Published: November 08, 2009 10:31 am      

HS cross country: Blooming Grove, Mildred runners make it to state

Lions' Thomas, Eagles' Knight take 9th, 10th respectively

Blooming Grove junior Zeb Thomas and Mildred junior Ben Knight are going to the UIL State Cross Country Meet.

Thomas took ninth and Knight came in 10th place at the Class 2A Region II Meet on Saturday in Arlington. Thomas had a time of 16:58.08 and Knight a time of 17:07.37 over the three-mile course at Vandergriff Park.

The top 10 individual qualifiers at regionals make it to the state meet in Round Rock next Saturday at Old Settlers Park.

Mildred took 17th place as a team.

Knight said he was in a pack of the top 10 runners most of the race and tried to push up to seventh, but couldn't do it. He still was comfortable in 10th, finishing well in front of the runner behind him.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever gone," Knight said. “This year I said I was going to do it.”

Knight’s goal at state is to finish in the low 16s.

“But I don’t want to train too long,” Knight said. “I’ll just do long runs to keep up my stamina.”