COLLEGE STATION — The Temple High Varsity Girls Cross Country team traveled to College Station on Saturday morning to compete against a highly competitive field at the Coach Giese Invitational. Running in the 2-mile event, the Tem-Cats put on a strong display of determination and teamwork, securing a 6th-place finish overall in the team standings.

Leading the charge for Temple was sophomore sensation Azaria Staples, who delivered an elite performance by finishing 6th overall with an impressive time of 12:32.90. Staples kept pace with the lead pack throughout the grueling 2-mile course, providing the Tem-Cats with a low-score anchor at the front.

Junior Ilana Desales also ran a superb race, crossing the line in 20th place with a time of 13:29.40. She was followed by freshman Kennedy Taft, who showed great promise in her varsity performance, clocking a 14:04.40 to take 30th place.

Rounding out the scoring and depth for Temple were sophomores Bella Sahm (14:20.70, 37th) and Madelyn Krumnow (14:23.90, 39th), along with senior leader Sterling Griffith (14:34.50, 45th), who all fought hard down the stretch to close out the team's total points.

Temple Tem-Cat Individual Performances (2-Mile Run)

Azaria Staples (SO) — 12:32.90 (6th place)
Ilana Desales (JR) — 13:29.40 (20th place)
Kennedy Taft (FR) — 14:04.40 (30th place)
Bella Sahm (SO) — 14:20.70 (37th place)
Madelyn Krumnow (SO) — 14:23.90 (39th place)
Sterling Griffith (SR) — 14:34.50 (45th place)

Top Individual Finishers

The individual side of the meet was dominated by College Station A&M Consolidated, which claimed the top three spots of the day:

Rowen Skinner (SR, College Station A&M Cons) — 11:52.70
Hayden Helms (SR, College Station A&M Cons) — 11:58.80
Gracie Pike (JR, College Station A&M Cons) — 12:23.50
Emma Limas (SO, Katy Seven Lakes) — 12:28.90
Devon Nelson (FR, Katy Seven Lakes) — 12:32.30

Team Standings

College Station A&M Consolidated took the top spot on their home turf, narrowly edging out Katy Seven Lakes in a tight battle for the team title.

College Station A&M Cons — 33 pts
Katy Seven Lakes — 37 pts
Humble Kingwood Park — 89 pts
Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill — 114 pts
Cy-Fair — 122 pts
Temple — 132 pts
Lufkin — 185 pts

Next Up: The Pro-Fit Invitational

The Tem-Cats will look to build on this solid weekend performance as they return home to compete in their next meet. Temple will run in the Pro-Fit Invitational on Friday, August 28, held at the Wilson Complex in Temple. The action is scheduled to begin bright and early at 7:30 AM. Come out and support your Tem-Cats!