WACO, Texas — The Temple High Varsity Boys Cross Country team closed out its 2026 regular season on Thursday morning, competing against a fierce league field at the District 12-6A Cross Country Championships held at the HOT Soccer Complex.

Running on the 5,000-meter course, the Wildcats posted a fifth-place team score of 117 points. Lake Belton captured the team crown with 46 points, followed by Killeen Harker Heights (62), Killeen Chaparral (95), and Waco Midway (102). Bryan High (138) and Copperas Cove (141) rounded out the team standings.

Top Individual Standings & Medalist Spotlights

Diego Duran of Bryan High took the individual victory, crossing the line first with a performance of 15:44.06. Copperas Cove’s Anthony Carter placed second in 16:12.09, while Lake Belton’s Wyatt Potts led the championship squad, finishing fifth overall with a time of 16:46.10.

Two Temple Wildcat runners cracked the Top 20 threshold to earn medalist recognition:
Joe Vargas (JR) — Vargas led the charge for Temple, crossing the line in 17:46.16 to take 16th place overall (16 points). His top-20 finish secured an individual medal performance for the Wildcats.

Easton Williams (FR) — The freshman standout posted a strong run of 17:52.66 to capture 18th place (18 points), joining Vargas as a Top-20 medalist.

Temple Wildcat Team Performances

All eight Temple runners battled through the 5K championship course to finalize the Wildcats' team tally:

Joe Vargas (JR) — 17:46.16 (16th place / 16 points) — Medalist
Easton Williams (FR) — 17:52.66 (18th place / 18 points) — Medalist
Jonathan Suarez (SR) — 18:03.06 (24th place / 24 points)
Roberto Borbonio Cavazos (SR) — 18:16.67 (29th place / 29 points)
Titus Tamez (SR) — 18:23.36 (30th place / 30 points)
Gabe De la Cruz (SR) — 18:24.36 (31st place)
Raymond Velasquez (FR) — 20:20.92 (46th place / 46 points)
Nathaniel Bowker (SR) — 21:26.08 (49th place)

Meet Summary & Final Results

Top 10 Individual Finishers

1. Diego Duran (Bryan High) — 15:44.06
2. Anthony Carter (Copperas Cove) — 16:12.09
3. Blake Zimmerman (Killeen Harker Heights) — 16:13.10
4. Kealin Sandifer (Killeen Harker Heights) — 16:33.60
5. Wyatt Potts (Lake Belton) — 16:46.10
6. Damari Patterson (Killeen Chaparral) — 17:02.40
7. Tyler Adkins Beltran (Lake Belton) — 17:08.52
8. Jonathan Medlock (Bryan High) — 17:11.80
9. Samuel Webb (Waco Midway) — 17:24.84
10. Drew Houston (Lake Belton) — 17:28.60

Final Team Standings

1. Lake Belton — 46 points
2. Killeen Harker Heights — 62 points
3. Killeen Chaparral — 95 points
4. Waco Midway — 102 points
5. Temple — 117 points
6. Bryan High — 138 points
7. Copperas Cove — 141 points