Jason Fochtman (AP)

From Chron.com's Pat Turner: 

ROUND ROCK - Ryan Teel experienced the thrill of winning a Class 4A individual cross country gold medal a year ago.

On Saturday, the Friendswood senior had a chance to see what it felt like to be a two-time champion.

Teel sped to a winning time of 15:42.42 to outlast Lockhart's Robert Uhr and lead the Mustangs to a third-place finish behind defending champion Boerne Champion and Cedar Park at Old Settlers Park.

"This feels amazing," Teel said. "Last year, I was a little bit numb after it happened. This year, I came in and knew I had a little bit of pressure on my back.

"I kind of had dreams about this. I'm glad they came true. I had a game plan and stuck with it."

Finding a way to win

Although winning a title and appearing at the state meet on two other occasions helped Teel become familiar with the atmosphere, getting the victory had its challenges.

Teel battled illness throughout the week and when it came time to race, he and the other runners had to battle the wind and dust on the course. Then, there was the competition, especially Uhr, who pushed Teel to the end with a time of 15:44.67.

Teel, however, found a way to overcome the obstacles.

"I was trying to get separation, but I couldn't lose the guys," Teel said. "I led the whole race, but I had to improvise. When I crossed the finish line, I was relieved. It worked out."