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- Written by Alex Chambliss
The release of the first CCCAT Uil Team Poll brings us our first look at who the contenders are in each division. From long standing powerhouses to the new kids on the block, let's take an in-depth look at the 6A Boys Division and what the top 10 contenders bring to the table.
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No. 1 Southlake Carroll
To say the Southlake Carroll boys have been dominant in 6A would be an understatement. As winners of every UIL State Championship since 2019, the Carroll boys have established themselves as the pinnacle of distance running in the state of Texas.
Heading into the 2023 season, little appears to have changed as the Dragons return a top 5 all under 15:20, led by 14:58 5k runners Jude Alvarez and Caden Leonard. Southlake's continual production of teams who have the ability to produce at a high level in such a tight pack earns them their rightful place atop the polls heading into the season.
No. 2 Austin Vandegrift
Vandegrift slots in at number two on the poll thanks to a podium finish at the state meet last year along with a strong track season. The loss of two-time state champion Kevin Sanchez will undoubtedly be difficult however Vandegrift still returns Dylan Schieffelin who narrowly missed out on the top ten at last year's state meet.
Couple this with junior Hudson Haley who produced a number of outstanding performances on track in the spring and sophomore Kai McCullough who ran 15:38 as a freshman last year, and it becomes easy to see why Vandegrift has the potential to retain their spot on the podium come November.
No. 3 The Woodlands
The Woodlands returns a rich history, among other things, to the third spot on the podium in this year's poll. The Woodlands have long been near or at the top of the podium, however, they return a more unproven team this year than in recent years.
That being said, the Highlanders are consistently able to utilize their potential to be on the podium when it's all said and done. This year may prove to be a more challenging fight for the Region 2 crown for The Woodlands however, history would tell us to never count this team out of contention for the podium at the state meet.
No. 4 Katy Tompkins
Katy Tompkins moves up into the top 4 to start the season after finishing 11th in Round Rock last year. The Falcons continue the theme at the top of the heap of being able to consistently put themselves in contention come November.
Tompkins' top group is led by a tight trio of Mathias Pitzel, Austin Garcia, and Parker Wood who are separated by just under four seconds. This trio is flanked by strong depth with the ability to dip under 16:00 later in the year. It remains to be seen whether or not the Falcons can get onto the podium, but being ranked fourth is an excellent start.
No. 5 Coppell
Up next is Coppell who comes off an incredible third-place finish at the Uil State meet in 2022. That being said, having lost five or their top seven performers from that meet it remains to be seen if Coppell can reach the podium again this year.
Coppell is led by a strong duo in seniors Henry Henze and Samarth Dubey who look to lead the Cowboys back onto the podium come this November. With this quick duo near the front and a strong supporting cast of depth, the Cowboys look to find themselves back where they were last November.
No. 6 Round Rock
Coming in at number six on the poll is the Round Rock boys who find themselves in a great spot with room to grow. Round Rock returns in the same spot they finished at last year's state meet with the potential to return this year if things go their way.
The Dragons return a sub-16 duo of Christian Mathurin and Kebede Kerlin along with several other runner who have the potential to dip into the mid-15s. Keeping a tight pack will be crucial for Round Rock's success, however, if they manage to do it they could find themselves near or on the podium in November.
No. 7 Bridgeland
Bridgeland returns in 2023 with another underrated team that has the potential to do big things. The Bears have found themselves gaining notoriety over the last few years both through their media efforts and becoming a consistent competitor at the state meet.
Bridgeland is led by 9:00 3200m runner Benjamin Montgomery who looks to be a contender for the individual championship come November. Given the results of their recent time trial where they finished with a top seven all under 10:00, if Bridgeland can keep their trend of consistent growth, they look poised for a run at the podium this year.
No. 8 Wylie
Coming off a 12th place finish in Round Rock last year, the Wylie boys find themselves four spots higher beginning this season. While Wylie hasn't found themselves in the top five since 2021, this looks to be a year where they can return to contention at the top.
The Pirates are led by senior Caden Biltz who had an outstanding track season producing 9:15 and 4:20 performances in the 3200m and 1600m respectively. Wylie is another team with strong depth and great potential to find themselves near the podium in November. They have a new coach, so we'll get to see what the transition of philosophy and training is handled.
No. 9 El Paso Franklin
El Paso Franklin returns to the top group of 6A teams after a solid seventh-place finish at the state meet in 2022. Despite losing their top two performers from that meet, the Franklin boys look to return for the second consecutive year.
The Cougars are led by senior Matthew Engle who started the season off with a 15:31 performance. If the Cougars are able to consistently produce at a level like this, they will see themselves back in contention in Round Rock this November.
No. 10 Northwest Nelson
Rounding out the top ten of the first CCCAT Poll is Northwest Nelson. Despite not reaching the state meet in 2022 find themselves in a great position heading into 2023 with the potential to make noise in November.
Northwest Nelson is led by junior Matthias Peterson nelson who clocked a 15:03 at the end of last season and was consistently at or under 4:20 on the track. While the Bobcats have a lot to prove given their ranking, a strong leader up front coupled with solid depth give them a great shot to prove they're more than deserving of their ranking.