2022 Preseason Houston Metro XC Boys To Watch

Preseason 2nd Team


Straton Miller
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14.) Straton Miller - The Woodlands

Miller had a great cross country season opener at the 2021 Atascocita Invitational running a time of 16:16.22 and placing 4th individually. Miller had many instances when he backed up the Woodlands motto "Tradition," running many races with a sub 16 minute. The last race of the 2021 cross country season Miller set a personal best at the Garmin RunningLane Cross Country Championships running a time of 15:45.80.

Once outdoor track season came around, Miller was setting personal records across the board. He had a great junior year running 4:18.24 at the 2022 John Cooper Moonlight Mile, 4:35.05 at the Dan Green Invitational, 8:50.71 3000m at the Victor Lopez Classic, and 9:30.32 in the 3200m in a tight district meet.


Nicholas Grams
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Grams had a bit of a later start to the 2021 cross country season but still had an impressive season opener at the 3rd Annual Run The Dog Pound Invitational with a time of 15:37.43.

After the season opener Grams was hoping to have a successful year, he finished in the top 50 at the 2021 UIL 6A Boys Cross Country Championships placing 34th as a junior in high school.

The 2022 outdoor track season, Grams set personal records in the 1600m running 4:20.42 at the John Cooper Moonlight Mile, 4:34.25 at the Dan Green Invitational Mile, and then Grams went out and ran a great time of 9:19.87 placing him 8th at Texas Distance Festival in South Lake.


Seth Thompson
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12.) Seth Thompson - Friendswood

Thompson is coming off a great 2021 cross country season. Last year, he helped the Friendswood Mustangs reach the 5A UIL State Championships.

Last year Thompson and the Mustangs finished in 3rd place in the Region 3 5A Boys. Earlier that season Thompson ran a cross country personal best time in the 5k running an impressive time of 15:36.69 at the 2021 Sealy XC Meet.


Adrian Hahn Vadstein
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Vadstein had a fantastic season setting his personal best in the 2021 fall cross country season running a time of 15:39.70 placing 19th overall at the 2021 UIL 6A Boys State Championships. Continuing his success in the 2021 track season, Vadstein ran 4:17.17 at the Region 3 6A Boys 1600m.

Vadstein opened the 2022 track season early getting some indoor exposure on the national level running a mile personal best of 4:22.77 at the 2022 New Balance Nationals Indoor. Come outdoor season, Vadstein ran two personal best times in the process in both the 800m with a time of 1:58.78 and a new 1600m personal best with a time of 4:15.93.


Luke Demahy
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Demahy had a spectacular junior year on the cross country course and track. One key highlight is Demahy's personal best was a 5k time at the Strake Jesuit Crusader Invitational running a time of 15:59.00.

Demahy and the Houston Strake Jesuit Crusaders are looking to come out on top at regionals and also want to be a threat to finish on top of the podium at the state meet, according to their team social media page Harambee XC.

The outdoor track season was full of personal records for Demahy where he ran 4:12.05 in the 1500m at the Jesuit Spring Break Meet, 4:19.84 at the John Cooper Moonlight Mile, and 9:40.32 in the 3200m at the UIL 6A Region 3 Championships.


Carter Gordy
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Although Gordy didn't improve on the time he set his sophomore year at the 2020 UIL 5A Boys Cross Country State Championships where he ran a time of 15:17.99. He did run a season best of 15:33.70 at the 2021 UIL 5A Boys Cross Country State Championships.

The 2022 outdoor track season for Gordy was cut short due to a serious injury where he tore his right patella tendon. He had a procedure to repair the damage done back in March, nevertheless Gordy is coming in with a time of 2:01.52 in the 800m, 4:16.23 in the 1600m, and 9:17.27 in the 3200m.


Ben Reyes 
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Reyes finished a long and successful season with The Woodlands Highlanders for the 2021 cross country season.Reyes and his Highlanders finished on the podium at the 2021 6A Boys Cross Country Championships where they captured a 2nd place finish. 

A month later, Reyes and his Highlanders found themselves in the Gold Boys Division at the 2021 Garmin RunningLane Cross Country Championships. In that very race, Reyes improved on his personal best which was a 15:54.10 from the UIL 6A Boys State Championships, to run a fast time of 15:32.77.

The 2022 track season was a memorable time for Reyes where he had a season full of personal records ranging from 4:03.71 in the 1500m at the Victor Lopez Classic, 4:21.31 in the 1600m at the John Cooper Moonlight Mile, 4:27.39 for the full mile at the Dan Green Invitational, 8:49.88 in the 3000m at the Victor Lopez Classic, and 9:31.69 in the 3200M at the Atascocita Invitational.