang.
“All I could think of was how hard I want to train and how far I want to make it,” Villa said. “Not being able to run at state and watching my friends run at regionals, and I couldn’t help them … It was really aggravating for me.”
Villa has come back with a vengeance. He won the District 4-5A meet Oct. 12 at Mae Simmons Park in Lubbock in 16 minutes, 7.29 seconds — well ahead of Lubbock Monterey’s Tripp Gray (16:37.32) on the 5-kilometer course — in helping the Eagles win the team title.
Two weeks later, back at Mae Simmons Park, Villa finished second at the Region I-5A meet in 15:08.8. North Richland Hills Richland senior Ethan Gonzalez won the region title in 14:58.3.
Eye on the prize
Now, Villa said he believes he can contend for a state title at Friday’s meet in Round Rock.
“Right now, I’m ranked fifth for 5A,” Villa said. “There’s only one kid who’s truly faster than me, and that’s the kid I raced at regionals, and he (Gonzalez) only got me by 10 seconds. In cross country, that’s not too much. You can make that time up.”
Villa has raced against much of the remaining field, and he’s confident he can run with anyone in the race.
“Really, I think it’s going to come down to me, the kid who beat me at regionals and probably one other kid,” Villa said.
Georgetown senior Joseph Wienen is the top returning runner from last year’s state meet, followed by San Antonio Southwest Legacy senior Anthony Zapata.
Weinen finished sixth last year (15:36.8), while Zapata was 13th (15:54.4).
Villa qualified for state his freshman year, but he finished a forgettable 119th (19:32.4) out of 120 runners.
This time around he wants to make his last cross country meet as an Eagle a memorable one.
“It’s my senior year,” Villa said. “I have to go all out. It’s do or die pretty much.”
Lady Eagles' duo do it again
Villa won’t be the only AHS runner competing at state. Marin Murray will make her third consecutive trip to the state meet, along with Zoe Vann, who run with her teammate for the second straight year.
Murray, a senior, finished 15th at the region meet in 19:27.1, while Vann, a junior, nabbed the final at-large berth two spots back at 19:30.3.
Murray was 42nd (18:51.1) at state her freshman year in 2021, and she made a big leap last year, finishing 28th (19:23.5) despite a slower time. Vann was 35th (19:31.9).
“It’s been an exciting year for Marin,” AHS coach Rose Mary Martin said. “She has been leading the team all year long. … If we can break 19 (minutes) and get in the top 20, she’ll be pleased with where she’s at.”
Cedar Park senior Isabel Conde De Frankenberg is the top returning finisher from last year’s 5A state meet. She was second last year in 17:45.6 behind Georgetown senior McKenzie Bailey (17:36.4).
Vann overcomes injury
Just the fact Vann qualified for state is remarkable. She injured her neck while competing in the pole vault at the area track meet last spring. The injury required surgery, and she didn’t compete this season until the Lady Eagles’ fourth meet, the Abilene Invitational on Sept. 29 — two weeks before the district meet. She finished sixth at district (20:17.75) — one spot behind Murray.
“She fought hard, and it took determination, dedication and heart to make it to district and then getting to regionals,” Martin said. “She was very determined to make it back (to state).”
Determined is right. Martin said Vann is frustrated by the fact she’s still trying to return to form after the injury.
“She’s like, ‘Coach, my endurance is just not where it should be,’ and I’m like, ‘I know babe. I know. Just do the best you can,’” Martin said.
You would think Vann would be thrilled just to be running at state after the neck injury, yet Martin said that’s not so.
“She’s been there, and that’s just her nature,” Martin said. “She’s a competitor. She wants to do well.”
STATE CROSS COUNTY
At Old Settler’s Park, Round Rock
Friday’s Schedule
Class 5A girls, 8:30 a.m.
Class 5A boys, 9:10 a.m.
Class 1A girls, 10:10 a.m.
Class 1A boys 10:40 a.m.
Class 3A girls, 11:40 a.m.
Class 3A boys, 12:10 p.m.
Saturday’s Schedule
Class 6A girls, 8:30 a.m.
Class 6A boys, 9:10 a.m.
Class 2A girls, 10:10 a.m.
Class 2A boys, 10:40 a.m.
Class 4A girls, 11:40 a.m.
Class 4A boys, 12:10 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Abilene High's Andruw Villa runs at state cross country meet Friday
