After the Class 2A boys state cross country race was complete last Friday, there was a slight wait to determine the team standings.
The Collinsville boys knew they had a shot, but so did Windthorst. In the end, it was the Pirates who celebrated.
Collinsville, which resurrected its boys cross country program five years ago, claimed its first boys cross country state championship with 73 points, edging Windthorst, which finished with 76. Port Aransas placed third with 92 points.
“We were ecstatic, but we weren’t sure if the point total was final for a while and it kept going back and forth, so the guys and I were calm and hoping we really did it,” Collinsville head coach Clint Davidson said. “I’m just so proud of these guys, they put so much work in this season, and they really deserved the win (Friday).”
Fernando Perez finished fourth individually but first among runners competing in the team standings. The top three finishers were individual competitors.
Isaac Dewey (15th overall, eighth in team scoring), Jose Ramirez (28th overall, 17th in team scoring), Jayden Hernandez (35th overall, 22nd in team scoring) and Noah Smith (40th overall, 25th in team scoring) also contributed to the team’s point total. River Whisenant (82nd overall) and Grady Tadlock (85th overall) also competed.
“We have slowly been putting in more mileage and learning to run as a group, pushing one another to get better,” Davidson said.
This is Davidson’s third year as cross country coach. He also coached boys basketball and track and field each of the last two years, but there’s a reason Davidson is no longer coaching basketball.
“I’m only doing XC and track to focus more on my daughter during basketball,” he said. “I’m definitely going to miss coaching the boys basketball team.”
Davidson’s daughter, Paige, is a member of the volleyball and girls basketball teams. His nephew, Paxton, is the quarterback for the Pirates’ football team.
The boys cross country team joins a distinguished list of Collinsville state champions. The school also has won state championships in girls basketball (1956) and baseball (1998, 2024 and 2025).
“I’m hoping the band can get one this next week and the football team to follow,” Davidson said.
With Perez being the only senior on the team, there are hopes for a repeat in 2027. Davidson also has high hopes for the Lady Pirates.
“A lot of kids already look up to these guys for the accomplishments they have received in the few years they have been running,” he said. “A championship will definitely help, and I can’t wait to see the girls start to get going as well.”
Collinsville wasn’t the only Grayson County school represented at the state meet.
Whitesboro sent its girls team of Paisley Blevins, Nya Degraffenreed, Jasmin Hernandez, Tammy Lopez, Karen Melchor, McKenna Scoggins and Loretta Vawter to compete in Class 3A. Jaxsen McBride also represented Whitesboro in the 3A boys race.
Other area qualifiers included S&S’ Rhody Gingras (3A boys); Gunter’s Grayson Mize (3A boys), Kenziah Lorick and McKynzie Olsen (3A girls); Tioga’s Jillian Rodriguez; and Whitewright’s Jonathan Flores.
The Lady Bearcats finished ninth in the Class 3A girls team standings. Degraffenreed (28th overall) and Melchor (30th overall) were Whitesboro’s top finishers.
