Katie Drake, John Cooper School
Imagine you had just finished as the second-best runner in the state of Texas as a freshman.
Second Baptist School's Lauren Baker '24 set out to celebrate her recent victory by getting a hot fudge sundae from Dairy Queen.
After posting a time of 12:02.3 in her first-ever TAPPS 5A State Cross Country meet, that sundae was well-deserved.
Baker's time was just under 10 seconds behind the first-place finisher Reagan High, a junior from Southwest Christian School in Fort Worth, and 4.5 seconds ahead of Abby Metzger, a sophomore from Grace Community School in Tyler.
"I was about a mile and a half in, and I realized I had a good lead on the third person," Baker said. "I knew I could push it. I thought I could pass first, but with 400 meters left, I knew I would hold second."
Congratulations to Lauren Baker - 2nd place overall for TAPPS 5A as a freshman with a time of 12:02. #SBStogether pic.twitter.com/bIh2eMTXuT
— SecondBaptistSchoolAthletics (@SBS_Athletics) November 3, 2020
In the Top 10, Baker was one of just three freshmen to finish in that grouping and the only one to stand atop the podium.
"It feels unreal," Baker said. "I started cross country in middle school and I was in the Top 10, but I was not in the top three runners. This year I've progressed and worked hard to get here."
St. Pius X saw its 2020 season come to an end on Saturday at home, falling to Midland Christian 64-28. The Panthers finished their first year under Greg Cranfill with an overall record of 4-4 with a playoff appearance.
BJ Feuerhelm, John Cooper Girls Basketball Coach
Whenever coaches have an experienced roster coming back, it gets them excited.
For John Cooper School coach BJ Feuerhelm, "the amount of talent, skill and basketball IQ" they are bringing back will be the key factor to the success of the Dragons' girls basketball team in 2020-2021.
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