ROUND ROCK—Rockdale and Milano High School sophomores Jesus Bocanegra and Kadance Koenig both made positive strides this weekend at the UIL cross-country state championships where Bocanegra finished 33rd out of 151 runners with a time of 17:09.5 Friday and Koenig placed 78th out of 150 competitors with a time of 13:28.9 the day after. For Bocanegra, who placed 78th at the
For Bocanegra, who placed 78th at the 2020 state meet, Friday was an opportunity to prove how far he had come in a calendar year.
“The race overall was a fun and a good one,” he said. “It was different by me setting goal paces on mile one and two.”
“I really prepared my times this year and focused on what I was going to do. Going in I really thought about the race and mentally prepared. I knew where to pick people off and when to make my moves. I didn’t just go out and run the race, I knew what I had to do at state and I did it,” Bocanegra said. The Tiger sophomore beat his time
The Tiger sophomore beat his time from the Class 3A Region III meet two weeks earlier by a 10th of a second and ran a 5:20.5 on his first mile and a 5:38.0 on mile number two.
“The feeling after was amazing,” said Bocanegra, a four-sport athlete who participates in varsity track, cross country, soccer and baseball at Rockdale High School. “Making the jump from 78th to 33rd, I felt happy.”
Moving forward, now his sights are set on the spring track season.
“I like to set high goals for myself,” he said. “So going into track, my goals are to beat my personal record, go to state in the mile and the 3200-meter and most of all, breaking run school record for the mile.” the The school’s record for the mile has been held by alum Lee Nichols since 1986.
KOENIG—Lady Eagle sophomore Kadance Koenig made her first appearance at state after placing 11th at the Class 2A Region III meet two weeks prior to the race at Round Rock’s Old Settlers Park.
Koenig, who told The Reporter she was nervous but very excited to race at state, started off with a 6:09.6 split on her first mile before running a 7:19.3 on her second mile.
Like Bocanegra, she is a four-sport athlete playing volleyball, basketball, and running cross country and track at Milano High School.
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