Look Out List: XC Boys To Look Out For In 2022 Edition 2

Riley Nedrow (Boyd) competes at the Region 2-3A track and field championship

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Last week, we rolled out an article where we named some of our runners to look out for this upcoming cross country season.

However, while researching, we noticed a ton of other guys who could have significant impacts this cross country season. 

In this second edition, you'll see more UIL boys, some TAPPS, and Homeschool runners who we think could take a step up and help rock the 2022 cross country season.

Riley Nedrow - Boyd

Nedrow was a key member for the Flower Mound Jaguars for his first two and a half years in high school. He transferred to Boyd after last cross country season and has continued to roll.

Last cross country season, he ran 5:43 at RunningLane for a PR and had a 15:15 PR on the track prior to that. His junior track season at Boyd saw him qualify for the UIL 3A state track and field meet. He was fourth in the 3,200m and earned a medal in the 1,600m with his third place finish.

The former youth star in AAU track and field is now in his senior year and could be a major player. His 4:19 and 9:27 track improvements could see him challenge for an individual state title. He will also help an annually strong Boyd program ascend in the 3A team standing. 

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Dawson Svoboda - Prosper - 32nd @ UIL 6A state

The Prosper senior will be in full-on-harrier mode this season. He tasted the UIL state meet sweetness last year with his team's success and anything less both individually and team wise would be surprising.

Svoboda ran his fastest times at the beginning and the end of the season. He finished 32nd at the state meet in 15:52.

On the track, he ran a 4:26.74 PR and a 9:38.88 SB in the 3,200m and was a Region 1-6A qualifier in both events. The state meet is the highest level you can achieve, but his region meet is at worst a slight step below. Svoboda should be battle tested and ready to help push Prosper to the awards podium. He could also be one of the top runner in the state.

Michael Archie - Atascocita - 40th @ UIL 6A state

Archie is one of the top flying eagles on the Atascocita squad that has been running at a high level for the past three years. His senior season could be very special and he is one of my candidates to make the best jumps this season.

The senior has leg speed based on his 800m and 1600m PR and that could pay huge dividends when you consider his off season training that I expect to be substantial. 

During the cross country season last year, he ran a a 15:30 PR at RunningLane and ran low 16s and high 15s pretty much the rest of the season.

Another indication that he will have a good end to the season is that in his three previous state meet races, he finished 90th as a freshman, 67th as a sophomore, and 40th last year. With that descending placement improvement, it's more reason to believe he can replicate that once again.

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Judah Alexander-Macias - Leander Texas Homeschool - 7th @ Small School XC Nationals

In cross country,  a lot of runners participate in every race that's  considered distance, but some of them are literally better with the longer the races. Based on the stats, this is the case for Macias.

As a homeschool competitor, he doesn't get to race the best competition like many of the UIL runners, but when he does, he makes the best out of it.

A fourth place finish and 15:35 at the Frisco ISD Inv resulted in a PR, but he also was seventh in the Small School XC Nationals and then ran 15:41 at RunningLane against some of the best talent in the country.

On the track, Macias was third at the Homeschool state meet in a 4:34.61 PR. however, his best race was at RunningLane in the 3200m in 9:30 for a PR. He also ran four races under 10:00 the entire season.

As a junior, if he can continue to get in the bigger meets in the state and nationally, we could continue to see his improvement by racing the best talent he can.

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Aiden Ramshaw - Katy Tompkins - 79th @ UIL 6A state

Last cross country season, Ramshaw was 79th at the state meet in 16:21.40. While it wasn't his best time of the year, it was a taste of the place he wants to continue to get to. He did have a 15:46 PR at Strake Jesuit, which proves he can run.

Where the Tompkins leader did impress was on the track. He ran a 4:18.57 PR in the 1,600m at TDF and 9:35.55 in the 3,200m early in the season. In fact, he ran sub 10 all season long.

Tompkins has a very talented team, but they're young and Ramshaw will provide leadership; with young and fresh training partners it could pay dividends.

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Luke Hein - Round Rock - 42nd @ UIL 6A state

The senior has been a part of the outstanding distance crew over the last two seasons at Round Rock. This year, he will be expected to be a leader of the squad and that could help elevate his running.

On the track, Hein was one of the state's most consistent runners. He started the year with low 4:30 runs in the 1,600m, then he was quickly in the mid to high 4:20s. It was much of the same in the 3,200m as he was consistently in the 9:50s.

During the cross country season, he PRed with a 15:46 and helped the team through the championship season that ended up at state. Hein could have a game changing senior year.

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Luke Brooker - Houston Homeschool

Brooker had an impressive track season that saw drastic improvements. He ran 4:29 in the 1,600m, and 9:40 in the 3,200m. His biggest performance was an impressive 6:12.93 in the 2K steeplechase to win the Texas Relays event.

As Brooker heads into his senior year, this cross country season will be crucial. Like fellow homeschooler Judah Alexander-Macias, Brooker will need to get into the most competitive races he can this year. If he does, we could find out just how good he his.

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Edwin Rivera - Kaufman - 3rd @ UIL 4A state

Rivera has been the head man at Kaufman for two years and now in his senior season, this could be the year he takes an even bigger step.

How much bigger can it get than a top three finish at the state cross country meet from last year? Well, pushing for the top spot in 4A as well as becoming one of the major runners overall in the state could be in store for Rivera.

His 15:48 on the grass along with is 4:27 and 9:49 could be signs that with a good off season and base training heading into the season Rivera take a step to the next level.

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Hayden Scott - San Antonio Brandeis - 61st @ UIL 6A state

The Brandeis junior helped lead his squad to the state meet where he finished in 61st place. He was consistent in the mid to low 16s throughout the season.

The track season is where he showed signs that point to a good season on grass. He ran in the low 4:20s in four track meets with a 4:21.71 PR from his district race. He also ran sub 10:00 most of the year with a 9:26.20  that also came at district.

Some solid base for the upcoming season and calling on the improvements made in the track season could have Scott taking a step to the next level.

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Nathan Morales - San Antonio Central Catholic - 3rd @TAPPS state meet

Morales has been one of TAPPS top distance runners going back to day one. However this is the year for him to become one of Texas' best.

Last cross country season, He ran a fast time at FEAST and then was in the mid to low 16s the rest of the season. However, on track is where Morales caught fire and improved from sophomore year.

A 4:26.05 PR in the 1,600m and 9:35.84 were big improvements and going sub 10:00 all season could be signs for a good cross season.

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Aaron Crittenden - Killeen Ellison - 50th @ UIL 6A state meet

Do you know who Crittenden is? Well, I'll tell you why you should know him and why he could potentially be one of the top harriers in the state this year. 

The Ellison senior is one of only two returning runners to go sub 1:53, sub 4:20, sub 10:45, and sub 16:00.  During the cross country season, he ran mostly 3-mile races, but when championship season came around he was where he needed to be and qualified individually for the state meet, placing 50th.

He enjoyed the second straight track season of being one of the best half-milers in the state. Last season ended with a 1:52.49 PR and third place finish at the 6A state track meet and he really upgraded his 1,600m times by giong sub 4:20 on a couple of occasions.

Crittenden is one of the best runners across all distances and could be one of the best on the grass this fall.

Luke Demahy - Houston Strake Jesuit - 98th @ UIL 6A state meet

Demahy could be a legit star this year. He is on the powerful Strake Jesuit squad and is coming off a very strong junior year.

In cross country, he ran a best time of 15:59 and was 98th at the state meet finishing with a 16:39.

Where Demahy's light shone and what has us excited about his cross country season was on the track. He ran low 4:20s most of the season topping out at 4:19.84. He ran back to back 9:40s in the 3,200m at the district and regional meets. 

He has top notch teammates to train with and he could help make Strake a top notch team this year.

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Noah Watt - Amarillo - 108th @ UIL 5A state

Watt has been on the Amarillo High ride for a couple of years where the team took him to Round Rock a couple of times. This time, it'll be Watt who will be responsible for leading the Sandies.

On the grass, he had a 15:42.03, but had an even better track seasons. He had PRs in the 800m, 1,600m and the 3,200m.  His 1:58, 4:23, and 9:51 are what has him likely one of the top runners in the panhandle and possibly a leader in the entire state.