Photo by Sandy Spears Freshman, Minta Spears took 28th place at the State UIL Class 3A Cross-Country meet in Round Rock on Saturday. Minta is the first cross-country competitor from Bullard to qualify to run at the state finals. ROUND ROCK - The Class 3A, girls State Cross Country meet was momentous for the Bullard program and freshman, Minta Spears covering more ground than you can imagine in one day of varsity competition.

Spears began the day making a solo bid for the state's top runners at Old Settlers Park, as one of 109 runners in the Class 3A state cross-country meet.

Running against the state's best, the lanky frosh took 28thplace in her first year of high school cross-country with a time of 12:30.47.

Bailey Davis of Prosper smoked the field for first-place with an unbelievable, 11:10.24. Decatur edged out Llano and Giddings for the team title

The two-sport phenomenon, Spears then jumped in the school van with head coach, Greg Gay, his assistant coaches, cross-country teammate, and best friend, Bailee Callens, high-tailing it from Round Rock to Henderson, for the point guard to make her second start for the Lady Panthers varsity basketball team.

That is the eighth-ranked Lady Panthers. One in the same girls what put a whuppin' on Class 5A, Tyler-Lee, 68-49 opening night, last Thursday, and plastered Henderson 60- 17, on Saturday.

The future is so bright for this feisty, Pine Tree transfer, the newly signed Lamar University Lady Cardinal, Danielle Heithoff, and the rest of the Lady Panthers hoopsters these girls all need to wear shades!

Spears made school history earlier this year running however with the first-ever individual championship in the Lindale Cross-Country meet. She next took second place at district, qualifying to run at the chilly, regionals in Aldine last week.

Spears ran a season best 12:04 for sixth-place to earn initial state visit for Spears and head coach Greg Gay.

Gay serves as the girl's coordinator for the Bullard high school programs, and coaches both cross-country and basketball for the ladies.

"I thought it was pretty nice that Henderson rearranged the tipoff time for us so we could make the drive without having to be crazy," said Gay about Spears and her extra miles on Saturday. "With Minta, it is like I have said before….she is just an unbelievable competitor at anything she does.

"I think she was more nervous than usual but that is to be expected being a lone freshman, team representative lining up against the best runners in the state," Gay added, "but she ran hard and was still closing on the girl that just barely beat her on a really tough course."

When asked about her trip to state the freshman, Spears was a little intimidated at first.

"It was a little intimidating at first but once the race got started it was just running and competing," Spears said. "The course was pretty tough with a lot of hills and trails but there were a lot of good girl's there and maybe we can get the whole team down there next year."

At the state meet, Spears ran the standard, two-mile distance in the race.

It is said you can run as much as five-miles if you play a complete basketball game. With the result of the thrashing of Henderson, Spears played half her usual minutes, statistically figured into two and onehalf miles we will add-on. That's a lot of running, climbing hills, dribbling basketballs, running through the mud, and hustling back on defense.

Now, add on 287 miles on wheels for the drive, and Spears probably holds a school record for miles traveled in competition, with 291.5 miles to her credit.

Congratulations Minta on a first for Bullard at the state meet, and best for the Lady Panthers dribblers and their quest for the final-four in Austin.

And just think……we did not figure the miles getting to Round Rock or getting home from Henderson.