Every week we will bring you members of either the freshman and sophomore classes who are having a good season and who we believe might become leaders or stars in the sport
Freshman Girls Rankings I Freshman Boys Rankings
The freshman class is already having an impact on the 2024 cross country season. Young talent making an impact isn't new to the sport, however it is more prevalent for the girls than the boys.
Having talent is only one part of many requirements to running well on the high school level. Sometimes physical strength plays a part in things and usually experience, exposure, and running IQ are other factors that some young runners lack at the beginning of the season and pick up as the season goes on.
However, in our first episode of Future Stars, we have two runners who have already become well known names in their youth. These two runners have also already performed exceptionally well this early cross country season.
Elin Latta (South Texas Heat Homeschool)
Latta neither a new to Texas nor the national level thanks to her running that past two years, but especially last season as an eighth grader.
She is the eighth grade national record holder at the indoor mile after running 4:51 at the New Balance Nationals Indoor and winning the Brooks PR Invitational during the outdoor season.
Latta is off to a fast start this cross country season; she ran 10:49 at the Unicorn Invitational two weeks ago and followed that up this past weekend going 17:58 to win the City Auto MEMPHIS TWILIGHT XC CLASSIC.
We weren't sure if Latta would represent Texas this season as she was registered under other states in some of her outdoor runs last spring. However, the homeschooler has competed twice under South Texas Heat Homeschool and one of the races being in New Braunfels.
Latta is an immediate threat to being one of the top distance runners in all of Texas.
Ruel Newberry (Denton Guyer)
Coach Trenton Phelps is only in his second year at Denton Guyer after coaching on the college level, but he already has an extremely talented pupil.
Ruel Newberry entered the 2024 Texas cross country season with a buzz surrounding him based off his middle school performances and his club exploits over the past couple of seasons.
Newberry has already has 9:19 and 9:43 two-mile runs on grass this cross country season. This past weekend, he dropped a 14:46 at the Marcus Coach T XC Invitational. He will test himself this weekend against more high school talent at the Southlake Carroll Inv. No. 1.
This upcoming weekend he'll face runners from some of the fastest teams in Texas, Arkansas, California, and Oklahoma.
Quick Takes
Iris Latta - was second at the Memphis Twilight with at time of 18:11 and listed as a ninth grader in the meet results.
Remy Latta - placed fourth at the Memphis Twilight with a time of 19:13 and is listed as a ninth grader in the meet results.
Reese Latta - placed eight at the Memphis Twilight with a time of 19:32 and is listed as a night grader in the meet results.