SALADO — The Bonham Middle School 8th grade girls cross country team opened their season on Wednesday evening, taking on a competitive field at the Soaring Eagles Cross Country Meet hosted by Salado Middle School.

Lady Bulldog Performances

While Bonham did not field enough runners to post an official team score, the Lady Bulldogs made their presence felt on the 1-mile course with strong individual effort in their inaugural meet of the year.
Leading the way for Bonham was Ariel Chaney, who paced the team with a strong showing, finishing just outside the top tier of runners with a time of 12:53.25 to secure 28th place overall. Teagan Vestal delivered a solid performance as well, completing the mile course in 13:17.13 to earn 30th place.

Though no Bonham runners cracked the Top 20 in a crowded pack, both Lady Bulldogs laid a solid foundation for the season ahead.

28. Ariel Chaney – 12:53.25
30. Teagan Vestal – 13:17.13

Top 5 Individual Finishes

Salado's Karina Ortiz took top individual honors on her home course, edging out Santa Rita's Abigail Child in a thrilling finish.

Karina Ortiz (Salado MS) – 10:39.34
Abigail Child (Santa Rita MS) – 10:39.47
Ashlyn Griesemer (Salado MS) – 10:46.99
Mallory Franklin (Thorndale) – 10:56.41
Ellie Grace Kohler (Liberty Hill MS) – 11:16.14

Team Standings

Host Salado Middle School claimed the team championship, backed by three top-five finishers, while Thorndale and Liberty Hill rounded out the top three.

Salado MS – 29 points
Thorndale – 62 points
Liberty Hill MS – 66 points
Santa Rita MS – 77 points
Legacy Ranch MS – 131 points

(Bonham MS did not have enough runners to qualify for team standings.)

Up Next

The Lady Bulldogs will return to action on Wednesday, Sept. 2, when they compete in the Dragon Middle School Relay at Heritage Park in Belton. Events are scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m.