There were plenty of excuses available Friday to avoid running 3 miles that most people wouldn’t think twice about using.
For starters, it was early in the morning. Rise and shine? Maybe another day.
How about that heavy humidity? Kneeling down to merely tie a shoelace caused sweat to bead on the forehead.
And then there’s the infamous, always-talked-about hill that inconveniently pops up on the course around Lions Park in Temple.
However, Killeen ISD’s cross country runners aren’t most people, and they didn’t make excuses. Instead, they implemented the work done during the summer months, accepted the challenge, tested themselves and took the 2025 Temple Invitational season opener in stride.
Sophomore Blake Zimmerman placed second in a time of 16 minutes, 18 seconds, pacing a trio of Harker Heights runners in the top 10 that helped the Knights to a fourth-place team finish in the Class 5A/6A race.
Shoemaker, with three runners inside the top 15, was fifth. Host Temple took first followed by Pflugerville Hendrickson and Round Rock Stony Point. Chaparral was seventh.
“I knew what to expect with the hill, and I was ready for it,” said Zimmerman, who only had Temple’s Xavier Tools in front of him at the line by just 16 seconds. “It was really nice to drop a minute off my time. Feels great, honestly.”
Senior Christion Meiners held off Elgin’s Matthew Cato down the stretch and clocked 16:28.5 for third. Zimmerman’s older brother, Cody Zimmerman, a senior, went 16:48.8 for sixth.
“We are definitely improved this season,” Cody Zimmerman said of the Knights before reflecting on a special moment as an individual.
“This was actually the first course I ran freshman year and this was my last time running it. So, it definitely hit different.”
For the Grey Wolves, Xavier Graves (17:20.1) was 11th, David Bluhm (17:38.8) 13th and Matthew Patterson (17:44.6) 14th.
Chaparral’s Fantino Weary and Killeen High’s Jacob Roman led their teams, placing 23rd and 43rd, respectively.
In the girls 5A/6A race won by Hendrickson’s Morgan Nelsen in 18:06.54, Shoemaker’s Kahlia Woodley led all KISD participants by placing 22nd in 21:41.23.
Woodley, a regional qualifier last season, said Friday’s performance was a good way to gauge where she stands at the outset of a new year.
“It felt good to be back. I think this is a good season opener because it’s a challenging course,” said Woodley, whose Lady Grey Wolves were ninth. “I ran my normal race until I got to the hill, and then I just had to keep motivating myself and bring my knees up and pass as many people as I could because that’s the hardest part for everyone.”
Killeen High’s Deja Brooks was the second from KISD to cross, finishing with a 21:55.29 for 27th.
Yeylis Tello (22:32) turned in the top time for the Chaparral Lady Bobcats, who were seventh overall out of 12 teams. Makayla Otto meandered her way across the finish line first –– 47th overall –– for The Harker Heights Lady Knights, who were eighth.
Liberty Hill earned the team gold followed by Temple, Lorena and Lake Belton.
Ellison’s junior varsity teams also participated Friday, though its varsity squads open the season Saturday in Waxahachie.
For more photos, visit the KISD Flickr page here.
Full results: https://tx.milesplit.com/meets/660785-temple-invitational-2025/results