The 2022 Springlake-Earth Lady Wolverines’ varsity cross country team was crowned the 1A Region I Regional Champs and they are the first girl’s team since 2017 to make it as a group to the State Cross Country Meet from Springlake-Earth.
The Lady Wolverines team is led by two-time individual state champion junior, Taytum Goodman. The team boasts just one senior, Jenna Bridges, two juniors, Goodman and Emma Samaron, three sophomores, Rylie Furr, Aryca Ibarra and Marisela Rodriguez and one freshman,Aabriella Villanueva. Alternates are junior Sydney Furr and freshman, Jessica Mendoza.
Bridges talked about her reaction when she found oout their Regional results, saying, “We found out before it was announced at the awards, because everyone was looking on their phones. It just felt good and was a relief to have beaten Nazareth, after losing to them at District. It was really cool to get first place at Regionals.”
Villanueva stated, “I was super excited, especially for our lone senior, Jenna Bridges. For her to get to got to state as a senior, I was more happy for her and not really worried about myself.”
Goodman, explained, “I already knew I was making it, because I knew what place I got, but when I found out my team was making it, that was really something special. Having a team go feels pretty good. When my brother went with a team, he talked about how much fun they had, so now that I have a team going, it will be that much more fun.”
Samaron, talked about her reaction to the Regional results, saying, “My team has been trying for the past couple of years to make it to state, but we’ve had some technical difficulties, so I was really relieved to find out that we had finally made it to state. But, the fact that we got first blew my mind.”
Rylie Furr, explained, “I was honestly in shock. When I saw the name on the phone and we were first place, I was like no way, we beat Naz. It was a great feeling.”
Rodriguez, echoed the sentiment, saying, “I was surprised. I knew we could do it, but it just didn’t seem real. It didn’t click in my head that we had won.”
Ibarra, said, “I was just really relieved to see that we got a chance to go to state as a team and it really surprised me when we got first, I didn’t think that we would get first, but all of our hard work paid off.”
Sydney Furr, said she was proud of the team, especially her sister.
“To see her really care about it and to see Taytum be able to have a team to go with it, it was a proud moment,” she said. Head Coach Jeri Been Goodman talked about the development she has seen from her team since the start of the season, saying, “I think the development has always been there, it’s just the mind and making them believe that they could do it. This group has always been at the top in seventh and eighth grade and all the way up. Just getting them to buy in to the point that they had a chance that they could do this is my biggest accomplishment this year.”
They are also just the third girl’s group from Springlake-Earth to make it to Round Rock in the last 14 years according to UIL archives.
“I went with that team in 2017 to State and I’ve been every year after that, because of my brother and his team and then my brother and then the last two years for me,” Goodman said. “Us going as a whole team is really special, and like I said before about what my brother said about his team, knowing that my team is going will make it 10 times more fun and hopefully 10 times better.”
Bridges built off of that saying, I think it means a lot. Our cross country team has had a chance to go the last two years and just some things that happened at Regionals didn’t allow them to go further. It means a lot to be able to get our team to state this year.”
Samaron stated, “It’s crazy. I know a girl’s team hasn’t made it to State in a while, it’s crazy that people will know us as a team from Springlake-Earth that made it and I get to be a part of that.”
Rylie Furr talked about the accomplishment, saying, “I think it is a good accomplishment that we are just the third team to make it to state as a team in such a long time. With who we’re going with, it is a great group, all nine of us, and we all push each other.”
Rodriguez talked about the feat, saying, “It’s a really proud moment for me, because not a lot of people get to experience it, but we do.”
Ibarra also chimed in on the accomplishment, stating, “It honestly means a lot, that in 14 years we are just the third girl’s team to go to the State Meet. Just to make our parents proud and everyone who has supported us throughout the season.”
Villanueva talked about being a part of this group, saying, “It is really amazing, that we are one of the few teams to go the last 14 years. I had a feeling we were going to make it, but to know we are actually going now, it’s crazy that I’m going to get to experience this as a freshman.”
The coach talked how this team has gelled, saying, “We have fun everywhere we go anyways, but like they’ve mentioned, they all help each other and push each other. Usually there are groups of two who will go run and they’ve encouraged each other more than any other group I’ve ever had and are always supporting each other.”
She added, “When we won the Lubbock meet this year we were excited, but I though well we won it last year too and we were ranked number one last year, and this year we are ranked number two. Just to get them to do it and believe it and buy all the way in and keep working hard, it was really exciting to see us get the whole team down to Round Rock this year.”
The girls talked about what it means to them to be able to represent their school and community down in Round Rock.
“Representing my school and community is always something special to me,” Goodman said. “Coming back and everyone congratulating you and the send off and welcome home is something special. Just putting Earth on the map is something special, we are such a small town and now everyone knows us because of what we did.”
Samaron added, “I’m proud of our school and proud of my team. My brother, Josh made it to State all four years, and I’m glad I got to carry on the family tradition this year.”
Rylie Furr, stated that she thinks it’s great to represent the school.
“Since we can go as a team and all represent for Springlake-Earth, I think it’s going to be really cool.” she said.
Villanueva built off of that, saying, “I think it is really cool that all of the small schools will be there representing, especially from our district.”
Rodriguez added, “It’s an amazing experience, because we get to do this as a team, especially with all of us and how close we are. We get to represent us and our school in Round Rock and put us on the map.”
Ibarra said, “It means a lot, especially that I get to run for my dad, because he didn’t have the opportunity to go do that. It means a lot to be able to go run in Round Rock.”
And Sydney Furr said she is looking forward to the experience.
Goodman talked about how her experience of going to State the last two years can benefit her team, saying, “I know the course and can tell you exactly how it goes. I can inform my teammates with that information since we’re not allowed to get on the course the day before. I would tell them about the course and prepare them as much as I can and just tell them to have fun because the atmosphere at State is really cool and is something you don’t see at any other meet. It is really special.”
All of the girls talked about what they’ll have to do in order to earn one of the top three spots, with all of them stating they will have to work harder than ever this week leading up to the State Meet.
Bridges stated, “I think we’ll have to keep working as hard as we have been, keep showing up at 6 a.m. every morning like we have been all year and just keep pushing through.”
Samaron added, “We’re definitely going to have to start trying harder, running more hills and put our heart into it. This is the last week for cross country this season, so we’ll try our hardest, put our hearts into each practice and do the best that we can.”
Ibarra said they’re going to have to work a lot harder and keep encouraging each other and pushing each other to do better.
“We’ve got to do our best when we get out on that course,” she added.
Goodman said the advice she can offer her team is to just “Run your race, don’t try to catch someone, don’t try to stay with someone, do what you can do.”
The team talked about what they’re most looking forward to about running at the State Meet with Bridges stating, Just experiencing it. Last year, I got to go with Taytum as an alternate, but this year I will be able to experience the actual thing.”
She added, “Getting to experience this my senior year means a lot. I’m thankful that my team gave me a chance to get to state, because we did this all together, it wasn’t just me, so I appreciate them.”
Goodman echoed those words, adding, “I’m looking forward to running, because I love to run. But, I’m also looking forward to going to the Outlet Mall, because that is a tradition that we do whenever we go to the State Track Meet or State Cross Country Meet.”
Samaron talked about running in Round Rock, saying, “I’m looking forward to running the course that my brother has been running the past couple of years. It’s exciting. For the past four years, I’ve been going down there and watching him run and I’ve wanted to experience running the actual course, because in my opinion Mae Simmons is way harder than this course, so I think I will actually have fun at this course.”
Villanueva, Rylie Furr, Sydney Furr, Rodriguez, Ibarra all said that they are looking forward to the experience and just running with their team. They’re all ready to work and see what they can do on Saturday.
Goodman has a chance on Saturday to three-peat as 1A girl’s cross country champion, if she does, she’ll be the first person to do that since Stephanie Duke of Utopia did in from 1990-1992.
“I didn’t know that, so that is really cool and is now a goal to do that,” Goodman said. “I hope to do it four years in a row, but for sure this year. For the next couple of days I’m going to push myself harder so I can get that, especially because it was set so long ago. I want my name to be on that record.”
She added, “Every practice I try to improve my time. So when I started running this season, I had a goal to improve my time at every single race and I’ve done that so far this year, so I hope that pays off for me at the State Meet. Bringing home a medal the last two years was pretty special to me. It’s a state medal, so that was a big deal to me and the community, but if we can bring home a medal and a plaque, that would be even more special for the community and the school.”
Coach Goodman talked about the possibility of her daughter achieving the three-peat as state cross country champion, saying, “Anything she does is special in my opinion, but I think her leadership and getting out there and running hard, Aabriella has really bought into that and wants to be right there with Taytum. And I think that is all of them because they see the accomplishments and the signs on the wall and they know they can be there too if they work hard.”
She added, “If Taytum keeps running the way she has, I think she has a good chance of getting that third state title.”
The coach talked about the competition they will see at the State Meet, saying, “ I think McMullen County’s region is pretty tough. Miller Grove used to be the top team, but I think Roby, McMullen County and our whole region are the toughest competition this year.”
She added, “When 14 points separates first through fourth it could be anybody in our region. I know if they’ll believe in themselves, I know they can get on the podium.”
The Lady Wolverines will run at 11:40 a.m. on Saturday at Old Settler’s Park in Round Rock.