In this all-state article, we unveil the Preseason Third Team. Yesterday we published the fourth team and honorable mentions. Now we get into the runners who should definitely have some say so on how the season plays out.
This group of seven runners has a mix of it all: runners who have finished in the top-10 at cross or state, some who have done it at both meets, and others who have been knocking at the door.
Also, some of the runners on this list will have team implications riding on their championship season running and their optimal running will be crucial for their squads.
Here is our Preseason All-State Third Team!
Third Team
21. Pablo Lesarri (The Woodlands)
As is the case with many of the guys in the preseason third team, Lesarri's junior year was solid overall with some ups and downs along the way. The high point of his cross country campaign was a 15th place finish at the 6A State Meet where he was The Woodlands' second man in their silver medal winning team. His only off day seemed to come in the last race of he season at the Garmin Running Lane Championships where he was 242nd.
Although he did not qualify for state on the track he ran personal bests of 9:25 for 3200 and 4:00 for 1500. What Lesarri has going for him headed into his senior year is an ambitious team around him at The Woodlands which always aims to win titles at the state and south regional level.
In order to overthrow the Dragons of Southlake this fall, Lesarri will need to play his part by cracking into the top 10 at state and performing at an equal level at meets later in the postseason. It's Lesarri's turn to lead the Highlanders before passing the torch to next year's inevitable state meet challengers at The Woodlands.
20. Carter Gordy (Lake Creek)
Gordy has more successful experience competing at state championship meets than most members of this year's Preseason All-State team. As a sophomore, he made an excellent debut at the state meet by finishing 12th. He followed up his breakthrough season on the grass with an equally impressive track season in which he was the fourth fastest sophomore in the 1600m and 3200m for 2021. Additionally, he qualified for the 5A State Meet in both events, where he finished fourth in the 3200 and sixth in the 1600. His return to the grass in 2021 was highlighted by a regional title and a second consecutive 12th place finish at the 5A State Championship.
Although he missed his junior track season, his resume up to the start of 2022 was already among the best in Conference 5A. Having a wealth of experience with racing on the big stage is invaluable when it comes to making a return to competition after a season off. In Gordy's case, high level execution in state championship races is a matter of muscle memory, so the success of his senior cross country season will be largely determined by how fit he is when the State Meet rolls around.
19. Andruw Villa (Abilene)
Villa's 14th place finish at the 2021 UIL 6A State Meet was a 105 place improvement on his 2020 finish and it came as no surprise. Barring the state meet and a loaded race at the Southlake Carroll Invite, Villa finished in the top two at every meet including a commanding 30 second win at his district meet and a second place finish at the 6a Region 1 Championship. He was also the best sophomore and the fifth highest finisher among 6As non-seniors in Round Rock last November.
As he did not qualify for the State Track Meet in 2022, it would be easy to overlook the fact that Villa remained firmly on an upward trajectory in the spring. His 1600 personal best of 4:19 came at the Region 1 Championship while his 3200m times steadily improved throughout the season and culminated at the Region 1 Championship where he finished fifth 9:25. Entering the fall, this talented West Texan looks set to establish his name as one to be feared across the whole state.
18. Oliver Maldonado (Humble Atascocita)
Maldonado's resume is one of an athlete who has proven to be capable of running fast and competing well in big races, but also one of inconsistency.
Starting with the 2021 cross country season, he was in the top 10 in high quality races such as the Region 3 preview and THE Mcneil Invitational, but he could only manage a 30th place finish on the convoluted 6A state meet course. To his credit however, he bounced back with a fantastic race at the NXR South Regional where he finished 16th overall and fifth among non-seniors in the race. This result affirms that he belongs in the preseason top 21 and can run well on big stages.
Maldonado finished his cross country season with a solid 22nd place finish in the silver race at the Garmin Running Lane Championships where his time of 15:15 would have placed him somewhere around 120th in the star-studded Gold race.
He had some solid races on the track in the spring; one when he finished second with an excellent time of 8:34 for 3000m at the Victor Lopez Classic and had won three straight 3200m races leading up to his area meet.
The main point which can be taken from Maldonando's junior year is that he is very capable of racing at a high level against quality competition. If he can perform up to his high potential in the races which matter most, he'll be on the podium.
17. Hudson Bennett (Burnet)
- 5th @2021 UIL 4a State XC, 4a 3200m State Champion, 2nd @UIL 4a 1600m
1600- 4:16
3200- 9:15
Bennett was fifth at last fall's 4A State Cross Country Championship and fourth among the non-seniors in the race. However, he has still earned one of the highest rank among 4A boys in the preseason all-state team. The reasons for this include sustained dominance over the 3200m distance at the 4a level, excellent personal bests on the track and having beaten some of the larger classifications' top runners.
He is yet to lose a UIL regional title in cross country or track going all the way back to his freshman year and he has four top three finishes at the State Track Meet including back to back gold medals in the 3200m. Although he has not yet won a state title in cross country and will have plenty of competition for the gold medal this fall, his 9:15 personal best over 3200m validates his strength, while his track titles indicate he knows how to win at a high level. For Bennett, this fall will be all about putting his great strength and big race execution ability together on the right day.
16. Alberto Rayon (Grapevine)
As the only returning member of Grapevine's hugely successful top five from 2021, Rayon will be the main man for the Mustangs this year in their quest to win a third straight 5A state title and back to back NXR South titles.
His introduction into the team last year propelled Grapevine from 5A state champions and contenders for a South Region title to repeat state champions and the fifth place team nationally. Aside from an off day at the Southlake Carroll invite back in August, Rayon only had one finish outside the top 20 which came at the Garmin Running Lane Cross Country Championships where he finished 101st. Leading up to the national championship race, Rayon was sixth in 5A Region 1 and 13th at the UIL State Meet, earning him the rank of fifth among returning boys in Conference 5A. His most impressive performance of the season was a 17th place finish at the NXR South Regional where he was also sixth among the race's non-seniors.
The highlight of his 2022 track season was his performance in the elite 5000m at the Texas Distance Festival where he ran a personal best of 15:05. As a whole, Rayon's junior year demonstrated that he is fast and consistent enough over the 5000m distance to be among the state's elite. However, the most important ingredient to Rayon's success in 2022 will be continuing to execute at a high level in championship races.
15. Angel Sanchez (Fort Worth Diamond Hill-Jarvis)
Sanchez was one of 4As best in the fall, then he lit up the track in the spring. Now as a rising junior, Angel Sanchez is one of the most exciting prospects on both fronts.
His fourth place finish at the UIL 4A UIL State XC Championship was an astounding improvement on his freshman year where he did not compete at the regional meet or break 18 minutes in either of his cross country races in 2020.
In the spring, he won his district and area 3200m titles and then claimed silver at the state track meet in a personal best of 9:24. However, it was the 1600m distance in which Sanchez enjoyed the bulk of his success. Apart from a sixth place finish at the Texas Distance Festival, he did not lose a 1600m race all season and won the 4A state title. After proving he could win, he went to the Festival of Miles and ran 4:11 for the full mile.
This fall, a 4A state cross country title will not come easy as four of last year's top five are returning. Nonetheless, the gold medal is there for the taking and Sanchez is firmly among the favorites to win it.