Region 4-3A
Girls Team Race Preview:
CCCAT Ranked Teams: No. 2 Poth and No. 4 Lytle
Poth and Lytle head to Corpus Christi after podium finishes last fall at the state meet. Poth finished runner-up and Lytle was third. Poth graduated their number three runner from the race, but return everyone else including number one runner Brooklyn Albert.
Lytle graduated four from last year's team including their top two runners from the state meet.
Randolph will try to make it back to the state meet as they have the second best team average thanks to two girls who have sub twelve-minute runs. They also return their entire roster from last year.
Great Hearts Northern Oaks will ride a 13:04 team average, San Antonio Cole will take their 13:29 team average, IDEA Pharr who returns their entire squad from last year's state meet run has a 13:23 average, and Hondo has a 13:29 average.
Favorites: Poth, Lytle, Randolph
Teams to Watch Battle: GH Northern Oaks, SA Cole, IDEA Pharr, Hondo
Girls Individual Race Preview:
This region has three girls back from 2022 who finished in the top-10 at the state meet. Brooklyn Albert was runner-up last year, Sophia Bendet was fourth, and Aubrey Milam was ninth in Round Rock.
The three have team implications riding on their placement and it's for good reason. Albert narrowly has the best time in the region with her 11:12 and she is closely followed by Sophia Bendet and her 11:13 with Milam also under twelve-minutes with her 11:45 season best.
Favorites: Brooklyn Albert, Sophia Bendet, Aubrey Milam, Katelyn Poth
Sleepers: Naomi Cotero, Chloe Rodriguez, Bella Haas, Brooke Becker, Alexa Galvan
Boys Team Race Preview:
CCCAT Ranked Teams: No. 2 Lytle, No. 6 San Antonio Great Hearts, Randolph
The reigning defending UIL 3A boys state champions are currently ranked No.2 in the state, but they don't have one of the top team averages in the region. Nevertheless, these guys know when to do what they know how to do though. They should be ready to roll when they toe the line. They graduated their number two finisher from last year's state meet, but the rest of the group returned.
Great Hearts weren't slouches last year either. They are ranked No. 6 in the state, but they are looking to get back on the podium and possibly climb it. They placed third last year at the state meet and they carry their region leading16:57 average into Corpus Christi.
The Randolph boys are ranked eighth and were tenth at the state meet last year and that experience could pay off this upcoming weekend. Randolph topped Great Hearts at the District 26-3A Championships by two points 37<39.
Progreso and San Antonio Cole are having good seasons up to this point. If they want to continue the year, they'll have to out duel one another. Progreso has a 17:37 team average this season and Cole is very close with a 17:39 team average. Progreso had the ability to run with a near 0.50 second compression, which could push them over the top.
Favorites: Lytle, Great Hearts, Randolph, Progresso, Cole
Sleepers: Mathis and Vanguard Rembrandt