Prosper senior C. Max Miller nears the finish line at the Southlake Inv. #1
2023 Southlake Inv. #1 Elite Boys 3.06 miles race
-Written by Alex Chambliss
Southlake Carroll has long been the pinnacle of Texas distance running with a multitude of state championships and NXN appearances. Because of this, any meet hosted by the Dragons of Southlake is bound to be fast, competitive, and impactful. This year's Southlake #1 XC Invite was no different, producing some outstanding times and interesting storylines for the upcoming year. So, let's take a look at five standout performances from the Southlake XC Invite.
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1. McKinney Boyd Boys
Coming into the season, the McKinney Boyd boys seemed like a team with a lot of potential. The team had several solid returners with guys like Caleb Millard and Joaquin De La Cruz coming off incredibly strong and consistent track seasons. Despite this, McKinney Boyd came into the season outside of the top ten, however, Saturday's meet goes to show that was a big mistake.
The Broncos stormed out of the gate with Millard and De La Cruz running 14:33 and 14:36 respectively. They were then followed by a strong supporting cast with the likes of Luke Woodward, Ian Clark, and Gavin Brown all running under 15:45. On top of this, the Broncos beat the CCCAT number two, five, eight, and ten ranked teams. It's safe to say McKinney Boyd has earned the right to be considered among the top ten teams in the state of Texas.
2. Max Miller
It's no doubt that Prosper's Max Miller had a solid year last year both on the grass and the track. However, going from being a solid contender towards the front of the pack to outright running away with one of the most stacked meets in the nation was something not many saw coming.
Miller battled with Caden Leonard for much of the race, however, he was able to pull away towards the back half of the race and secure the victory. Miller's massive improvement comes after a strong track season where he ran 9:26 and 4:20 in the 3200m and 1600m respectively, qualifying for regionals in the ladder. That being said, nothing could've prepared us for Miller's outstanding performance last Saturday, as he's quickly asserted himself as a force to be reckoned with in the 6A Boys division.
3. Aledo Girls
The Aledo girls came into the season ranked ninth in the 5A CCCAT Poll, a solid start. However, a look at their roster would tell you that this is a young team returning six of their top seven runners. Knowing this, it'd be reasonable to assume that Aledo had the potential for a good year. However, after Saturday's meet it'd be safe to say that the Aledo girls have a lot of potential and then some.
The Bearcats placed third last Saturday, only finishing behind the number one 5A team and number two 6A team. Aledo's strong performance was led by sophomore Madison Larsen who placed sixth and Micah Neal who placed thirteenth as just a freshman. After Saturday's performance, it's safe to say that Aledo has more than proved they're worthy of a higher ranking and to be respected as one of the top five teams in the 5A division.
4. Madison Peters
Throughout her career, Pearland's Madison Peters has made herself undeniable. When you qualify for a combined five state championships over the course of your career it's clear that you've asserted yourself as one of the top talents in the state of Texas.
Peters sat behind Southlake Carroll senior Alexandra Walsh for much of the race, but when she made her move she made sure it was definitive. Peters finished her race strong, eventually coming out on top by sixteen seconds, an impressive margin. Her performance marks another milestone in her continued improvement as she hopes to challenge for the podium in Round Rock this November.
5. Southlake Carroll Boys
What else is there to be said about the Southlake Carroll boys? Having won everything since 2019, the Dragons have dominated the state of Texas. Unfortunately for other state championship hopefuls, their performance last Saturday looks to signal yet another year of dominance.
The Dragons were led by star sophomore Caden Leonard who finished second with a time of 14:32. Leonard was closely followed by junior Blake Bullard who clocked a 14:34, and all five scoring runners were in by the time the clock hit 14:55. A twenty-two-second split with five runners under 14:55 is nothing short of exceptional, and the Southlake Carroll boys continued to prove why they remain the top team in Texas.