By Joel Langton
The 830 Times
Eight Comstock Panthers and one Del Rio Ram will head to Round Rock this week for the University Interscholastic League State Cross Country Championships.
The championships will be held Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6-7, at Old Settlers Park, with Del Rio competing Friday and Comstock Saturday.
For Comstock coach Lee Abbey, the final preparations are about keeping his runners healthy while maintaining their intensity.
“Primarily trying to keep the allergies and illness away so we can be healthy Saturday,” Abbey said.
The Panthers earned their state berth with a second-place finish at the Region IV Class 1A championships in Corpus Christi, while freshman Fernanda Lopez qualified individually in the girls’ division.
Comstock’s seven boys competing at state are Jacob Allen, Noah Bahena, Gustavo Flores, John Howell, Alan Huerta, Dalton Hutchinson and Martin Lopez.
“We have been running more hills and inclines,” Abbey said. “We are trying to keep the pedal down and not back off too much. I think we are in good shape to contend for the award stand.”
Comstock’s cross country tradition stretches back to 1995, when the Panthers first qualified as a boys’ team for the state championships.
In 2024, Abbey’s Panthers captured the Class 1A boys’ team state championship, the first team state title for a Val Verde County school in 50 years.
Former Panther Sebastian Talamantez won three consecutive individual Class 1A state championships from 2023 through 2025, giving Comstock four state cross country titles during that stretch.
The Panthers also finished third as a team in 2023 and sixth in 2025. This year’s squad returns seeking the school’s second boys’ team championship.
Comstock will depart Friday around 7:30 a.m. to preview the course and pick up race bibs.
Fernanda Lopez competes in the Class 1A girls’ 3,200-meter race at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, followed by the Comstock boys in the 5,000-meter race at 10:10 a.m.
Del Rio continues state tradition
Del Rio cross country coach Vicky Perez has been reducing the training workload for junior Ray Torres, who qualified for state after finishing 14th at the Region IV Class 6A c
