Lovejoy XC Fall Festival
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Most years, the Lovejoy XC Fall Festival is a scintillating event loaded with outstanding in state and out of state talent. The 2024 version of followed suit to the event's history both individually and in the team races.
Yesterday's meet was so good and possibly under the radar better than expected. I am going out on the ledge to say this meet showcased both girls and boys individuals and teams who will qualify for NXN from November's upcoming NXR South.
Some of the top performing teams in this race were ones who have developed in contenders in recent years.
To quote the great American poet Randy Travis, "as long as old men sit and talk about the weather, as long as old women sit and talk about old men'" is a way to describe the history and tradition of winning for a couple of the top finishing teams.
Elite Girls Race
I think Captain Obvious would even say predicting Macy Wingard (Denton Braswell) to win the girls race would be a no brainer. The reigning UIL 6A girls state champion was the lead runner and dictator of the race. She led with a furious 5:03 first mile pace.
Wingard continued her relentless pace splitting going 10:52 through the second mile. Despite the demanding rhythm through two-thirds of the race, Maya Easterwood (Coppell) was able to run stride for stride with Wingard.
This is the second meet of the season where these two met up for a tight race. This was a replica of the Marcus Coach T race two weeks ago.
One difference in this race was the inclusion of Gabbie Bishop from Providence Classical Christian (AR). Bishop was lock-step with the two Texans through the mile and just a stride or two away through two-miles (5:03 and 10:58).
Wingard would go on surge into the lead and eventually the win in 17:09 over Eastwood and her 17:16 run. The difference between Wingard and Easterwood was nearly identical to their previous race against one another.
Lilly Beshears (Rogers, AR) and Maggie Bishop (Providence Classical Christian, AR) had a strong closing final 2,000m assisting them the third and fourth place finishes in 17:21 and 17:58. Respectively, Gabbie Bishop held on for a fifth place and 18:13 finish.
The team race figured to be telling and it was. The Rogers squad was expected to compete as one of the top finishing teams. They were a little more emphatic with their legs than our prediction.
Beshears led the issue with her third place and sub18-minute run, but as we suggested days ago in our preview, she had plenty of back effectively en my behind her.
Samantha Schmersahl dropped a gem of a race of her own going 18:22 for a seventh place finish. Sophomore sisters Elizabeth Scudder and Katherine Scudder finished in 12th and 16th places with times of 18:40 and 18:43 to help forge a 18:25 team average and the win.
The Woodlands girls also ran a solid overall team run. (Last year's third place UIL 6 A team finishers) benefitted beautifully from Stoya Laydevant having an impressive race in just her second 5K of the season. She finished in sixth place with a time of 18:17.
Sophomore Naomi Weller was the other Highlander turning in a sub 19-minute run with her time of 18:51. The Highlanders overall team average was under 19-minutes at 18:59.
Led by Camryn Benson, the host team Lovejoy was third, Elena Sather had an on day leading Northwest Nelson to fourth place, and finishing fifth in the team standings and getting another great run from Taryn Elmer was Marcus.
Elite Boys Race
Bryce Denton (Anna) and his 4:39 mile split led about 10 boys through the first mile. At the two-mile, the lead pack had dropped significantly, but then added a couple of Vipers who typically strike in the second half of races. Overall, the lead pack was cut down in half to about five boys.
The new leader was last years meet winner Aleksandr Acuna (Denton Braswell). Gavin Chapa (San Antonio Reagan) was among the lead group and his 1:52 and 4:09 speed was too much for anyone else to neither match nor supercede.
Chapa sped to the win with a time of 14:57. Kai McCullough (Vandegrift) was second in 15:08, Acuna was third with a time of 15:11, Collin Goodwin (Austin Vandegrift) fourth in 15:18, and Denton rounded out the top with a time of 15:19.
The. Vandegrift boys clearly illustrated not only their undeniable talent, but also their depth and versatility. They ran without the 2023 UIL 6A individual runner-up Hudson Haley.
Yet, they were still able to beat several of the best teams in the state. McCullough and Goodwin were just the tip of the iceberg as teammates Christian Cruz-Castro (15:35), Miles Nutt (15:39), and Jack Ebeier (15:56) all dipped under 16-minutes and turned in a spread of 48-seconds.
It was The Woodlands boys matching their girls finish in the Elite Girls race with a second place finish of their own. In their second race of the season, they improved to a 15:53 team average.
Senior Tyler Hedgepeth led the Highlanders crusade with the 15:32 run he used to crack the top ten finishing places. Sophomore Elton Martin also ran under the 16-minute barrier.
The rest of The Woodlands scorers did not get under 16-minutes, but they weren't far away; their three, four, and five runners went 16:02, 16:04, and 16:06.
Coach Juris Green has mastered the pack running philosophy that forefather coaches like Joe Newton and Dan Green wrote into the cross-country winning formula manual. His boys added only a 35-second spread to their impressive team average.
The Lovejoy boys are still working out their lineup as the middle stage of the season arrives . That appears to be giving them some versatility; they turned the tables on Northwest Nelson from last week as they swapped positions. Lovejoy finished in third place with a 16:06 average and they also had an inspiring 39-second gap.
Northwest Nelson ran without Chase Hope this week and finished fourth, Hope ran 15:43 last week at Southlake. However, they were still able to produce a 16:05 average.
Flower Mound was fifth in the final team standings. They're putting together a good season and they continue to quietly be impressive. The Jaguars only ran 16:22 this week, but they went for a 36-second spread through their five scorers and still only 42-seconds through seven runners.