Spring Creek’s James Cabrera, shown here in a recent cross country meet, captured the 2023 Class 2A East Regional title contested at the Lenoir County Fairgrounds in Kinston Saturday. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
KINSTON — James Cabrera continues to write new chapters in the Spring Creek cross country history books.
His latest entry — East 2A Regional champion.
Cabrera covered the 5k (3.1-mile) course at the Lenoir County Fairgrounds in 17 minutes, 8.72 seconds. He defeated John A. Holmes sophomore Josh Harvill by eight-plus seconds.
The Gators’ Gavin Canale, a senior, placed 46th in 22:00.28. Senior Bertin Avilez crossed the finish line 54th in 22:33.9. Teammates Axel Meza-Morales (59th, 23:24.8) and Edgar Jimenez (60th, 23:36.14) rounded out the Gators’ eighth-place team score of 179.
James Pearson (23:51.7) and Brian Rodriguez (24:17.06) ended up 62nd and 64th, respectively among the 81 runners who competed.
South Lenoir claimed the regional crown with 34 points. Runner-up East Duplin (78 points), Camden County (105) and Manteo (106) will send their teams to next week’s state championship meet.
On the girls’ side, Spring Creek senior Marjorie Aguilar-Valenzuela turned in a 36th-place effort of 27:29.24. Teammate Janice Lopez ended up 50th in 30:36.61.
The Gators’ trio of Colette Crespo (34:18.29), Beatrice Rivera-Cabrera (34:49.82) and Nancy Lopez (34:52.91) claimed the 54th, 55th and 56th spots, respectively.
Freshman Destinie Wilson (37:54.9) and sophomore Elizabeth Taylor (45:04.99) also ran.
Regional champion Manteo (20 points), Camden County (59), South Lenoir (74) and Washington (90) each qualified as a team for the state finals.
