2022 Preseason Houston Metro XC Girls To Watch

 Preseason First Team

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7.) Kristen McHugh - Klein 

The school Klein High school 5k record holder had some setbacks in last year's 2021 cross country but is looking to bounce back from where she left off her sophomore year. 

Even though McHugh didn't improve on her sophomore year, she still set her position on the team and ran a season best of 19:01.30 at the UIL State Cross Country Championships. McHugh also showed she was rounding back into form during the season with a 3-mile SB at the Klein ISD Invitational 202.

Come outdoor track season, McHugh finished with SBs of 5:38.69 in the 1,600m at the Jack Sands Invite and 12:17.31 in the 3,200m at the Cain Relays. This could be a good senior season as we heard she ran 5:17 at a team time trial. 


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6.) Rebecca Wylie - Klein Cain 

The incoming junior class is without a doubt one of the best classes to watch this incoming cross country season. As good as we hear she is with a bow and some stings; Wylie, the talented cellist is another superstar harrier to add to the junior rankings and watch list. 

The 2021 cross country season was in the right direction for Wylie's high school career. She went out and had many great times where she ran multiple sub 18:30's in the 5k, but the key highlight was finishing 49th at the UIL State Cross Country Championships where Wylie would run 18:59.10. 

There weren't too many track races under Wylie's name but when she did race during she made sure her presence was known. Wylie finished the outdoor season running an 11:04.38 in the 3,200m for a PR. 


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5.) Felicity Hamilton Klein Cain  

From the start off the season, Hamilton came out blazing with a time of 18:02.20 on a short Waxahachie Woodhouse Invitational course. She also had an excellent closing during the championship season where she placed 11th at the UIL State Cross Country Championships running 18:11.00, 18:58.20 at NXR South Regional Championships, and ran well at the  Eastbay South Regionals going 18:39.46 placing 50th in the process. Hamilton is one to watch this upcoming cross country season. 

During the track season, she ran 5:12.56 at the Texas A&M High School Indoor Classic Mile. Outdoors, she went 11:30.03 in the 3,200m at the College Park Invitational, 5:24.07 in the 1,600m at the UIL 6A District 15 meet, and capped off the season with an 800m race at the UIL 17/18 Area meet where she ran 2:21.69 finishing 5th overall. 


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4.) Emily Ellis - Bridgeland 

The incoming senior at Bridgeland left a remarkable mark on her high school carrier in both the 2021 cross country season and the 2022 indoor, and outdoor track seasons considering she is a soccer super star. 

Ellis had a fiery start where she placed first at the Texas A&M Invitational where she ran 18:28.40. Going down the championship season stretch, Ellis didn't have the meet she anticipated on having at the UIL State meet, but that didn't stop her from have a great track season.

The 2022 outdoor season was one for the record books for the Bridgeland Bear where she set personal records all over the wall. Ellis finished the outdoor season running 2:15.39 - 800m at the UIL 6A Region 2 meet, 4:43.14 - 1,500m and 10:10.92 - 3,000m at the Victor Lopez Classic, 10:38.04 3,200m at the UIL 6A Region 2 meet, and even went for the hail Mary at the Texas Distance Festival in the 5,000m running a 17:40.53.

If Ellis can use the momentum she had at the UIL State track meet where she placed seventh in the girls 3,200m and use that as fuel to fire her path her upcoming 2022 cross country season, it should be a good one. 


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3.) Madison Peters - Pearland

Peter's isn't just coming off as one of the best seasons in the Houston metro area, but she has also set a name for her on the state stage too. 

Last year's 2021 cross country season, Peters finished the season six for seven in the record books winning near every race she raced, minus the 2021 Southlake Carroll XC Invite where she finished 7th in a super star-studded race. Peter's ended the 2021 season with a 5k personal record running a time of 17:49.52 at the Longhorn Stampede. 

The 2022 track season was also one to remember for the incoming junior. Peters finished the season running well all across the distance board going 2:17.77 for 800m at the Dickinson C.L. Hanna Gator Relays, 4:47.29 for 1,500m at the Victor Lopez Classic, 5:00.17 at 1,600m at Texas Distance Festival, 10:23.05 at 3,000m at the Victor Lopez Classic, and 10:58.91 for 3,200 at the UIL State Track & Field Meet. That's just the start; Peters also finished the 2022 outdoor track season qualifying for the state meet in both the 1,600m and 3,200m where she placed seventh in the 1,600m and sixth in the 3,200m. 


Gracey had a sensational 2021 cross country season and came up as a huge team contributor as she helped the Woodlands Highlanders reach a second consecutive podium finish at the UIL State Cross Country Championships.

The Highlander Harrier finished the year by setting a personal record of 18:07.10 at the UIL State Championships and a ninth place individual finish. 

The track season also saw several personal records by Gracey when she ran 2:25.51 in the 800m at the College Park Invitational, 4:53.49 in the 1,500m at the Victor Lopez Classic, 5:13.53 at 1,600m at the UIL 6A District 13 meet, 10:30.37 3,000m at the Victor Lopez Classic, and 11:10.18 for 3,200m at the UIL 6A Region 2 meet. 


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1.) Kathryn Koonts - Klein 

The incoming junior had a season to remember last year as a whole. Koonts is not just coming out as one of Region 2-6A's best runners in cross country and track, but she had a stellar cross country season last year where she finished with a personal record at the UIL State Cross Country Championships. Her time of 17:46.60 and 5th place overall against some nationally ranked cross country girls was huge. 

When track season came around, Koonts was on a high note running many personal records back-to-back. As the 2022 outdoor track season closed, the Klein Bearcat finished running personal records in all distance when she went 2:21.63 - 800m at the Kingwood True Team Meet, 5:00.60 - 1,600m at the UIL 6A Region 2 meet, and 10:58.84 - 3,200m at the UIL Region 2 meet.  On the big stage, at the state meet she finished 8th in the 1,600m.