DFW Metro Second Team
14. Madison Larson (So.) Fort Worth Southwest Christian
Larson was another top freshman who was off to a great start. She ran 18:31 for a top-12 finish at the Southlake Carroll XC Invite. She ran well again against top level talent at the Nike South Invitational when she finished 33rd with a 18:55.
Larson would eventually place second at her TAPPS state meet in cross country. We don't have much on her from the track season, but what her MileSplit profile does have are optimistic for her sophomore season.
She ran 2:20, 5:14, and 11:46 all by March 10th prior to her hiatus. There is no reason to believe that if she returns fit and healthy that Larson shouldn't be considered one of the DFWs top runners.
13. Sydni Wilkins (Sr.) Frisco Liberty
Wilkins put us on notice early in the 2022 cross country season with a 18:49 run at the Southlake Carroll XC Invite. She proved it wasn't a fluke when she followed it up with a 18:33 at the Marcus Coach T Invitational and then she went even faster on a not-so-easy Myers Park course (actually more difficult than the previous two courses) at the Lovejoy XC Fall Festival.
She has a 17:56 on record from her district meet and she ended the season in third at the Region 2-5A meet and eight at the UIL 5A state cross country meet. Wilkins would go 5:28 and 11:15 on the track and was a region 2-5A qualifier in goth events.
The 2023 year is senior season and Wilkins could have an even better follow-up to last year.
12. Natalie Spangher (Sr.) Flower Mound
Flower Mound's senior class has more than the Humphries twins who are expected to play a major role this upcoming cross country season. Spangher was called upon last year and she came through as a consistent scorer for the Jaguars.
Starting out of the blocks with a 18:27 and then a 18:22 in her first two 5Ks of the season, Spangher solidified herself as a team scoring candidate. Her 23rd place finish at state kept Flower Mound ahead of the fray and probably sealed their team title.
She displayed her maturation and development during the track season. In the indoor season, Spangher ran 10:57 at two miles at the New Balance Nationals Indoor. Outdoors, she ran PRs of 2:24, 5:10, and 10:58.
I have her ranked as the No. 12 runner in the DFW to start the season, but she might easily be in the top in the entire state by season's end. The reason why that might be is because of her 3200m PR and the fact that she ran 17:30 in the 5K at the Texas Distance Festival.
Spangher is who could make the Lady Jags even more potent than most think. If she runs 17 mid on grass this cross country season, this might be a FloMo four-peat.
11. Elizabeth Smits (Jr.) Southlake Carroll
Smits provided a sense of stability and consistency last year for Carroll as only a sophomore. She ended her freshman year with a 18:29 PR in the 5K and began the 2022 season with a 18:27 in her first 5K of the year.
Smits rose to the No.4 runner and even No. 3 at the end of the cross country season. She placed 22nd at the UIL 6A cross country state met and 23rd at NXR South.
In the track season, PRs of 5:11 and 11:07 and already went 5:14 last weekend in a one mile time trial at Southlake.
Smits might be in the most important position for Carroll. We know Carroll's success is their game plan of executing and managing the 1-5 split. As the No. 3, the gap between her and the four through seven runners will be key to the team's success, but just as important will be her keeping the distance minimal with the No. 2.
10. Camryn Benson (So.) Lucas Lovejoy
Benson had a great cross country season for Lovejoy as a freshman and helped them dominate the UIL 5A scene last year.
She ran a 18:03 PR and then placed 9th at the UIL state cross country meet and was 27th at NXR South helping Lovejoy qualify for NXN.
The track season was full of PRs for Benson, including the pole vault as she jumped 10-6. In the running events, she ran personal best in the 400m through the 3200m including 2:22, 5:07, and 10:45.
The 3200m performance and fourth place finish at the UIL 5A state meet in the event shows the development from cross to track last year and another leap could mean a great season this fall.
9. Allie Love (Sr.) Colleyville Heritage
Love has been impressive during the cross country seasons since she entered the scene as a freshman. Last year, she was third at the UIL5A state meet.
She had season best performances of 17:52 at the Southlake Carroll Inv. and 17:39 at the Chile Pepper Festival on the University of Arkansas course. She added a win at the Region 1-5A meet and was 11th at NXR South.
Love is an exceptional soccer player and doubles in the spring with track and soccer. We saw her run well up until mid- March when she posted 2:14 races in the 800m and got down to 4:59 at the Texas Distance Festival. That was the last race on record for last year.
Expectations should be to see Love be in just as good of shape as usual and competing just as hard when the season starts.
8. Margaret Thompson (Sr.) Hockaday
Thompson got off to a fast start to the 2022 cross country season. She ran 17:56 out of the gate at the Waxahachie Woodhouse Invitational and backed that up with a 17:29 at the Southlake Carroll XC Invite. Unfortunately, and injury occurred and disrupted her season. She was able to recover in time for the Southwest Preparatory Championships, but she clearly didn't have the same fitness level and finished fifth with t time of 19:24.
In track season, she began to improve her fitness. She ran a 2:16 PR in the 800m, a 5:07 season best in the 1600m, and 10:53 for a 3200m PR at Texas Relays. The 2000m steeplechase was also a successful event for Thompson and she won the Texas Relays event in 6:59.