UIL State Cross Country: Robstown's Garcia makes state breakthrough in final year
Nyomi Garcia was determined to make sure last week was not the last time she ran a cross country meet at Robstown.
Garcia qualified for the Region IV-4A cross country meet for the fourth time and her best (and last) chance to finally break through and qualify for the UIL State Meet in Round Rock.
"I worked so hard for all my four years and I knew I just had to stay calm, stay focused," Garcia said about her approach heading into the race at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's Dugan Stadium.
A year after missing a state berth by one place, Garcia would not be denied and finished ninth to clinch her long awaited spot.
The senior said she drew on the disappointment of 2022, in her preparations for this cross country season.
"Last year when I didn't make it, I came our here every morning and ran," Garcia said. "I knew I had to do it this year because it was my last year.
"It definitely motivated me — remembering how it felt to not make it."
Robstown cross country coach Adolfo Gonzalez saw Garcia's potential as a distance runner when she was still in middle school and the Pickers star appeared poised to make state as a sophomore before a preseason injury derailed her chances.
Last year, in a strong Class 4A field, Garcia ended up just on the outside of making it to state.
Now Garcia is finally Round Rock-bound after a four highly successful seasons at Robstown.
Beginnings
Garcia's older siblings were cross country runners and she can recall as far back as third grade looking up to them and beginning to go on mile runs.
"They pushed me to get into cross country and coach Gonzalez has really coached me up," Garcia said. "It went up from there. I saw them and I wanted to try it. And I try to do the best at everything I do."
Garcia said she was a decent runner in middle school, but when Gonzalez told her in middle school "we're going to go to state with you one day" she started to realize her potential.
"When I saw her run ... she wasn't our top runner then, but what I saw made me feel she was going to be good once she was here practicing at the high school full time," Gonzalez said. "I expected a lot from her and she has given us everything and has done great."
She started to take running more seriously as a freshman during the COVID-altered season, at the urging of her brother.
"Freshman year was the breakthrough when I started believing in myself," Garcia said. "I saw the times start to get better. It has been frustrating to know I was capable (of making it to state) but coming up short.
"This year I had no doubt. I went into the race and I told myself 'this isn't your last race.' I still had one more to go."
The last race
Garcia still has her senior track season upcoming in the fall, but she heads into this week's final cross country race at Old Settler's Park hoping to set a new personal best time on the 3,200-meter course.
But true to her personality, she is just as interested in getting Robstown noticed in the distance community.
"This is my last high school cross country race, so I'd really like to PR and put Robstown High School on the map," Garcia said. "Maybe even get Top 10."
UIL State Cross Country Championships
When: Class 5A, A, 3A on Nov. 3; Class 6A, 2A, 4A on Nov. 4
Where: Old Settler's Park, Round Rock
Coastal Bend Qualifiers
CLASS A — McMullen County, Isabella Billingsley, Katie David, Kinlee Mills, Cassidy Slavinski, Camie Taylor, London Yanity, Laussen McClaugherty, Roel Gamez, Dusty Garcia, Brandon Garza-Overstreet, Nathan Little, Brandon Timms, Ryan Trudeau
CLASS 2A — Port Aransas, Elsa Temples, Gunner Belcher, William Carlough, Ethan Delay, Devin Guevara, Xavier Hisaw, Tyler Hofheins, Shane Stawar; Premont, Demarcos Gonzalez, Elian Lafuente, Joseph Luna, Ramiro Luna, Haven Pena, Joseph Saenz, Manuel Vega
CLASS 3A — George West, Zoe Barrera; Hebbronville, Gary Custer; Mathis, Dominic Padron
CLASS 4A — Alice, Aubrey Garcia, Caleb Flores, Oscar Lozano, Gabriel Molina, Jose Soto, Aden Tunchez, Antonio Valadez, Isaac Wright; Robstown, Nyomi Garcia; Sinton, Addison Luis, Izabella Ohler; Kingsville, Robert Trevino
CLASS 5A — King, Diego Canto, Jackson Lovvorn; Veterans Memorial, Michael Rodriguez
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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: High school country: Robstown's Garcia breaks through in final year
