5. Wylie
Head Coach: Coach Calley Conner
Last year's finish: UIL 6A state 10th place
Key returners: Dylan Pitts (Jr), Luke Lambert (So), Samuel Abdellatif (Sr), Shimeles Abdellatif (Jr), Gardiner Aidan (Sr), Samuel Espinosa (Sr), Hunter Widner (Sr)
Projected top 7: Dylan Pitts (Jr), Luke Lambert (So), Samuel Abdellatif (Sr), Shimeles Abdellatif (Jr), Gardiner Aidan (Sr), Samuel Espinosa (Sr), Hunter Widner (Sr)
Will's Outlook: Wylie didn't have the state meet they would have wanted, but I think just being there getting the experience and capping off an awesome 2017 season was good for them and could speak volumes for this year. The staff did a good job at piecing (pulling) together a good squad, training them, and mentally preparing them. This team was not short of talent last year nor confidence. Then entire top seven returns for what will be the last high school season for four seniors. Pitts and Lambert will be another year older and more experienced as leaders on the course and the Abdellatif brothers are more experienced after summer running and AAU Junior Olympic Games experience.
Wylie returns with a 16:05.78 team average from last year thanks to two sub 16:00 guys and three guys in the 16:15 range. When this group is on the run well as a pack. They're 28.60 second split is evident of that.
If witnessing Wylie fight, scratch, and claw to survive the "Region of Doom" to make it state last year was an indication what this group can continue to do then watch out for them in 2018!
Head Coach: Coach Brittney Lanehart
Last year's finish: UIL 6A State 5th place
Key returners: Andres Engle (Sr), Clayton Wilkerson (Sr), Mason Garner (Sr), Kirk Zuber (Jr ), Luke Yocum (Sr)
Projected top 7: Andres Engle (Sr), Clayton Wilkerson (Sr), Mason Garner (Sr), Kirk Zuber (Jr ), Luke Yocum (Sr), Joe Wesloh (Jr), Joe Weeks (Jr)
Will's Outlook: Smithson Valley (SV) returns a solid group from 2017 that really turned things up at the end of the season. Returning six of last year's top seven that had high team finishes at both the state meet and NXR South is what places them in the top 5. If they can capitalize on the experiences from last season they could really be one of the teams to lead the charge in the state for the 2018 season.
Region 4-6A will not get any easier this year, in fact it might be even tougher than last season. However, they are clearly looking like the team to beat again in that region.
The SV top three guys of Wilkerson, Engle, and Garner are all 15 high 5K guys and can run SV into any team race. If the #4 and #5 can get down to 16 low, for 5K watch out for the Rangers. Expect coach Lanehart to have them ready!
3. Klein
Head Coach: Coach Tim McGuire
Last year's finish: UIL 6A State meet 7th place
Key returners: Michael Garcia (Sr), Christopher Daniels (So), Luis Cavazos (Jr), Eric Deluga (Jr), Lane Summey (Jr), Gustavo Posada (So)
Projected top 7: Michael Garcia (Sr), Christopher Daniels (So), Luis Cavazos (Jr), Eric Deluga (Jr), Lane Summey (Jr), Gustavo Posada (So), Anthony Della Fiora (Jr)
Will's Outlook: Klein surprised a lot of people last year with their running. They started off rolling early in the season and maintained that throughout the season. They ran tough through championship season and that led them to state. Things didn't go quite as they would have liked in Round Rock, but they return six of their top seven for the season and they will be in a good position this season to do it all again.
Their 16:02.36 returning average as they have three legit 16 low guys and some 16 mid guys. They are very similar to SV and Wylie in that they are very good at pack running and that will be their key. Their youngsters got valuable experience last year. That seasoning should make the group even stronger this season.
2. Kingwood
Head Coach: Coach Tate Symons
Last year's finish: UIL 6A State 6th place
Key returners: Nick Majerus (Jr), Carter Storm (Sr), Trent Nolan (Sr)
Projected top 7: Nick Majerus (Jr), Carter Storm (Sr), Trent Nolan (Sr), Justin Moore (Jr), Alec Fernandez (Sr), Josue Orduno (Sr), Kevin Matz (Sr)
Will's Outlook: Kingwood is experienced! They've been brewing and bubbling on the verge of having the "IT" season for a couple of years. This group is all juniors and seniors and a they have a legit three guys who can run front pack with just about anyone.
Last year was a horrible start to the season due to Hurricane Harvey, but they got the ball rolling and eventually settled into the type of running everyone thought they were capable of. Finishing sixth overall at the state meet was a testament to their collective determination to defy the challenges their community and school faced.
This year, we could see them running to their potential and that is a high ceiling. Majerus is a legitimate low stick and Storm is just as talented and could also prove to be a single digit scorer at state. Nolen is dangerous as he is a pure middle distance runner who battles and given right type of race he could also be a single digit scorer depending on how things work out. That is where their challenge will come into play. Can the #4 and #5 runners close the gap? Their top three makes it understandable for a gap in the split, but the team needs them to be 16 lows and Coach Symons can get this team could be a NXN team. This squad could be scary good and reminiscent of the 80s and 90s Kingwood boys team.
1. Flower Mound
Head Coach: Coach Andrew Cook
Last year's finish: UIL 6A State 8th place
Key returners: Alex Maier (Sr), Jarrett Kirk (Jr), Johnathan Flint (Jr)
Projected top 7: Alex Maier (Sr), Jarrett Kirk (Jr), Johnathan Flint (Jr), Eddie Marcoe (Sr), Thomas Romanow (Jr), Nathaneal Villalon (Sr), Thor Gustafson (Jr)
Will's Outlook: Last year was very interesting for the Flower Mound boys team. They started out running well and we found out early that they developed another low stick guy in Kirk who ended up winning the UIL 6A individual title. Everyone figured a FM jersey would cross the line first, but it was expected to be Maier. Unfortunately, Maier got sick and state did not go as planned for either him or the team. They did regroup and still managed to make it to NXN,......so here we are.
FM comes in as the #1 team in the state and because of Kirk and Maier, which should be no surprise as those two guys could very well go 1-2 at the state meet. However, they will need more fire power than that and I think they have it. Flint is a 16 low kid and is their legit #3 who could possibly be the next on the team to make the elite level jump. This could be their year to get that 6A title and they could also get back to NXN.
This is Maier's last year at FM, so it's now or never to take advantage of the luxury of having two studs. Coach Cook has proven that he can develop his runners and if that results in adding another elite runner to their 1-2 punch, then that becomes scary.
Popular belief around the state is that The Woodlands and Southlake Carroll are not a strong as usual and that they're vulnerable to be dethroned from the top two spots at the state meet. Just a little history lesson....the last time TWHS and SLS did not go 1-2 at the state meet was in 2005. That year, two teams tied for the state title resulting in the win coming down the the #6 runner. Those two teams were....(Corpus Christi King -1st and Flower Mound -2nd). Is this the making of 2005 all over again? Who knows, but one thing for sure, FM should be going for the gusto in 2018!