ZEPHYR – The Zephyr Bulldogs earned the team championship at the Zephyr Invitational cross country meet Wednesday, with 23 points to outdistance runner-up Blanket (73 points).

Zephyr’s Aaron Fagan was the first-place individual in a time of 17:12 followed by third-place Spencer Marwitz (17:56), fifth-place Reese Hamm (19:22), sixth-place Slade Butler (19:25), eighth-place Ethan Prochaska (19:51), 13th-place Chris Armstrong (20:43) and 14th-place Riley McCuller (20:56), 22nd-place CJ Byers (20:58), and 33rd-place Cooper Walls (22:05).

Running for Blanket were fourth-place Alex Valdes (18:23), ninth-place Wyatt Meadows (20:03), 10th-place Leo Valdes (20:04), 20th-place Aiden Buckner (21:5), 34th-place Karter Keel (25:02), 42nd-place Kade Russell (26:31) and 49th-place Gunner Jones (32:47).

The fourth-place team was San Saba with 117 points, led by David Olalde-Yanez (7^th, 19:42), Damian Valquez (22^nd, 22:3), Isaac Hernandez (23^rd, 23:03), Andres Davila (32^nd, 24:44), Neri Gonzalez (33^rd, 24:45), Trenton McMahan (39^th, 26:22) and Jefferson Stencil (40^th, 26:24).

Cross Plains came in fifth as a team with 120 points, led by Jeremy Santos (11^th, 20:06), Anson Long (17^th, 21:06), Kameron Kitchens (19^th, 21:45), Trace Davis (28^th, 24:15), Wesley Sinclair (45^th, 27:58) and Dylan Strickland (48^th, 29:39).

Finishing seventh as a team on the boys side with 154 points was Santa Anna, which featured Brad Brown (24th, 23:2), Khian Lewis (27th, 24:07), Kain Watson (30th, 24:3), Brock Brown (35th, 25:14), DJ Williams (38th, 26:01), and Jeremiah Davila (50th, 32:47).

On the varsity girls side, Goldthwaite won the team championship with 34 points as Emily Bartek was the top individual in a time of 12:36, trailed by second-place Payten McGee (13:13), seventh-place Rylie Hillis (14:32), 10th-place Kenley Howard (15:08), 14th-place Edith Aguilar (15:52), 23rd-place Jayden Stewart (16:31) and 25th-place Rylee Greenway (16:36).

The runner-up team with 69 points was San Saba, fueled by performances from Leslie Olade (5^th, 14:23), Hailey Gilliam (6^th, 14:25), Sydni Jones (12^th, 15:27), Caitlyn Mays (17^th, 16:11), Landry Eudy (29^th, 17:04), Raylee Wood (34^th, 17:43), and Kloey Smith (38^th, 17:53).

The sixth-place team, with 139 points, was Early, which was comprised of Maddyson Walker (9^th, 15:03), Sydney Greaves (20^th, 16:25), Cali Vargas (32^nd, 17:31), Adamari Ortega (35^th, 17:43), and Mia Gomez (43^rd, 18:21).

Next was seventh-place Rising Star, which amassed 149 thanks to efforts by Laynee Allgood (3^rd, 13:16), Sophoa Keeling (22^nd, 16:28), Macee Salas (37^th, 17:53), Addison Welch (42^nd, 18:19) and Emily Eccles (45^th, 18:27).

Finishing eighth as a team with 175 points was Bangs, with a roster comprised of Adalynne Stephens (8^th, 14:34), Elizabeth Barnett (15th, 15:59), Karylee Sliger (49^th, 19:57), Casey Barnett (51^st, 20:41) and Railey James (52^nd, 21:28).

Blanket, with 210 points, garnered a ninth-place team finish in girls action as competitors included Audyona Flores (27^th, 16:47), Journey Mills (39^th, 18:0), Aubrie Willis (46^th, 18:32), Dallas Moreno (48^th, 19:09) and Makenzie Willis (50^th, 20:15).

Competing as medalists for the Zephyr Lady Bulldogs were Nataly Lopez (14th, 15:21), Kathryn Williams (19th, 15:40), Avery Stevens (23rd, 16:10) and Rebecca Evetts (66th, 18:59).