Ray runs personal best at state meet

Kinta cross-country runner Braden Ray set a personal-best time of 18:39.75 while placing 32nd in the Class 2A state meet at Gordon Cooper Technology Center in Shawnee on Saturday, Oct. 22, despite fighting the wind during much of the race.

“I did way better than I thought I would,” said Ray, who beat his regional meet time by 24 seconds.

Ray finished six seconds away from the top 30, staying close behind 30th-place finisher Dallas Delao of Watonga throughout the race.

The sophomore runner said he ran against the wind more in the second half of the race after it had shifted directions. Ray said he loved the intense atmosphere of the state meet, which saw 152 runners finish.

“It’s a lot bigger than the other races during the season with more people,” he said. Ray found the Gordon Cooper Technology Center course to be much tougher than the others he ran this season, with bigger, longer hills.

“You just have to push yourself to do the best you can,” he said.

After making his first entry in the state meet, Ray said he is looking forward to getting faster throughout the year and climbing the ranks next time.

Isai Rodriguez of Lomega-Ringwood won the race in 15:05.41, 1:34.87 ahead of the second-place finisher.