Sports and Outdoors

 Lake Info

Normal Lake Level is 322.00 feet above Mean Sea Level.
Current level for Cedar Creek Lake is: 322.00
Water Temperature:
62 degrees - top
62 degrees - bottom

Eustace runs 3rd annual Pioneer Day 5K
Eustace cross country team fund-raiser draws record number of participants
By Pearl Cantrell
Monitor Staff Writer
EUSTACE–The Eustace Pioneer Day 5K race attracted a wide range of competitors. The youngest runner was 9 and the oldest 77.
Some 86 runners entered, 20 more than last year’s then-record turnout.
There were so many 15-year-olds that a special category had to be split out just for them, Coach Gene Myers told the early-morning crowd awaiting the results of the 8 a.m. fun walk/run Saturday.
Eustace and Canton high school cross country teams were joined by several team members from Tyler and Kaufman.
Both the Eustace High School boys and girls cross country teams qualified for the state meet back in November, as the girls won the regional meet for the fourth straight year and the district meet for the sixth straight year.
Proceeds from Saturday’s run help support the EHS cross country program.
The fastest time for 15-year-olds was a mere 19 minutes and 3 seconds, posted by Cody Brown.
The slowest time for the 17-19 age group was a mere 22:25, Myers reported.
Sixteen-year-old males were also broken out as a separate group, with Zach Bennett posting a winning time of 19:22. Bennett won the district meet and finished 11th at the state cross country meet back in November.
William Ritter, 24, with a time of 16:51, was the first to cross the finish line, followed by EHS cross country coach Josh Sypert, 23, with a time of 17:36.
The first female to cross the finish was Jennifer Menard, 17, with a time of 19:43. Melissa Menard competed in the 14-and-under category and won in 25:48.
The fastest 15-year-old girl was Heather Sterling of Canton with a time of 20:22, followed by Beissy Sandoval of Kemp in 24:22 and Nancy Murff of Eustace in 24:36.
Among 16-year-old girls, Briana McCarty won in 22:21, with Amanda Herrera second in 26:27.
The oldest runner was Harold Franklin, 77, of Yantis. He traveled 60 miles to participate in the third annual Pioneer Day 5K race, completing the course in just under 40 minutes.
In September, 2001, Franklin suffered a stroke and lost the use of his right hand and right leg. He went back to walking two months later, and when he resumed running, regained full use of his right side within a year.
“The doctor told me if I wasn’t in great shape, the stroke would have been devastating,” he said.
Though never an athlete in high school, Franklin said he’s always been a hard worker. A former U.S. Marine and retired athletic coach, Franklin participates in the Senior Olympics and has qualified for the national team five times.
While accepting his award, he told the crowd that when he was 63, he ran against new military recruits in a three-mile race. He was told their average time was 21 to 25 minutes. He ran his three miles in 21 minutes flat.
He encouraged all senior citizen to “get off your duff and get on your feet,” adding the Senior Games was one good way to participate.
“It’s not just running. Heck, I’ve even won the poetry reading award,” Franklin said.
It’s important to stay active and involved, he added. “Stay in the race of life.”
Complete run results are presented below.
Female
Overall winner – Jennifer Menard, 19:43.48.
Master’s winner – Cecilia Sterling, 30:51.51
14 and under – 1. Melissa Menard, 25:48.78; 2. Jaycie Smith, 33:21.77; 3. Michelle Beisert, 36:59.91.
15-year-old – 1. Heather Sterling, 20:22.99; 2. Beissy Sandoval, 24:22.53; 3. Nancy Murff, 24:36.71.
16-year-old – 1. Briana McCarty, 22:21.21; 2. Amanda Herrera, 26:27.83.
17-19 1. Jaqlynn Bless, 26:07.95.
20-29 – 1. Holly Bryant, 35:24.53; 2. Suzy Sypert, 38:08.53; 3. Jenna Lorick, 43:58.54.
30-39 – 1. Suzan Kincaid, 28:21.19; 2. Lisa Smith, 33:21.47; 3. Christy Choat, 34:32.97.
40-49 – 1. Kelly Zimmerer, 34:47.49; 2. Elaina Carr, 39:12.13; 3. Cindy Gardner, 47:10.05.
50-59 – 1. Reneé Martin, 47:09.67; 2. Judi Wakefield, 53:06.67; 3. Janet Ragsdale, 57:04.63.
Male
Overall winner – William Ritter, 16:51.22.
Master’s winner – Cecilio Escamillo, 20:13.02.
14 and under – 1. Cory Bennett, 21:01.16; 2. Evan Arambula, 23:10.52; 3. Marcus Montgomery, 24:19.48.
15-year-old – 1. Cody Brown, 19:03.00; 2. German Lopez, 19:40.59.
16-year-old – 1. Zach Bennett, 19:22.05; 2. Taylor Free, 21:52.49; 3. Joe Amaya, 22:25.06.
17-19 – 1. Josh Altman, 18:12.32; 2. Evan Fike, 18:46.37; 3. Juan Landa, 18:52.36.
20-29 – 1. Josh Syphert, 17:36.38; 2. Brian Vajcner, 20:19.49; 3. John Oliver (time n/a).
30-39 – 1. Boog Ferrell, 19:54.50; 2. C.J. Stafford, 20:05.39; 3. Denver Stone, 20:07.05.
40-49 – 1. Paul Gardner, 20:20.59; 2. Matt Zimmerer, 21:28.21; 3. Paul Fike, 23:23.18.
50-59 – 1. John Ball, 20:28.05; 2. Larry Harlan, 22:23.30.
60-69 – 1. Gary Milburn, 25:38.00; 2. Walter Hellebrand, 26:23.89.
70 and over – 1. Harold Franklin, 39:17.30.

 
Harold Franklin, 77, of
Yantis, was the oldest runner
in the Eustace Pioneer Day 5K
Saturday, finishing with a time of
39:16. He started running at age 45 in 1963.


Monitor Photo/Pearl Cantrell
Fastest runners among men and women age 40 and
above were presented the Masters award. Cecilia
Sterling (left) with a time of 30:51 and Cecilio Escamillo,
50, with a time of 19:43, both posted the fastest times in the
40-70 category. The next fastest woman, Kelly Zimmer,
finished in 34:47 and next fastest man, Paul Gardner, finished in 20:20.

Kemp girls get volleyball tips at camp


Monitor Photo/Kerry Yancey
Some 55 campers, broken into three age groups, turned out for the annual
Kemp High School volleyball camp Monday, conducted by Stephen F. Austin
State University assistant coach Erin McCahalan and Lauren Swierc, who
teaches school at San Antonio Stephens. Freshman girls practice setting
while seated on the KHS gym floor Monday. The volleyball camp continued
through Wednesday.