Tucumcari runners compete at Invite

Tucumcari’s runners all saw improvements in their times during Saturday morning’s Lovington Invitational compared their previous week’s season-opening meet, but it didn’t field a full boys squad at the six-team event.

The top runner for the Rattlers was eighth-grader Creed Owen, who finished the three-mile course in 23 minutes, 16 seconds.

Tucumcari first-year coach Tim Clark said he didn’t have final results available but said Owen finished out of the top 10 at the event.

Other Tucumcari boys runners were Alex Bueno De La O (23:28), Logan Lafferty (24:48) and Tyrus Jones (27.39).

The lone girls runner for Tucumcari was MiKayla Klinger, who finished in 35:50.

“I was proud of them,” Clark said. “Everybody’s time improved, and they felt more comfortable, getting into the groove of it. It was a pretty flat course. They didn’t have to deal with a lot of hills like last week.

“They’re a fine group of boys to be around, and MiKayla is, too,” he added. “They’re positive, and they’re giving 110%. That’s all I can ask from them.”

Athletes from Artesia, Jal, Carlsbad, New Mexico Military Institute and Lovington competed at the event.

Tucumcari next is tentatively scheduled to compete Saturday at the NMMI Invitational at Roswell. But Clark said he was considering an alternate event.

“I might look at the master cross-country schedule that the NMAA, and if I can find something to also take the middle-schoolers to, I might go that direction,” he said.