Region 3 - 6A
Girls
Houston we have a problem, in this year's UIL 6A Region 3 there will be many state-ranked athletes competing on one of the toughest courses in the state of Texas. On the girl's side, there are many notable teams such as state-ranked number 4 Kingwood who are looking to take back their title they took in last year's Region 3 race, the Lady knights of Clear Falls High School who have been on fire and they're coming in with one of the youngest group of athletes in the state of Texas, the herd of ladie Longhorns of Richmond George Ranch, the flok of lady Falcons of Katy Tompkins have displayed why they deserve their right to make their way into championship season, the lady Spartans of Houston Stratford who finished 2nd overall in lasts year region 3 meet.
These past couple of years have been dominated by the upperclassmen, but this year is going to be the year that it all changes. There is an outstanding amount of underclassmen that have proven to be the real deal.
Madison Peters is just a junior from Pearland High School and just might be the second coming of the duo we had a couple of years ago from Katy Cinco Ranch Sophie Atkinson and Heidi Nielson. Peters's resume is not just impressive state-wide but is a threat to take the conference 6A title in this year's state meet, she is coming in with a time of 17:00.76 where she won in stellar fashion and displayed her fitness against some powerhouse DFW teams at the Southlake Carrol XC Invite. This year just might be the year for a new rising superstar.
Huntley Buckingham a freshman from Houston Memorial is also another rising star, she has three title wins to her name out of the six races she competed in, and in the process has run an impressive 17:37.15 at the 2022 Spring Branch ISD Invitational.
Sophia Nguyen a sophomore from Richmond George Ranch is looking to carry the momentum she is carrying upon herself with some top-finishing placements that she has added to her resume, she set two personal best but her most recent was at the famous Nike South Invitational race in the elite field running a time of 17:54.40 vs some texas tough superstars.
Sophia Hamdani is a freshman out of Houston Bellaire and yes another rising star in HISD, could we see the second coming of Julia Heymach? Hamdani is coming in with a couple of wins to her name as well and has the personal record to show for it too, running 17:54.40 at the Spring Branch ISD Invitational.
Rowan Saacke is yet another freshman, she is from Katy Tompkins and yes she is the little sister to Tompkins legend/ alumni Gavin Saacke who no is rolling the tide at Alabama, so I guess you could say it runs in the family to be one of the state's best. Saacke started the season off with a bang at the 2022 Friday Night Lights in The Woodlands where she took the win in a close battle with Klein's Kathryn Koonts, she is coming in with an impressive personal best of 18:09.72 where she placed 6th in a star-studded DFW field at the 2022 Lovejoy XC Fall Festival and everyone who has run that course knows how difficult it is to run a fast time at Myers Park.
Boys
The boy's side of the table is going to be one to remember in the record books this year. Number four-ranked Atascocita is coming in with a huge target on their back, but the question is who will try to take down the eagles in their region that they have won the past two years? Only time will tell who will come out victorious in this battle to go to state. Houston Strake Jesuit is going to be a team that will look to deal with the Atascocita Eagles, their top 5 team average is 15:48.28, Katy Tompkins is another team you best believe better not take out of the equation they have a team average of 15:58.30, another Katy ISD school the Cougars of Katy Cinco Ranch have some unfinished business to take care of they have a team average of 15:58.43, Houston Stratford is looking to leave off where they feel they should've been in last years quest to the state meet they have a team average of 16:09.78, Clute Brazoswood the 3rd place finishers from last years region 3 meet are looking to punch their ticket to the state meet once again with their team average of 16:17.58, Katy Seven Lakes is another Katy ISD powerhouse team looking to make their way to the state meet too with their team average of 16:18.61, and the Falcons of Clear Lake who are making the trip up north I-45 are also wanting to add their name to state qualifying teams with their team average of 16:21.30. Now the question is who is moving on to the next round? Tune in for race coverage coming this upcoming week and grab some popcorn because this is a show you're not wanting to miss.
Reese Vannerson a senior at Houston Strake Jesuit the triathlete world-class superstar and Arizona State University commit is coming into this year's regional race with a time of 14:57 where he ran at the Dallas Jesuit XC Classic and in the process broke the course record which belongs to DFW legend Hudson Heikkinen. Vannerson is looking to carry the weight of all this year's success into championship season and the crusaders are looking to make history this year by stealing the UIL Region 3 Conference 6A team title as well as the individual title.
Oliver Maldonado an uncommitted senior out of Atascocita who placed 6th at last year's UIL Region 3 Championships has been leading this group of eagles to many team victories but this year is different, this year the Eagles are looking to make their 1st state podium finish at the UIL State Championships, and he is coming in with a personal best time of 15:07.70 which he displayed at the famous Nike South Invitational.
Zain Hamdani an uncommitted senior out of Houston Bellaire missed last year's UIL Region 3 Championships due to an injury has been on fire having many top finishes in the Houston metro area, he is coming in with a personal best time in the 5k running a time of 15:16.06 which he ran at the Spring Branch Invitational. This year Hamdani is looking to carry the momentum he had from last year's outdoor championship season.
Adrian Hahn Vadstein is yet another superstar senior out of Katy Cinco Ranch who placed 4th place overall in last year's UIL Region 3 Championships, he is looking to carry the Cougars to a state appearance with his personal best time of 15:16.63 which he ran at the Coach Ed meet in Sealy, Texas just down I-10 from his homeland in Katy.
Sam Golla a junior from South Houston just down I-45 at Clear Lake High School, is coming in with a time 15:20.60 which he ran at the La Porte Bulldog Invitational. Golla is looking to display his 800-meter track speed and she the distance world that he isn't just leg speed.