Clear Lake cross country's first priority is capturing district championships, and with the current ...

1. Cross country: Clear Lake digging deep to repeat
Clear Lake cross country's first priority is capturing district championships, and with the current
combined 24-5A winning streak for the Lady Falcons and Falcons standing at 26, it leaves opponents
scratching their heads.
"Obviously, the No. 1 goal is winning district, and some years there's even more of a focus on that
than others, and this is one of those years," Clear Lake girls coach James Menze said. "Clear Falls is
new to the district and Class 5A this season, and they have a very solid team."
The Lady Falcons have won 16 straight 24-5A titles dating back to 1995, while the Clear Lake boys
own the last 10 district crowns.
"We're basically starting over after graduating five of our top guys, and with an injury to our best
returning runner (junior Luke O'Dowd), who is also one of the best in our district."
The Clear Lake boys placed second behind Pasadena Memorial (51-77) during the Clear Creek
Invitational on Sept. 28 in League City with senior Chase Johnson finishing second, sophomore Andy
Borremans seventh, junior Cameron Mackwell 17th, sophomore Chris Scott 17th and junior Matt
Lovelace 24th.
Horton looks for additional contributions from sophomores Zach Dwyer and Bailey Niccodemus, and
junior Farzam Farahni to a team that's won two meets (their own Falcon Meet and Santa Fe), had
another second place (Pflugerville), and an uncustomary 11th (Seven Lakes) on an off day.
"We had a couple of kids fall down, and another was sick, and just about everything that could go
wrong, did," Horton said of the Seven Lakes outing. "(District co-member) Brazoswood beat us at
Seven lakes, and in way, it helped us refocus.
"We had some concerns coming into this season because we knew we were going to be young and
inexperienced in places, but from a coaching standpoint, this is the most fun I've had with a young
team because they worked so hard over the summer. The come further in a short time than any team
I've had."
The Lady Falcons (63 points) took top honors at the Clear Creek event finishing ahead of runner-up
Clear Falls (84), La Porte (94), Manvel (125), Clear Brook (148) and Clear Springs (186).
Freshman Allison Halloran placed sixth to lead the Clear Lake girls, who also had sophomore Sarah
Musgrave 11th, Kate Halloran 13th, sophomore Ramya Gomatam 16th, freshman Michelle Musgrave
17th and junior Natalie Cerna 23rd.
Senior Nikki Abrego also ran for the Lady Falcons and serves as team captain.

2. "She's one of the best (captains) I've ever had," Menze said. "It's like having an assistant coach
running out on the course, and she's playing a big role in keeping with our team traditions."
Clear Falls senior Maggy Mulholland was fifth individually at Clear Creek coming in behind race
winner Samantha Beacham of La Porte and other competitors from Dobie, Manvel and La Porte.
"I coached Maggy as a freshman (before Clear Falls opened), and she's a great athlete and a great
person, and I hope she goes to state," Menze said. "She beat all of us (Clear Lake) at Clear Creek,
and Clear Falls has a very good team that also wants to win a district title.
"We're very young and a long shot for the state meet, but we're going to be in the mix with (5A
Region III favorites) Katy, Cy-Fair and Seven Lakes, and right after those big three are Cinco Ranch,
Katy Taylor and us in our region."
The Lady Falcons compete at the Brookshire Royal Relay Meet at 8 a.m. Friday, Oct. 5, at Peckham
Park in Katy, and the Clear Lake boys are in action that same morning in La Porte.

3. The teams co-host the Clear Lake Invitational on Oct. 12 at Miramar Park in Seabrook and then
begin to zero in on the District 24-5A Meet set for Oct. 26 at Walter Hall Park in League City.
"Brazoswood has the best individual runner (Xavier Jimenez) among the (24-5A) boys, and they have
some other good guys, and they will be a challenge," Horton said, "and Clear Falls will also be in
there.
"Strake Jesuit is the big favorite in our region thus far, and you also have the typically strong teams
with Seven Lakes, Cy Woods, MacArthur and Katy Taylor, and Pasadena Memorial is also a top
region team, and with Luke (O'Dowd), we beat would have beat them last week, and our guys are
working hard to keep the dream alive and keep the tradition alive."
The 5A Region III Meet is Nov. 3 at Atascocita High School in Humble.
The University Interscholastic League State Meet is Nov. 10 in Round Rock.
L. Scott Hainline is a freelance writer and can be reached at neighborhoods@chron.com.
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to-repeat-3915910.php