Stewart secures spot at state cross country
Albany senior Chance Stewart will make his third consecutive trip to the UIL State Cross Country Meet after finishing seventh overall at the Region 2-2A meet Tuesday morning in Arlington.
Stewart clocked his best time of the season at 17:18, earning a top-10 mark out of 172 runners and securing his place at state. He’ll compete at 11:25 a.m. on Nov. 1 in Round Rock.
“Chance came in with a top-25 time, and we felt like he had a good shot at getting to state going in,” Albany coach Ryder Peacock said. “He really went out strong today—he got out there with the top seven guys, and they separated themselves from the rest of the field for most of the race. His first mile came in well under six minutes, putting him in a great position early.”
Stewart said he made an effort to prepare for the regional course ahead of time. “I went on Sunday and jogged the course so I could get more familiar with it,” he said. “Even though I knew the course, that helped me get comfortable with the layout before race day.”
Tuesday’s performance capped a strong comeback for Stewart, who battled through injury and illness earlier this season. “I was out for about a month,” he said. “I hurt my hamstring and then got really sick—I had COVID pretty bad. It took a lot out of me, but I’ve been working to build back up.”
Despite the setbacks, Stewart said he’s focused on making the most of his senior season. “Of course I’m happy to qualify again,” he said. “But it could’ve been better. I’m hoping to get a top-10 finish at state this year.”
Peacock said that determination has been evident in Stewart’s approach all season. “Getting back to state for a third consecutive time is something Chance was really pushing for,” the coach said. “But he’s definitely not satisfied—he wants to finish his high school career on the podium. Looking across other regions, he’s right in the mix for a top-10 finish.”
Peacock added that the next 10 days will be focused on sharpening Stewart’s speed and endurance before the season’s final race. “I know he’s going to put in the work to get his time where it needs to be,” Peacock said. “He knew what he had to do, and he went out and got it done. Now we set our sights on Round Rock and the final stage of the cross country season.”
Stewart, who ran at the Class 3A level the past two years in Breckenridge, said he’s motivated to improve on those earlier state performances. “I wasn’t happy with how I did my sophomore and junior years,” he said. “This year, I’m working hard to finish strong.”
Stewart is the first Albany athlete of the school year to advance past district. The school held a send-off ceremony Monday afternoon before the team traveled to the regional meet.
As for what it might take to medal in Round Rock, Stewart said he has a target in mind. “To get on the podium, I’d probably need to be around the 16:40s,” he said. “That’s what I’m aiming for.”
