Team Standouts
2A Boys Showdown- New Summerfield won in great fashion with their 1:05 one through five split. Raul Munoz led his squad with his 4th place finish clocking in a time of 16:52.15 which is a new personal best time for the junior. Munoz and the program are looking to finish way ahead of their 8th place finish last year.
Tenaha boys who were the runner-up team in last year's state championship were upsetted this year at the region 3 championships finishing as runner-up to New Summerfield. Adrian Ramirez finished 5th individually this year in regionals with his time of 16:52.59 to help his 1:52 one through five spread. If Tenaha boys want to finish on the podium again they will one hundred percent need to improve on their one through five spread.
East Bernard Girls and Boys Program- Not a personal fan of sardines? If you answered yes it was a rhetorical question. One thing we know for a fact is that sardines are very compact in their packaged can, and the East Bernard program ran just like they were in a package of sardines. On the girl's side, they scored 42 points to take the team title. Senior Lily Alexander led the ladies with her newly set personal best time of 12:09.49 to help her 50 second one through five spread. The ladies' program finished as the team runner-up at last year's 2023 UIL State Championships. Are we on upset alert for the 3A girls' team title at this year's state meet? Well, we will have to wait for Saturday to find out.
As stated on the girl's side. The boys scored a superb 31 points and had a 35 second one through five spread. Yes, you read correctly 35 second spread. Junior Daniel Breitenwischer led the boys with his second place overall finish clocking a new personal best time of 16:30.25. The boys finished 5th overall at last year's state meet, but many said "No Chris Kopecky no party," well I think it's fair to say the East Bernard program is on upset alert come Saturday.
Salado Girls and Boys Program- This year just like the last couple of years is going to be a fight to the finish on the 4A girl's side come state meet. At this year's region 3 meet Salado girls won the meet scoring a notable 41 points with a 55 second one through five spread. Freshman McCall Boyd won the individual gold medal with her time of 11:45.50. The more impressive thing the Salado girls did was win the region meet without last year's regional champion junior Cade Harris.
The Salado boys won the 4A boys team title scoring 49 points. Junior Coulson Boyd who set a new personal best time of 15:43.34 and senior Luke Anderson led the boys led the program with their 1:13 team spread. last year the boys finished 5th place but are coming into the state meet more confident without having Anna, San Elizario, and Boerne all of who have moved out of the 4A classification or didn't make it out of regionals.
Could this be the year the program puts both girl's and boy's teams on the big stage?
College Station A&M Cons state podium finish?- Since the arrival of Coach Branch the program has gotten back to its winning ways. Branch told Texas Milesplit " The program has now had a combined 11 girls and boys state championships and has now had 49 state meet appearances as a program as A&M Consolidated HS," if that doesn't scream out tradition then I don't know what will.
The girls won the Region 3 championships in amazing fashion with a team score of 52 points. Sophomore Rowen Skinner helped lead the team to victory with her 3rd place overall finish and 1:05 second one through five spread.
The team finished 13th at last year's state meet. Finishing 13th as a team is not something that Coach Branch is looking to put on the resume come Saturday.
5A Boys Showdown- Just 25 points separated the four teams in the 5A Boys Region 3 showdown.
Friendswood boys took the team W thanks to junior Aiden Fitzgerald with his 1st place finish. The Mustangs finished with a 2:07 one through five spread scoring 101 points.
Montgomery boys finished second scoring 112 points. Senior Matthew Binkley led the Bears with his newly set personal best time of 15:39.60. The Bears had a 1:26 one through five spread.
Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill boys are headed to state and were led this time by senior Aubrey Gibson with his time of 16:29.75. The Eagles had a crazy 38 second one through five spread scoring 124 points.
Maybe one of the biggest shocks was the College Station boys finishing fourth. After coming into the meet as one of the heavy favorites to take the team title the Cougars finished fourth place scoring 126 points. Senior Vance Ballabina led the boys with his 10th place finish with a time of 16:13.29. The program had a 1:26 one through five spread.
Maybe the College Station Cougars on purpose finished fourth to stay a little fresh going into the state meet?
Katy Girls and Boys top 5 finishes at state?- All year long the Katy Tigers have been leaving their make where they compete. At the Regional meet, the girls finished as the team champion. Senior Victoria Guerrero and sophomore Lauren Acopa helped the Tiger dem win their team title by finishing in the top 10. The ladies had a 38 second one though five spread.
On the boy's side, it was pretty much a copy and paste. Junior Ryder Darcey and senior Evan Couture led the squad with their top 10 finishes. The boys scored 73 points and had a 1:08 one through five spread.
Is this the best Katy Tigers program in recent history? Let's see what Coach Darcey and the crew have ready to show Friday.
The Coach Shawn Siemers effect- With it being Coach Siemers second year at the program it almost seems like success follows where he goes. It also helps to have his girl's team 100% bought into what his wise coaching philosophies. The Lady Rams are making team history by being the first ever Katy Mayde Creek team to qualify for the UIL State meet. Out of the classroom and the course Coach Siemers has been battling cancer but has not let that get in the way of being there for his team. When you think about the words "Texas Tough" one of the first things to pop up is Shawn Siemers.