In this all-state article, we unveil the boys Preseason Second Team.
Collectively, these seven boys have won championships and state awards with teams and individually. The group is full of talented harriers who are close to a breakthrough of being first teamers at the end of the season.
Here is our boys Preseason All-State Second Team!
In 2021, Fisher was the leading man in Southlake's state title winning campaign. In the span of one year, he went from being eighth in his district's JV race as a sophomore to 18th at the 6A State Championship as a junior. While many athletes who make a jump of that scale experience inconsistency or get overwhelmed in their first big championship race, Fisher adjusted seamlessly to competing on the big stage. This confidence is ingrained in the culture of Southlake's program and is embodied by athletes like Fisher who always seem to plug gaps left by graduating seniors.
That trademark fearless racing style of Dragon athletes was on display at the 2021 NXR South Regional where Fisher finished ninth. It is unusual for athletes who run well at state to finish higher at NXR South, but to finish nine spots higher in a much deeper field is exceptional. To cap off his junior cross country season, Fisher secured a top 100 finish at the Garmin Running Lane Cross Country Championships in a field of 300 of the nation's best runners.
He will enter his senior season as the South Region's third highest returner and along with fulfilling team title aspirations, Fisher's junior year suggests he is capable of rising to the next level on the individual ladder.
1600- 4:24
3200- 9:29
Mullen's junior cross country season was one characterized by consistency and highlighted by a seventh place finish at the 6A State Championship. His lone finish outside of the top 10 came in the elite race at the Hoka One One Mcneil invitational where he still managed a respectable 15th place finish.
In the spring, Mullen maintained a high level of consistency, but was unable to reach the heights that he did in the fall. He produced solid personal bests of 4:24 and 9:29, but did not qualify for the state track meet in either event. However, his seventh place finish at last year's state cross country meet means he is the conference's second highest returner, only behind defending champion Kevin Sanchez.
While stealing Sanchez's crown is a tall task for anyone, Mullen's consistency on the grass and strong history on the Old Settler's Park course make him a potential contender for a top three finish if he can get stronger and replicate his consistency from last fall.
12. Tate Underwood (San Antonio Johnson)
1600- 4:13
3200- 9:18
5000m- 14:50 (outdoor track)
As is the case with others on the list, Tate Underwood's 2022 track season demonstrated significant improvement from his junior cross country season. While his cross country season ended with a 15th place finish at the regional meet, his track season extended all the way into June and culminated at the NSAF Championship 5000m final where he finished eighth in 14:50.
Although it was on the track instead of grass, a great deal of confidence can be put in Underwood's cross country potential for this fall given that he is one of only four of the state's returners who has broken 15:00 for 5000m. His only appearance at a UIL State Meet last year was an eighth place finish in the 6A 1600 in 4:13. He did finish 26th at the 2020 6A cross country state meet which was a good finish in his sophomore season, so he does know how to run well on the course.
The key for Underwood this year will be putting his exceptional fitness and competitive ability together on the same day. If he manages that, then he will no doubt be in the hunt for a spot on the podium at the State Cross Country meet. Additionally, with his experience competing at national meets, there appears to be nothing stopping him from racing beyond the UIL season. All in all, it is evident that Underwood still has a great amount of potential to fulfill and there is no telling where his ceiling could be in the fall of 2022. The tough San Antonio, UIL, and Region 4 competition will challenge Underwood, but his biggest hurdle will be the Corpus Christi weather conditions.
11.Thomas Kubala (Klein)
1600- 4:15
3200- 9:04
We can only speculate how he would have fared in the championship cross country season last fall as he did not race in November. What is known about Kubala is that he made huge jumps on the track from where he was as a sophomore.
While he came up short of qualifying for state in the 1600m, he comfortably claimed second in the 3200 at the 6a Region 2 championship and followed it up with a fifth place finish and seven second personal best of 9:04 at the state meet. That time puts him sixth among returners in the 3200 across the whole state.
Even with the lack of competing in championship cross country races, Kubala proved in the track season that he is one of the state's top runners and his performance at the 6a state meet verifies his ability to race well in high pressure environments. The only question is whether he will be able to translate his success from last spring to the grass this fall. For now though, he has done just enough to earn a spot in the preseason first team.
10. Jerry Mendez (Klein)
1600 - 4:10
3200 - 9:28
Mendez may not have had a memorable cross country season, as there were a couple of issues there for him to work through, but he'll be the first to tell you that he has learned and worked his way through them.
He isn't kidding when he says he worked his way through things as his work on the track should also be noticed. Mendez caught fire and kept the momentum rolling and the test came at the a tough Region 2-6A 1600m. He placed second running a time of 4:13.50, advancing to the UIL 6A 1600m race.
Mendez went on to place fourth at the UIL 6A 1600m, and now enters this cross country season as the fastest returning 6A milers. If he can mount a follow-up cross country campaign like his junior track season he could be one of the best recruits in the state.
9. Reese Vannerson (Houston Strake Jesuit)
1600- 4:12
3200- 9:01
A 26th place finish at the state cross country meet is the only thing keeping Vannerson from being a preseason top five runner. However, his race at the Eastbay South Regional along with his stellar track season it is enough to consider him as a potential number one runner when it is all said and done.
Ever since the state cross country meet in the fall, Vannerson has been on an upward trend that began with his 20th place finish at the Eastbay South Regional. This was a very impressive bounceback that set him on his way to a track season where he only finished outside the top three once. While he narrowly missed qualifying for the 6A state 1600m final, his 3200m performances firmly established him in the state's top tier of distance runners. He won every 3200 leading up to his area meet and from there finished second three times culminating at the state meet where he took the silver medal finishing just behind Kevin Sanchez.
There are countless stories of guys who have underwhelming state finishes as juniors, but return with a vengeance one year later. Any doubts over his ability to run well on the big stage were put to bed in the spring and there is no doubt Vannerson is capable of competing for every honor that Texas distance running has to offer.
Vannerson is also one of the world's best triathlon athletes and experience on the world stage could pay off nicely if the health dice rolls in his favor this year.
8. Wyatt Athey (Denton)
6th @2021 UIL 5a State XC
1600- 4:16
3200- 9:08
5000- 14:53
Over the last two years, Wyatt Athey has consistently been a formidable opponent for Walker St. John and his teammates at Grapevine in district, regional and state meets. This alone has proven his ability to compete with the state's best.
In his junior year, Athey further staked his claim to be in the preseason top 10 by finishing sixth in the 5a State Cross Country Championship. Although Athey came up one spot short of qualifying for the state track meet in the 1600 and 3200, he will return as the man to beat over 3200 meters in 5a Region 1 next year. He finished third in the regional 3200 final this year and ran personal bests of 9:08 and 14:53 within a week of each other.
In cross country, he is second among returners from last year's 5a state meet and should have a slightly less daunting route to Round Rock due to the graduation of some top seniors from his district and region. Given Athey's resume and the lack of a clear favorite for the 5a cross country title this fall, the Denton High senior has to feel good about his position as a real contender for individual gold at Old Settlers Park in November.