17:21.40
Second place.
Coppell junior runner Maya Easterwood is headed to state for the second year in a row.
On Wednesday during the Class 6A Region I Cross Country Championship in Lubbock, Coppell’s regional qualifiers– Easterwood, senior Diego Morales and sophomore Sidharth Kerthipati– competed in the District 5-6A Championship on Oct. 10.
Coppell has advanced one athlete to state. It is Easterwood’s second year going to state, finishing as second place in Class 6A last year.
A relentless district run and a surge of personal records defined Coppell cross country’s performance at the District 5-6A Championship on Oct. 10 at North Lakes Park in Denton.
Despite both varsity teams finishing fifth overall and narrowly missing team qualification for regionals, the Cowboys and Cowgirls ended their seasons on a high note recording 43 personal records or season bests and advancing three athletes to the next stage.
“The meet went really well,” Coppell coach Landon Wren said. “The kids were disappointed by finishing fifth, but when you look closer, over half of them ran the fastest they’ve ever run.”
Easterwood continued her dominant season, placing second overall with a 16:42, setting a new school record and earning her spot at the Class 6A Region I Championship.
Easterwood’s only competitor ahead of her is two-time defending state champion and BYU commit, Denton Braswell’s Macy Wingard, a challenge that pushed her to her best performance yet.
“She definitely wants first,” Wren said. “But she’s running against one of the best in the state. Maya’s realizing she’s running faster than she ever has before, and that confidence is huge. We just keep telling her: beat her when it matters most, at state.”
Behind Easterwood, Coppell’s younger runners continued to make an impression. Freshmen Finleigh Sander-Burke and Anusha Patki placed 15th and 25th, showing that the team’s future is already in motion.
“With five freshmen on varsity and a few more close behind them, this girls team is incredibly young,” Wren said. “Out of our top 12 girls, nine are freshmen. That’s exciting for the next few years.”
The boys varsity side also showed promise. Morales finished ninth with a time of 15:50, and Kerthipati followed closely in 10th with a time of 15:51, both qualifying for regionals but missing the spot for state.
“Going in, I thought we’d get one boy out,” Wren said. “We ended up getting two, which was awesome. For how young our team is, that’s a big accomplishment.”
Sophomore Sam Meier and Itsuki Peña rounded out Coppell’s top four, placing 20th and 22nd. The JV boys team celebrated as well, finishing as district runner-up, led by senior Rodrigo Abrego (11th) and junior Jose Murillo (12th).
Even with the season ending sooner than hoped for most of the team, Wren said this year’s meet was about more than just times, it was about growth.
“When you’ve got so many freshmen and sophomores on varsity, you know you’re building something,” Wren said. “Good times are coming. As long as we keep working, both teams are going to be really strong in the years ahead.”
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