Cross country opens Friday

Longtime Tucumcari cross-country coach Gary Hittson likes the talent level of his girls team. Trouble is, only four are participating so far this year, and the Lady Rattlers need five runners to qualify for team competition.

“We’re beating the hallways, trying to get girls out (for the sport),” Hittson, in his 14th season, said.

Both the Tucumcari boys and girls cross-country teams open their seasons Friday at the Clovis Invitational. The starting gun will sound at 3 p.m. at Ned Houk Park in Clovis.

Hittson said he has three runners on the girls squad with all-district potential -- junior Erin Encinias, junior Aleaya Lucero and junior Ashley Shipley. Encinias earned all-district honors last year.

Rounding out the rest of the girls roster is senior Melanie Jones. Hittson remains hopeful he can persuade a fifth girl to take part in cross country before that meet in Clovis.

“Without one more, we can’t be in team competitions,” he said. Hittson said he feels optimistic about the talent and depth of his boys team.

He said the top runners on the boys are freshmen Manny Hernandez and Charles Prieto. Hernandez ran with the squad as an eighth-grader last year.

“With our district, Manny has a chance to be in the top 10. With Charles, I think he has a chance to finish in the top 15, which would make both of them all-district,” he said.

Tucumcari’s realigned District 3A includes New Mexico Military Institute, Socorro and Cobre.

Rounding out the rest of the boys roster are eighth-grader Britt Lusk, junior Joseph Garcia, junior Alexander Lujan, junior Joseph Martinez and senior Dwight Brown.