By ERIC VICCARO
sports@bowienewsonline.com

Saint Jo’s girls’ team and Prairie Valley boys and girls both qualified as groups for the Conference 1A Region III meet set for Oct. 29.
Qualifying was made tougher this year with the return of the fleet of Slidell Greyhounds back in District 1A-21.
Still, there was plenty of success to go around for the local schools – including individuals at Bellevue and Gold-Burg.
Forestburg is the lone school from The Bowie News coverage area that won’t be represented at the Region 1A-III meet set for Lynn Creek Park and Joe Pool Lake in Grand Prairie.
Saint Jo girls defended their district crown with aplomb, scoring just 28 points. Prairie Valley was second and Slidell third.
“I couldn’t be any prouder of my runners,” said first-year Saint Jo head coach Taylor Klement. “All five of the varsity girls ran season-bests at district, which is fantastic. The lone varsity boy ran a career-best at district.”
Saint Jo is dedicated to cross country, with 6 a.m. practices. The Panthers should be prepared for regional meet since they ran at Lynn Creek in September during the Texas-Arlington Gerald Richey Invitational.
The Lady Bulldogs claimed second because Taylor Carter’s 21st-place finish lifted them to the spot. This marks the first time Prairie Valley’s girls have qualified for regionals as a team since the 1980s.
“It was amazing,” said first-year Prairie Valley head coach Zac Tabor, who was a star runner at Graford. “The girls and guys put in work to get in shape.”
Gold-Burg’s Haley Davis also qualified for the regional meet with a 10th-place finish, clocking in at 14 minutes, 47 seconds in 3,200 meters. Read more, and see complete team standings in the Oct. 15 Bowie News.

Saint Jo’s Paityn Holley leads the pack off the start line during Wednesday’s District 1A-21 cross country meet at Twisted Oaks Golf Club.