It was a busy week for Coppell Cross Country, with the Cowboys and Cowgirls competing at two different meets. A group of 28 runners headed to North Lakes Park in Denton Thursday for the Ray Braswell Invitational, while Coppell’s Varsity teams traveled to Round Rock Saturday for the HOKA/McNeil Invitational.
The two meets offered different opportunities for the team. At Braswell, runners returned to a familiar course and were able to see how much they had improved in just two weeks. At McNeil, Coppell’s Varsity runners gained valuable experience competing on the state course and traveling the day before a race.
Ray Braswell Invitational
Coppell returned to the same North Lakes Park course the team raced at during the Marcus Invitational two weeks earlier, making Thursday’s results a good measure of progress.
Almost every Coppell runner improved from their previous time on the course, and 16 of the 28 athletes recorded personal-best times.
“We took a handful of athletes to the Ray Braswell Invitational on Thursday,” Coach Wren said. “Almost every runner improved their time from their previous time on the same course. Out of the 28 kids that competed, 16 of them ran their personal best times.”
Varsity Boys — 9th Place Overall
Colten Karstendiek led Coppell with a 68th-place finish in 17:44, more than 40 seconds faster than his previous best on the course. Baron Schott and Jake Terry also ran well, helping the Cowboys finish 9th out of 25 teams.
JV Girls — 20th Place Overall
Sehbin Lee and Prajakta Mandal led the JV Girls.
- Sehbin Lee — 64th, 24:14
- Prajakta Mandal — 80th, 24:48
JV Boys — 10th Place Overall
The JV Boys finished 10th out of 31 teams in a field of 409 runners.
Top Performers:
- Austin Shelby — 24th, 18:39
- Vihaan Chodisetti — 49th, 19:18
- Mahim Sharma — 93rd, 20:08
- Brayden Westfall — 107th, 20:16
- Shourya Bingi — 110th, 20:21
Thirteen of Coppell’s JV boys ran their best times of the year.
HOKA/McNeil Invitational
Saturday brought a different experience as Coppell’s Varsity runners competed at the HOKA/McNeil Invitational in Round Rock. Racing on the state course gave the athletes a chance to learn the course while also experiencing what it is like to travel and race the following day.
“We enjoyed having the opportunity to run on the state course,” Coach Wren said. “The course was in great shape. It's important for our kids to not only learn as much as they can about the course, but to experience what it is like to travel and have to race the next day.”
Coach Wren said that experience could also help prepare the team for the regional meet in Lubbock.
Varsity Girls GOLD — 23rd Place Overall
The Varsity Girls GOLD finished 23rd in a talented field. Finleigh Sanders, Mirabelle Sagel, Angie Nguyen and Rachel Stumm led the Cowgirls, with all four racing the course for the first time.
Mirabelle and Angie both recorded personal bests, while Finleigh ran her best race of the season.
“We continue to move in the right direction,” Coach Wren said.
Varsity Boys GOLD — 26th Place Overall
The Varsity Boys GOLD finished 26th, with Tanish Neelapu and Itsuki Pena leading the team after Sid Kerthipati was unable to finish the race.
“We didn't run as well as we were hoping but feel like we gained valuable experience,” Coach Wren said. “I'm confident that the boys will rebound next week and run well at Nike South.”
Varsity Girls SILVER — 23rd Place Overall
The Varsity Girls SILVER finished 23rd and were led by Sabrina Wright. Adeline Mendola and Mackenzie Flournoy both ran their best races of the year.
“I'm proud of the effort all of these girls showed,” Coach Wren said.
Varsity Boys SILVER — 22nd Place Overall
The Varsity Boys SILVER finished 22nd, with Isaiah Assefa placing 64th out of 226 runners. Vihaan Sharma also performed well.
With a few Varsity spots still available, Coach Wren said the competition within the boys team continues.
“There are a couple of Varsity spots still up for grabs and it's good that the boys are battling it out,” Coach Wren said. “Next week is a huge week to help determine who is going to grab those final spots.”
Looking Ahead
Coppell will be back on the road next week, traveling to College Station for the Nike South Invitational.
“I expect for the kids to have a good week of work and run really well next weekend,” Coach Wren said.
With personal bests in Denton and valuable experience on the state course in Round Rock, Coppell wrapped up a busy week with plenty to build on as the season continues.
We’re proud of their efforts, and we’ll keep pushing forward until the next race!
Contact Information
For more details or to support Coppell High School’s Cross Country program, please contact:
Patricia Chi
chi.patricia@gmail.com
(469) 831-3709