By ERIC VICCARO
bnewssports@gmail.com

The Nocona High School boys’ cross country team had three of the first 13 finishers, and the Lady Indians had two of the top-11.
Those performances helped spur Nocona to compete at the regional meet later this month.
“I thought we ran well and rose to the occasion,” Nocona first-year head cross country coach Bret Botard said. “We ran our best times and placed well. I was pleased with how well they competed.”
Botard wanted Nocona to run in groups for success, and it certainly paid off at the District 3A-9 meet on Thursday morning at Kiwanis Park in Wichita Falls.
“We discuss in practice we want to be tightly grouped,” Botard said. “It’s the best chance to score.”
Nocona finished third on the girls’ side with 83 points, 11 points better than Henrietta. Holliday’s girls won the meet with 33 points, 20 better than Paradise. Bowie placed sixth.
“It’s one of the toughest cross country districts in the state,” said Bowie head girls’ cross country coach Colby Davis-Pastusek. “We ran into a buzzsaw. But, I am very proud. We ran personal-bests, and I can’t be disappointed with how we competed.”
On the boys’ side, Nocona scored 64 points – 27 points fewer than Paradise. Holliday was the winner with 27 points, 22 less than Boyd. Paradise lost a slew of runners to graduation from its 2014 squad. Bowie was fifth.
“Holliday has improved so much,” Bowie head boys’ coach Chuck Hall said. “The top teams in our district are balanced and strong, and we happen to be on the outside part of it.”
The top-3 teams and top-10 individuals advanced to the Region 2-3A meet set for Lynn Creek Park in Grand Prairie set for Monday, Oct. 26.
Brayden Skinner from Nocona was the area’s top finisher, taking seventh in 17 minutes, 52.93 seconds. Teammate Luis Rico was eighth, roughly 8.5 seconds back (18:01.43), over the 5,000-meter course. Read more in the weekend Bowie News.

Nocona’s Luis Rico (left) and Joan Gomez run in the lead pack during Thursday’s District 3A-9 cross country race at Kiwanis Park in Wichita Falls. Rico and Gomez both qualified for the regional meet. (News photo by Eric Viccaro)