Region 3-5A Girls
Girls team race preview:
The CCCAT No.3 team College Station is coming off a great run this year, after finishing first in last year's Region 3 meet the Cougars are back but just behind them is CCCAT No.4 team Georgetown who is seeking revenge for what happened at last year's Region 3 meet. We can't forget to mention the No.8 CCCAT ranked team A&M Consolidated who has stepped into the mix now.
A&M Consolidated ran without their top runner at their district meet and still advanced their way to the 2023 Region 3 meet. Coach Branch told Milesplit that his girls' team still has yet to unlock their full potential and is looking to make their mark at the Region 3 meet, they'll be led by freshman Alexandra Staack who has a PB of 19:18.
The Friendswood girls program has been developing throughout the 2023 season, last year the lady Mustangs finished third overall in the Region 3 Championships, but in the process of coming into this year's season the Mustangs graduated three seniors. This left the cross country world scratching their head and questioning if they'd still be able to make it to the UIL state meet again as they do year after year. Lucky for them their confidence has risen these past few weeks as they put their top six runners in the top ten at their district meet.
Favorites: College Station, Georgetown, A&M Consolidated, Friendswood
Sleepers: Georgetown East View, Lake Creek
Girls Individual Race Preview:
Senior Delaney Ulrich of College Station has been on a roll this season. Keep an open eye out on the top pack as the majority are seniors looking to end their year on the highest note. Senior Valerie Haros (Magnolia West), Dennie Decker (Georgetown), and Ava Sieckmann (Georgetown) are all some of the top returning athletes from last year's Region 3 championship. In the mix is sophomore Morgan Campbell of (PNG), she is coming off a crazy freshman year where she was the 5A Region 3 runner up in last year's regional meet behind Mckenzie Bailey won is now a freshman at TCU.
Sleepers: Danna Ramirez, Penelope Rios, Brooke Marshall, Emma Bass
Region 3-5A Boys
Boy's Team Race Preview:
CCCAT No.2 ranked team Georgetown is coming in hot with one of the best performances from their district meet. The senior duo Joseph Wienen and Nolan House lead the Georgetown Eagles but just behind them, CCCAT No.6 Friendswood.
College Station boys are led by junior Vance Ballabina and senior Noah Benn. The Cougars are coming in with a team average of 16:39.48 for their 1-5 runners.
One team that many people may be counting out is the Mustangs from Friendswood, they're led by University of Houston commit Zade Kayyali. The Mustangs finished fourth last year at the 2022 UIL State Cross Country Championships just six points off from the podium.
Richmond Foster has been on the uprise this year on the 5A boys scene and is looking to make their first state appearance for the first time in school history, they're led by junior Grant Currier.
Favorites: Georgetown, Friendswood, College Station, Richmond Foster
Sleepers: Mont Belvieu Barbers Hills, Fulshear
Boys Individual Race Preview:
As mentioned before, Kayyali is the top returning runner from last year's Region 3 meet, but just behind him is his partner in crime and the future face of the Friendswood program sophomore Aiden Fitzgerald who has a PB of 15:43.70.
Grant Currier has a PB of 15:49.80 but the best part is that he set that earlier this year on the same course at the Region 3 Preview meet.
Javier Mora-Ortiz of Pflugerville is another individual athlete to keep an eye out for, he has a PB of 15:44.40.
Ibrahim Dawelbeit is a guy who has a been very consistent with all his performances throughout this xc season, he has PB of 15:57.39.
However, House and Wienen are flat out good and should be the favorites. Wienen was fourth at the regional meet last year and House was sixth, but since then, they've both taken off. Wienen was sixth at the state meet and was a medalist at the state meet on the track. This year, House's slowest run is 15:45 and has three runs 15:13 and better.
Favorites: Zade Kayyali, Nolan House, Joseph Wienen, Aiden Fitzgerald, Javier Mora-Ortiz
Sleepers: Christian Rivera, Cole Gildersleeve, Aiden Faz