TWO FAIRFIELD CROSS COUNTRY runners, Lilly and Lando Duarte, head to the state meet this Saturday at Round Rock. Pictured are: head cross country coach Davin Davis, Miss Duarte, girls' athletic coordinator Stephen Heers, Duarte and assistant coach Sally Hickerson. After winning their divisions at the District 20- AAA cross country meet, senior studens Lilly and Lando Duarte ran well enough Saturday at region to earn berths at the state meet this weekend at Round Rock.

The Region III University Interscholastic League cross country championships were run at Lone Star College in Humble and featured 20 teams in the girls' and boys' divisions.

Fairfield teams each placed second at district, behind Palestine, and advanced to the region competition.

Palestine girls proved to be contenders and won the Class AAA region title with a score of 104 points. Lufkin Hudson was second and Waco Connally finished third.

The Fairfield girls' team was 14th and Crockett was 20th.

Miss Duarte ran the 3,200-meter race in 11:57.1 minutes for third place overall.

First place was captured by Amber Moore of Spring Hill with a time of 11:38 and Taeler Marshall of Huffman Hargrove clocked in at 11:45.8 for second place.

Rounding out the Fairfield team were: 51 Natalie Neill, 13:32; 79, Kathleen Chappell, 14:11.3; 95, Katie Berger, 14:41.6; 108, Desiree Hodges, 15:00.6; 113, Mia Mayo, 15:23.9; and 121, Kassi Floyd, 15:58.

There were 134 entries in the girls' AAA race.

Duarte earned a trip to state with a seventh place finish in the boys' competition, running 5,000 meters in 16:50.8.

First across the finish line, in a time of 15:57, was Harvinder Singh of Huffman Hargrove, and Jon Bates of Lufkin Hudson was timed at 16:10.2 for second place.

Lufkin Hudson claimed the region boys' title, scoring 89 points. Huffman Hargrove placed second and Spring Hill was third.

Palestine runners finished sixth in team standings, Fairfield was ninth and Crockett was 20th.

Rounding out the Fairfield boys' team were: 52, Javier Duarte, 18:24.4; 56, Matthew Peine, 18:35.7; 71, Fernando Bonilla, 19:04.4; 83, Brandon Pfleeger, 19:23.3; 106, Aaron Heers, 20:02.4; and 109, Cody Snell, 20:11.5.

There were 147 runners in the boys' AAA division.