Artesia cross-country head coach Julius Acosta had big shoes to fill in his first year leading Artesia’s cross-country program. No problem. The 2017 Artesia High School graduate led the Bulldogs boys and girls to their fourth consecutive district championships Friday at Enchanted Lands Disc Golf Course.
Acosta took over after Nicholas Rivera left to become head cross-country coach at Lubbock Christian University. The coaching change did not stop either Artesia team from keeping its district championship streak alive.
Bulldogs pack the front
The Artesia boys won with 21 points, followed by Lovington with 60, Portales with 73 and Goddard with 81. The Bulldogs claimed six of the top 10 places, finishing first, third, fourth, sixth, seventh and eighth.
Acosta said the Artesia girls scored 15 points, a perfect team score in cross-country. Artesia placed eight runners in the top 10, with listed finishes of first, second, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth.
Both teams qualified for the state meet Saturday, Nov. 7, at Albuquerque Academy. The girls race at 11:20 a.m., followed by the boys at 11:50 a.m., Acosta said.
Maldonado, Drake lead the way
Senior Hector Arenas Maldonado won the boys district race, covering the 5-kilometer course in 17 minutes, 5 seconds. Junior McKenna Drake won the girls district championship in 21:05.
When Acosta took over, he told his runners to be ready for the two most important days of the season: the district championship and the state meet. He wanted their best races when the stakes were highest.
One title down, state ahead
“I told our team on Friday,” Acosta said. “Whether you liked the way your race went, or you didn’t like the way it went, it is a team sport, and as a team, they ended up winning the district meet.”
For runners who did not like their district performances, Saturday offers another chance. Acosta said they can still earn all-state honors, race well at state and redeem themselves.
Artesia cross-country runner Edwin Villarreal runs alone during the District 4-4A championship on Friday at Enchanted Lands Disc Golf Course.
Buying in, putting in the work
Acosta said opponents might have viewed a new coach as their chance to catch the Bulldogs. Instead, his first season has brought more than he could have asked of his athletes.
The key, he said, was buy-in. His runners showed up for cold morning practices before school, came back to run after school and returned on Saturdays to put in more work. Even after Friday meet victories and personal records, they kept showing up. That commitment is what made Acosta proud.
“I am super proud of the athletes,” Acosta said. “There is no falloff with these athletes; we are here to compete in the South. We are shooting for something good from the state.”
JT Keith can be reached at 575-420-0061, or on X@JTKEITH1.
