Caden Leonard lets his emotions go as he crosses the finish line to win the UIL 6A boys individual state championship
2023 UIL 2A Girls two mile championship race
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Today marked the final day of this long season for the teams in the 2A, 4A, and 6A divisions. Like yesterday, some races were uncompetitive while others came down to the wire. Today also saw the much-anticipated battle for the 6A Boys individual and team titles with both producing some of the tightest racing we've seen all year.
So, let's not waste any time and get into what happened this Saturday morning at the UIL State Championships.
2A Girls
Starting with the 2A Girls division which competes over the 2-mile distance rather than the traditional 5000m like the upper divisions. We quickly find that while the individual race wasn't competitive, the team battle was very tight with the top contenders being separated by less than twenty points.
On the individual side, Shelbyville senior Emily Pharris came away with the victory in a time of 11:30, which won her the race by seventeen seconds. Pharris added to one of the more prominent trends we've seen in girl's races this weekend by taking control of the race from the gun and never relinquishing the lead. She had built up an eight-second lead at the mile mark and this only grew as the race went on. She showed remarkable consistency throughout the second mile and largely maintained pace through to the line which earned her the seventeen-second victory.
This victory marks Pharris's sixth win of the year and her fourth in a row. She's been the class of the 2A division all year and further demonstrated this with her victory today. Look for her to carry the momentum from her dominant cross-country season this fall to the track in the spring where she'll likely challenge for another state championship in May.
On the team side, we saw a close battle between Hamilton and Goldthwaite with Hamilton ultimately coming out on top thanks to a strong performance from their fourth and fifth runners. At the mile mark, Hamilton's lead was just eleven points as Goldthwaite got off the line hard and quickly made this race interesting. However, throughout the final mile, Hamilton's depth showed strong pace and increased this gap to seventeen points by the time the race was over. Sophomore Anna Pearcy led the way finishing fifth while the rest of the top five finished in the top thirty. Hamilton had a great year in the 2A division and rounded it out with a state title.
In terms of the remaining places on the individual podium, the battle for second place was more heavily contested, however, Farwell junior Isabella Jaime came away with second place in a time of 11:47. Jaime was more conservative through the first mile and it paid off as she was able to move up and take this spot on the podium. In third place, Windthorst senior Cameron Belcher rode a strong start onto the podium as she held on for third place over the final mile in a time of 11:52.
On the team side, Goldthwaite made the race close but ultimately came up short and finished second to Hamilton. They showcased strong pace over the first half of the race but Hamilton's depth runners just proved to be too much. In third place, Christoval closely followed Goldthwaite, scoring 110 points and making the race for second close.
Overall, while the race for the 2A Girls individual crown wasn't competitive, the race for the team battle was exciting and demonstrated the importance of the fourth and fifth runners, especially at the state meet.
2A Boys
Moving on to the 2A Boys race, we see that the race was very similar to the girls' race in the way that the individual battle wasn't competitive but the team title was extremely tight.
On the individual side, Wolfe City senior Caden Thurman came away with the dominant victory as he produced a twenty-one-second gap and won the race in 15:27. The race was extremely tight at the mile mark with five runners coming through within just two seconds of each other. However, Thurman showcased incredible poise as he stuck with the pack and began to assert himself as the fastest of the bunch over the second mile.
But Thurman saved the best for last as he opened up in a big way over the final mile, pulling a large gap over the field and taking the race win by a comfortable margin. Thurman's ability to run this race so evenly and with so much poise is easily one of the most impressive things we've seen this weekend and he was rewarded with a state title to show for it.
This victory marks Thurman's fourth state title of his storied career in the 2A division. His ability to run with consistency is truly impressive and we'll see him carry that quality to the University of Houston next fall.
On the team side, the battle for victory proved to be extremely competitive with the top two teams being separated by just ten points. Ultimately, Plains came away victorious thanks to a strong performance by their fifth runner Christian Sanchez who quite literally won them the race as ten places separated him from Tenaha's fifth runner. Plains's victory once again demonstrated just how important it is to have a good fifth runner as it won them the state championship in this instance. Plains got out to a conservative start but ultimately were able to move up the field and secure the victory thanks to a strong second and third mile. They showcased a strong pace over the back half and simply ran away with the race thanks to it.
In terms of the remaining podium on the individual side, Waco Meyer junior Marco Cunningham came away with second place as he battled at the front with winner Caden Thurman over the first two miles. Thurman ultimately pulled away over the final mile but Cunningham was able to hold on for second. In third place, Stockdale senior Taylor Warrick also battled with Cunningham and Thurman over the first two miles, having a strong start and holding on for the final place on the podium.
On the team side, Tenaha made it close but ultimately didn't have enough in the tank over the final miles to catch Plains. They showcased a strong presence at the front of the race and look for them to be back fighting for victory next year. In third place, Wolfe City rode a strong performance from race winner Caden Thurman onto the podium. Thurman not only took home the race win but also willed his team onto the podium.
The battle for the 2A Boys team title was one of the tightest we've seen this weekend. The main thing we can take away from this race is just how important it is to have a good fifth runner as it can quite literally win you the state championship.
4A Girls
Moving over to the 4A Girls division, which also competes over 2 miles, we see a closer individual race than we've seen with most races this weekend along with yet another team battle separated by the finest of margins.
On the individual side, Canyon sophomore Addyson Bristow came away with the victory thanks to a strong final mile. The race was extremely tight at the mile mark with three runners all coming through within two seconds of each other with Bristow holding the lead. However, the second mile was a much different story as Bristwon showed great pace and a great ability to run evenly as she built a nine-second gap and came away with the victory in 11:08.
This victory marks Bristow's first state title in what's been a perfect season for her where she's won every race. Look for her to excel this track season as her cross-country season signals big improvements to come in the spring.
On the team side, we saw another extremely tight battle as the battle for the state title was separated by just eleven points. Ultimately, Canyon Randall came away with the victory thanks to perhaps the most consistent and even performance we've seen throughout the weekend. Randall had a narrow seven-point lead at the mile mark despite scoring just 49 points at the time, however, what's so impressive about their performance is the fact that they lost just one point throughout the second mile. This remarkable consistency is by far one of the most impressive team performances to come out of this weekend and Randall has the state title to show for it.
In terms of the remaining spots on the individual podium, Canyon Randall freshman Nayomi Granados put up a valiant fight over the first mile but ultimately settled into second and finished there to score big points for her team. Canyon Randall also took third place with freshman Brooke French also coming home in 11:17 to score more big points for the state champions.
On the team side, Fredericksburg made the race close but ultimately came up eleven points short of the state title. They also showed great consistency throughout the race but didn't have enough for the victory. In third place, Salado continued the trend of consistency as they ran a very even race to secure third place.
Overall, the 4A Girls race once again showed us just how close the battle for the team title can be. Consistency was king in this race and Canyon Randall was the biggest beneficiary, taking home the state title.
4A Boys
Moving on to the 4A Boys race, we see a largely uncompetitive race in terms of the team battle, while the individual battle was slightly closer but still not too competitive.
On the individual side, Diamond Hill-Jarvis senior Angel Sanchez came away with the victory in an impressive time of 15:09. Sanchez held strong in the front pack over the first mile, coming through the mile in fifth but tucked firmly behind the leaders. Over the second mile, Sanchez continued to show strong pace as he moved from fifth to second and looked fresh heading into the final mile. Sanchez then made his move and demonstrated an impressive ability to close as he opened up a gap over the final mile and won the race by nine seconds.
This victory marks the third state title of Sanchez's great career and his second in cross-country. Sanchez has been consistent throughout his career and is overall one of the most well-rounded distance runners in the 4A division.
On the team side, Canyon thoroughly dominated as expected, and scored just 56 points on their way to one of the more uncompetitive state titles we've seen this weekend. They started more conservative than usual even though they still led the race, however, they quickly showcased their ability to improve over the back half of the race as their point total dropped from 94 to 56 over the final two miles. Canyon has had one of the more dominant seasons we've seen this year and them winning the state title today felt like a no-brainer.
In terms of the battle for the final spots on the individual podium, Canyon senior Alex Niemiec came away with second place in 15:18 to help his team lock up their dominant victory. He got out hard and fought at the front the entire race but ultimately came up short of the state title over the final mile. In third place, Anna junior Bryce Denton had a consistent race and defended his spot well to ultimately finish on the podium.
On the team side, La Feria came home with second place thanks to an incredible performance from their top three runners who all placed inside the top ten. Their strong presence at the front was one of the best we've seen this weekend and they took home second place as a result. In third place, Boerne showcased a great ability to close as they moved from fifth to third over the final two miles and came away with the final spot on the podium.
This year's 4A Boys race was characterized by a dominant team performance and great back-half running. Canyon continues their dominant reign at the top of the division and they'll look to continue this next year.
6A Girls
Moving on to the biggest girl's race of the day, the 6A Girls division gave us the tightest individual race of the weekend while the team race was far more spread out than some expected.
On the individual side, we had what was easily the tightest and most exciting race of the weekend as Macy Wingard and San Juanita Leal battled and were separated by just 0.6 seconds at the finish. Ultimately, Denton Braswell's Macy Wingard came away with the victory thanks to an excellent final mile that saw her close a seven-second gap and win the race thanks to an incredible kick down the final straight. Wingard showed great poise throughout the race and let the race come to her and it benefited her in the best possible way and ultimately won her the race.
This victory easily marks the best and most exciting win of Wingard's career and is the first state title of her career. The way she ran her race shows incredible maturity and look for her to build on this incredible victory this spring.
On the team side, Flower Mound took home the victory with ease as they scored just 41 points and pulled away from rival Southlake Carroll. They were behind by seven points at the mile mark but they let the race come to them and rode a huge second mile to the victory. As expected, Flower Mound was led by Samantha Humphries and Alexandra Fox who finished fourth and fifth respectively. This victory marks yet another highlight in what's been a great few years for this storied Flower Mound program. This team will continue to be great and look for their rivalry with Southlake Carroll to continue through the spring and onto next year as both teams are so talented.
In terms of the battle for the remaining spots on the podium, San Juanita Leal ran a great race out in front but ultimately came just 0.6 seconds short of the state title. She got out hard and led the race through the first two miles but simply didn't have enough left in the tank to hold off the charging Macy Wingard. In third place, Madison Peters of Pearland rounded out another great cross-country season to finish on the podium in 17:03. Peters is one of the most well-rounded runners in the state and she'll take her talents to Texas A&M next fall.
On the team side, Southlake Carroll got out hard and established themselves at the front early but didn't have enough to hold off Flower Mound over the back half of the race. Despite falling short of the win, Carroll still had a great race and look for them to carry the momentum of this season into the spring and beyond. In third place, The Woodlands rode a strong presence in the front-middle of the race onto the podium as they showed a key ability to run together. This podium adds another accolade to what's been another great year for this Woodlands girl's team.
Overall, the battle for the 6A Girls team title was tight but the battle for the individual crown was the tightest we've seen this weekend. This race was everything you want in a cross-country race and more and look for the tight competition to continue this spring.
6A Boys
Moving on to the final and most anticipated race of the year, the 6A Boys championship race lived up to every expectation and more as both battles were extremely tight up and down the order.
On the individual side, Southlake Carroll sophomore Caden Leonard came away with the victory as he rounded out what's been nearly a perfect season with a rewarding win. This race was extremely tight with Leonard leading the race at the mile mark in 4:46 followed closely by Bridgeland's Benjamin Montgomery. Over the second mile, Leonard continued to lead the race as he and Montgomery continued to run side by side. However, Leonard showed why he was the predicted state champion over the final mile as he gradually pulled away from Montgomery and came away with the fastest time of the weekend in the form of a 15:00. Leonard is just a sophomore and has already won his first state championship in the fastest time we saw this weekend.
This victory marks the first state title of Caden Leonard's young career as he once again demonstrated why he's currently the best runner in Texas. Leonard's ability to not only win the state title but lead the best program in the state with such poise and confidence given his age is truly special. Look for him to continue improving at a rapid rate and fight for multiple state titles in Austin this spring. He's truly a runner to watch and we look forward to seeing where his career goes from here.
On the team side, Southlake Carroll picked up yet another state title as predicted. The Dragons controlled the race through the mile mark and never relinquished that control as the race went on. They had two runners in the top four and four in the top twenty and scored just 48 points on their way to victory. This marks the fifth consecutive state title for Southlake Carroll as this team continues to add to what's one of the best dynasties we've seen in a long time. Look for them to return with a team that looks somewhat different next fall as they graduate three of their top seven runners, however, rest assured that this team will be the heavy favorite heading into next season.
As for the remaining spots on the individual podium, Austin Vandegrift's Hudson Haley charged home over the back half of the race to secure second in a time of 15:04. Haley has run superbly all year and adds another top-two finish to a Vandegrift team that's continually produced some of the state's best individual talent in recent years. Haley's start was very conservative but he's run this way for much of the year and as predicted, it paid off greatly for him today.
In third place, Bridgeland's Benjamin Montgomery left it all out there and fought for the win with Caden Leonard for much of the race but ultimately came up just short and finished third. As expected, Montgomery showed massive improvement today and clocked a new personal best of 15:06, a fourteen-second improvement. Montgomery is the top returner from last year's 3200m field so look for him to build upon what's been an incredible cross-country season and fight for more state titles this spring.
Notably, the top six runners from this year's state meet will all return next year. Look for this field to return this spring and next fall for what's sure to be yet another incredible race.
On the team side, Austin Vandegrift had the best race they could've possibly hoped for as they truly pushed Southlake Carroll all the way to the line, scoring just 69 points. Vandegrift had two runners in the top seven with Hudson Haley finishing second and Dylan Schieffelin finishing seventh. The Vipers closed the gap to Southlake Carroll and pushed them more than they've been pushed in several years. This is truly an incredible team and it's hard to argue that this team wouldn't be state champions if it weren't for Southlake Carroll.
As for third place, McKinney Boyd secured the final spot on the podium to round out what's been a dream season. The race for third was extremely competitive this year as only 19 points separated third and sixth place. That being said, McKinney Boyd did what they've done all year and put themselves in a position to maximize their performance and it paid off. This is a team that I have been exceptionally high on all year as their results showed an ability to consistently perform against the state's best competition each week. Boyd may have flown under the radar to start the season but it's safe to say that they won't be unranked anymore as they finish their season with an incredible podium place.
So that's it for what's been an incredible state championship to round out a phenomenal season. This season saw longstanding contenders keep their spot at the top table while some surprise teams found glory at the state meet. From here, some of the state's top teams will compete for national honors and look to represent the state on the biggest stage. It's been a great year, and thank you all for following along with us.