Region 2-5A
Girls Team Race Preview:
There are three ranked girls teams in region 2-5A. They are No. 1 Lovejoy, No. 7 Frisco Liberty, No. 8 Frisco Wakeland.
The Lovejoy girls are the reigning defending back-to-back state champions and look hard to stop from winning a third consecutive title. They dominated the regional meet last year and this weekend will be a dress rehearsal for state.
At their best, we could see the Lady Leopards run around 17:55 for average with a a near 0.50 second split.
Both Liberty and Wakeland have sub twenty-minute averages. Liberty boasts a 19:29 and Wakeland is near 19:58.
The race will actually be for the fourth and final state meet qualifying position. Nearly six teams (Midlothian, Frisco Centennial, Frisco Reedy, McKinney North, Hallsville, and Cleburne) are all hovering around the same average. The race will come down to the fifth runner, exactly how a cross country championship race should be.
Favorites: Lovejoy, Frisco Liberty, Frisco Wakeland
Teams to Lookout For: Midlothian, Centennial, Reedy, McKinney North, Hallsville, Cleburne
Girls Individual Race Preview:
Last year, we saw Lovejoy dominate the top-10 with six runners. They could pull off the same feat.
The only one to break up the Lovejoy party was Sydni Wilkins (Frisco Liberty) and that should also be the same.
Additional non-Lovejoy girls to watch should be Lincoln Husbands (Midlothian) who has a 18:09 SB, Katelyn Wichar (Prosper Walnut Grove) with a 18:56 SB, Jane Salgado (Forney) at 19:03, and Sofia Golladay (Frisco Liberty) with a 19:10 SB run.
With that said, Sara Morefield, Camryn Benson, Peyton Benson, Kailey LIttlefield, Bridget Bernal, Sofia Dominguez, and Campbell Lester of Lovejoy should be easily visible at the front of the race.
Favorites: Sara Morefield, Camryn Benson, Sydni Wilkins, Peyton Benson, Lincoln Husbands, Kailey Littlefield
Sleepers: Galilea De La Garza, Kylea Hatfield, Autumn Casillas, Presley Robertson
Boys Team Race Preview:
The boys Region 2-5A is loaded with ranked teams. As of this morning, Lovejoy sits at No.1 and then there is No. 3 Frisco Wakeland, and No. 7 Frisco Reedy who were all state meet team qualifiers last year and should control this year's race as well.
Lovejoy enters with a 15:44 team average on the season, but what makes them difficult to beat is their ability to run an under 0.40 seconds deviation.
Wakeland has a season best split of 16:15 with Dylan Grzywinski and Aiden Maricle who will be front pack runners and are sub sixteen-minute guys. Wakeland's three, four, and five runners can split nearly 0.15 seconds, which helps form a 0.50 second one through five deviation at their best.
Reedy has a 16:31 team average at their best and their low stick Daniel Escribano will be doing the glory work up in the front of the race. However, the number two through six guy are doing the dirty work in the race and can run with a near 0.20 second separation and almost 0.42 one through five.
At the state meet last year, Lovejoy was runner-up with Reedy also on the podium at third and Wakeland finished sixth. It is likely these three could all be on the podium next month.
Longview Pine Tree, Melissa, McKinney North, Lufkin, Cleburne, and Kingwood Park all have a shot at going for the fourth state meet qualifying position. The key will be the four and five runners.
Favorites: Lovejoy, Wakeland, Reedy
Teams To Watch: Pine Tree, Melissa, McKinney North, Lufkin, Cleburne, Dayton, Kingwood Park
Boys Individual Race Preview:
William Carlson (Lovejoy) is the top returner from last year's region meet when he placed runner-up.
He was followed up by Frisco Lebanon Trail senior Neeraj Kulkarni, who so far has enjoyed a very good season. To consider it successful, that could mean a district and state title. Both scenarios are very possible.
Melissa senior Logan Tauch has run 15:23 earlier this year, which is the region's second best time and lately, Kingwood Park junior Elijah Merino has been running like his shorts are on fire. He finished sixth at the Nike South Inv. with a 15:26 PR at the end of September.
Judah Alexander-Macias is in his first UIL championship season. The Frisco Memorial senior came over from the Homeschool ranks; he has a 15:35 SB. Josh McCartney (Frisco Heritage), Aviel Gasko (Dallas Wilson), and Dylan Grzywinski have all run under 15:50 and should be front pack runners.
Add the rest of Lovejoy's pack (Caden Gary, Nick Yarad, and Joseph Reid) and you'll have your winner from one of those two groups of guys in the race.
Favorties: Neeraj Kulkarni, Elijah Merino, William Carlson, Logan Tauch, Judah Alexander-Macias
Sleepers: Evan Ewert, Aiden Maricle, Nathanial Guajardo