Sep 30, 2022

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The Nike South Invitational always sets the table for the back end of the cross country season. It always has some interesting and key matchups to watch.

Last season, that was the boys individual race that featured some of the best boys in Texas. Many went on to finish in the top 25 at their state meets including the winner Omer Ibrahim (El Paso Pebble Hills) who was eighth at the UIL 6A state meet, was sixth at Nike South Regionals, and then runner-up in the 800m at the state track meet.

This year, the dandy of a race will be on the girls side of things. Not only will some of these girls go on to great things later this season, the intrigue is already set for the things they have accomplished this year.

Who will win the Elite Girls race at the Nike South Inv?

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Houston we have a problem! Many state ranked girls and teams will compete, but several of them have already made their presence felt nationally. The Elite girls race will feature girls who are individually ranked nationally. Two girls have run 17:00 for the 5K this year, and four freshman girls are already nationally ranked heading into October.

The team races also had state/nationally ranked teams going head to head as well as Deer Creek, the Oklahoma 6A state runner-up team from last year that had several underclassmen who are now older, wiser, and stronger comin into this weekend.

Here is the list of top 10 girls to keep your eyes glued on this incoming 2022 Nike South Invitational.

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1.)Isabel Conde De Frankenberg- Cedar Park

This season Frankenberg has made her presence known in each race; she has even cruised through each one of them including last weekend at the Hoka/McNeil Elite Invitational. Last weekend, she ran her second fastest 3-mile time of her career with her winning time of 16:39.30. She's enters this weekend's Nike South with the fastest 5k time with a time of 16:56.62.

2.)Madison Peters-Pearland

Peters is having a great season overall. She is coming in with an undefeated resume for this 2022 cross country season. Peters will look to continue her undefeated streak and with her 5k personal best of 17:00.76 at Southlake earlier this season, she helps set up an intriguing matchup with Frankenberg and some other DFW girls she hasn't yet raced on grass.

3.)Macy Wingard- Denton Braswell

Denton Braswell freshman Macy Wingard is also running extremely well in 2022. Wingard has collected a bag of wins and a runner-up at the 2022 Marcus Coach T Invitational. In that race, she did set a personal best running a time of 17:15.30 which is a US No. 1 nationally for the 2026 class. This Nike South race will showcase the top four freshmen in the state of Texas.

4.)Samantha Humphries- Flower Mound

Samantha may not have as many races under her belt but she has left her mark in every race she's raced this season. This weekend will be another perfect opportunity for Samantha to display her fitness and what she has to bring to the table by leading the US No. 5 ranked team and CCCAT No. 1 ranked squad. Samantha could find her rhythm this weekend as she is coming off a hot finish at the Woodbridge Classic where she ran 16:03.20 for 3 miles, and her17:20.00 at the Marcus Coach T Invitational.

5.)Nicole Humphries- Flower Mound

Nicole is the defending individual champion from last year's Nike South Inv. Nicole was running a superb race at Woodbridge until a incident dealing with the course that cost her in the final 400-800m of the race. She was in contention for a top finish prior to that incident. With a 5k personal best of 17:30.20 at the Marcus Coach T Invitational, this could be the time of year Flower Mound finds their running rhythm.

6.)Huntley Buckingham- Houston Memorial

This year it's been an infusion of freshman talent throughout the city of Houston. Spring Branch ISD has yet another runner to be keeping an eye out for this 2022 cross country season in Memorial rookie Huntley Buckingham. She is not only the fastest freshman in the Houston metro but is also US No. 5 in the class of 2026 rankings with a 5k personal best of 17:37.15. This will be her first race with girls of this caliber and we'll see how much moxy the youngster has at this point.

7.)Alexandra Fox- Flower Mound

Last year, Fox established herself as one of Texas' best distance runners with her runs on the track. She put one of the best championship season runs we've seen from a freshman in a long time going through the guantlet of her district, area, region, and the state meet.

In fact, she was the fourth best distance runner on her team, but arguably the best distance runner in the state outside of the Flower Mound hallways.

As of right now, she is the Jaguars No. 3 runner, has a 3 mile personal best time of 16:43.20, and a 5k season best time of 17:56.00 from the Marcus Coach T Invitational. We know when she finds her groove, she is tough to beat; this is the time the Cook-led girls do their thing, so watch out for Fox.

8.)Sophia Hamdani- Houston Bellaire

Hamdani comes into the Nike South Inv. currently sitting at US No.9 in the freshman class rankings thanks to her personal best time of 17:58.45 at the Spring Branch ISD Invitational. Hamdani is looking to see where she stands with all the big shots this upcoming Saturday morning along with the other rookie class runners.

9.)Kathryn Koonts- Klein

Coming from a steady distance program, Koonts is looking to take the leadership/captain role for the Lady Bearcats of Klein. With McHugh out this week, Koonts is going to have to rely on her fitness and see where it can take her. She has a season best in the 5k running a time of 18:09.10 at the Marcus Coach T Invitational.

10.)Rowan Saacke- Katy Tompkins

Saacke has been playing an important role for the Lady Falcons of Katy Tompkins and doing it as just as a freshman. She has multiple top eight finishes in some stacked Texas competitions. Saacke is coming into the race with the 10th fastest time of the entries with her 18:09.72 at the well known Myers Park at the Lovejoy XC Fall Festival. It's time to put to the test who the top freshman are not just in the state of Texas but nationally as well.