Girardet and Shipsey both eclipse 15-minute barrier, as Oregon 6A program holds off Texas powers in "El Caliente" boys race; Southlake Carroll captures another girls trophy, with Dawson of Bixby High in Oklahoma securing title

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Southlake Carroll High from Texas picked up where it left off in the girls competition in 2019, but there was the presence of a new program adding itself to the legacy of boys champions Saturday at the 33rd Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival at the University of Arkansas course at Agri Park.

Central Catholic of Oregon, a top 6A program which had traditionally traveled to California during the past decade for a big out-of-state event in October, decided to descend this season on Fayetteville and prevailed against two of the top teams in Texas, including Southlake Carroll, in the “El Caliente” 5-kilometer race.

WATCH BOYS "EL CALIENTE" RACE | WATCH GIRLS "EL CALIENTE" RACE

Senior Max Girardet and junior Wes Shipsey both eclipsed the 15-minute barrier to take two of the top three spots, leading Central Catholic to a 72-80 victory over Grapevine High. Southlake Carroll took third with 146 points.

Girardet triumphed in 14 minutes, 55.5 seconds, holding off Connor Burns of Southern Boone High in Missouri, who ran 14:56.3. Shipsey finished third in 14:56.6 for Central Catholic, which had five scorers in the top 45 overall.

"As a team we had so much confidence going in that it was finally time to prove something," Girardet said. "The adrenaline carried us to the finish line. Grapevine was formidable, but our job is to take down those teams."

Burns took off on the Central Catholic duo from about 800 meters out, but Girardet and Shipsey remained engaged and took encouragement from their coach, Dave Frank, that they could reel him back in. 

"Hearing coach Frank down the backstretch I knew I had to make a move and we both picked up our cadence and reeled (Burns) in," Shipsey said. "I had difficulty getting around him and took some elbows but that's the nature of racing."

The Rams' third, Julian Kingery, was 15th overall in 15:38.8 and Charlie Black (15:46.5, 24th) and Garrett Mackey (15:58.7, 42nd) completed the scoring.

Grapevine was led by senior teammates Walker St. John (15:30.1) and Trey Leathers (15:30.7) finishing eighth and ninth, with junior Alberto Rayon (15:31.5) giving the Mustangs three athletes in the top 10.

Southlake Carroll had five female athletes place in the top 50 to produce a 142-166 win over Jenks High from Oklahoma in the girls “El Caliente” competition.

The Lady Dragons won the team title at Chile Pepper in 2019, but were unable to compete at the meet last season, which featured only Arkansas schools as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Colleyville Heritage of Texas took third with 193, Grapevine finished fourth with 214 and Bentonville High from Arkansas, last year’s champion, was fifth with 266 points.

Cayden Dawson, a senior at Bixby High in Oklahoma, earned the individual victory in 17:28.2, ahead of sisters Gabbie Love (17:43.2) and Allie Love (17:44.8) of Colleyville Heritage.

Kaylie Cox led Southlake Carroll in 17th place, clocking 18:46. Runner-up Jenks was led by Avery Mazzei earning eighth place in 18:19.8.

Avery Stanley of Yukon High in Oklahoma prevailed in the girls 5-kilometer open race in 19:43.1, leading her team to a second-place finish behind the Grapevine ‘B’ lineup by an 83-137 margin.

Benjamin Tijerina led Antonian College Prep of Texas to a strong performance in the boys 5-kilometer open race, winning in 16:07.8, with teammates Todd Worth (16:34.1) and Alexander Pena (16:51.4) finishing third and fifth, overall.

Antonian College Prep had five scorers in the top 12 to achieve a 30-111 victory over Fayetteville High.

Nick Williams of Oklahoma, a Rogers State University graduate, won the Godpepper 10-kilometer race in 33:17.

Julia Webb of Life Runners, who resides in Little Rock after competing collegiately at Wisconsin-Oshkosh, was the top female competitor in 11th place in 36:29.2.