Yesterday, we published an article ranking our top performing girls 5,000m runners so far this season. It was based on times, wins, and overall performances throughout this year.
There are two competed distances in the state of Texas. Homeschool, all TAPPS classifications, and the UIL 1A - 4A girls all race two-miles during their championship season.
Related: Ranking The Top Individual Girls 5,000m Runners In Texas
With that, some of the girls in those classifications still have been focusing on 5,000m. We have Sophia Bendet (Randolph) and Elin Latta (South Texas Heat Homeschool) are two runners who have raced more 5Ks than 2-miles on that list.
Below is our rankings list minus those two runners showing who we think have been the best so far this season.
Emma Goetz (Tyler Grace Community)
Goetz hasn't raced many times this year and actually only once at two-miles. The TAPPS defending state champion only performance is 11:49 on August 24th, which wouldn't place her on this list based on how these girls have performed this year.
However, the East Texas star has gone on to perform well enough in 5Ks to make us figure that she would have excelled if she ran the shorter distances.
Goetz ran 17:55 at the Whitehouse Willie Wildcat CC Classic as well as a 18:29 for a fifth place finish at the Texas A&M Invitation.
Iris Latta (South Texas Heat Homeschool)
Like her sister, Iris has several extremely fast 5Ks on the season. She has gone 18:07,18:11, and 18:18.
Her lone two-mile performance was a 11:17 back on August 24th. It is likely she won't run another two-mile race until the Homeschool Championships, but it should be a fast one when she does.
Addyson Bristow (Canyon)
Canyon junior Bristow is another defending cross country state champion on our list. Bristow recently won the McNeil 4A girls race with her season bes 11:19 run.
For Bristow, it is easy to forget how good she is at the distance races despite her 2:10, 4:56, and 4x400 anchor leg antics.
However, she has additional wins at Lubbock ISD Cross Country Invitational in 11:57 and a 18:38 5K at the Burkburnett CC Jamboree.
Brynleigh McFarlin (Keene) - 11:19
McFarlin, the Keene junior not only also has a 11:19 performance this season like Bristow has, but she is also a track stud as well. She races from the 400m through the 3200m in the spring
On the season, she has 18:46, 19:00, and 19:29 5K performances. To go along with those and the 11:19, she also has a 11:53 from her August 23 win at the Hillsboro Invitational.
Brooklyn Albert (Poth)
Albert, the Poth junior has a 11:23 2024 season best performance. She has been a star since her freshman season and this year, she is already off to an emphatic start.
She has a 11:37 3,200m performance this year and to go with her 11:23 2-mile SB, she adds a 11:54.
Albert also has two sub 19-minute 5Ks on the season at Texas A&M (18:56) and the SA Patriots CC Invitational (18:36).
Kenli Atwood (Holliday) - 11:27
If you haven't noticed before now, 3A and 4A girls do it all. Atwood is another who not only performs well during the track season in the 400 (1:00.62), 800m (2:14), and 1,600m (4:59).
With that said, Atwood has accepted the challenge of being the leader of the Holliday XC team.
Atwood is running well this year. She ran 11:34 to win this year's Boyd Yellowjacket Invitational in 11:34, the Lubbock ISD 3A race in 11:45 and was second at McNeil behind Bristow in 11:27.
Cara Sims (Elysian Fields)
Sims is having an impressive win. The East Texas junior has a 19:12 5K win from the Hallsville Invitational.
Her only loss on the season was a 12:08 run at the Tyler Legacy XC Invitational to Goetz. Since then she has reeled off the wins including a 11:59 at the Region III Preview Meet and this weekend's 11:33 win at McNeil.
Aubrey Milam (Randolph)
Milam is crushing it this season with six impressive runs on the seasons.
In three 3,200m races she has gond 11:23, 11:40, and 11:51. She adds a 11:36 two-mile and over 5K, she has gone 18:47 and 18:48.
Abby Spiars (Plano John Paul II)
The John Paul II Junior is crushing it this season. Her 18:42 and 18:47 5K performances have her sharp for the shorter distances.
Spiars went 12:07 to start the year followed by a 12:05 3,200m. On September 7th, she ran a 11:38 PR for runner-up at the Gerald Richey XC Invite & UIL Region II Preview XC Meet.
Rilyn Grona (Fredericksburg)
Grona is the new leader at Fredericksburg. The junior has an even share of 3,200m races (12:06 and 12:09) and 5,000m races (19:23 and 19:58).
This past weekend, she dropped a 11:40 at McNeil for a third place finish.