Texans Perform At High Level RunningLane Championships

Held in Huntsville, Alabama, the meet saw a wave of standout performances, with multiple meet records falling throughout the weekend. The atmosphere was electric, the fields were deep, and the racing was fierce-hallmarks of a championship-caliber event.

Texas athletes were right in the thick of the action, delivering exceptional performances across multiple races. From podium finishes to personal bests, runners from the Lone Star State made a major impact and helped elevate the meet to new heights. Here are some of the top Texas highlights from an unforgettable weekend.

RunningLane Track Championships

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Benjamin Montgomery of Bridgeland came in with an impressive résumé, including a personal best of 8:51.51 from last season. The BYU signee improved on that mark in a big way, clocking 8:49.99 to finish sixth overall. Not only did it mark the fastest time in Texas this season, but it also slotted in as the No. 8 performance in state history.

The race was initially set up to target an 8:40 finish, with pace lights guiding the field early, but the athletes opted for a slightly more conservative tempo. Defending RunningLane champion Kaden Evans of Utah assumed control early and led for much of the race, with Montgomery closely tracking in second for the majority of the laps. In the final circuit, the pace quickened dramatically, and the tactical battle unfolded.

Arkansas' Matthew Shelly timed his move to perfection, using a late-race surge to edge out Evans and take the win in 8:47.02, while Evans held on for second in 8:47.52. Montgomery stayed strong through the closing chaos, securing his top-six finish in a historic race. Meanwhile, Texas TAPPS standout Ethan Locke (Valor Prep Academy) ran a personal best of 8:56.10 to place 11th overall, capping off a memorable night for Texas distance running.

While Miles Westbrook narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Championship section, the recent El Paso graduate made a strong statement in the second-fastest heat of the night. Westbrook clocked a new personal best of 8:56.95 to finish fourth in the race, showcasing the form that earned him the 2025 UIL 5A state title. He played an aggressive role in the race, taking charge of the chase pack for several laps and helping to set the tone for a fast and competitive effort.

Up front, Philip Blum of North Carolina pushed the pace with a decisive move over the final laps, pulling away from the field to win the heat in 8:50.12. Behind him, Westbrook and a handful of Texas standouts battled for position in a tight chase pack.

Bridgeland junior Griffen Saacke joined Westbrook in that effort and turned in a major breakthrough of his own, closing hard to dip under the nine-minute barrier in 8:58.26. Just behind him, Austin Vandegrift's Kai McCullough also turned in a strong performance, stopping the clock at 9:03.55. The heat proved to be one of the night's deepest and fastest, with multiple athletes making strong statements ahead of the summer season.

Wells Peterson of San Antonio TMI Episcopal put on a brave and bold display in his pursuit of a sub-9-minute 3200m, coming within striking distance of the barrier in a solo effort that nearly paid off. Peterson got out fast, staying with the leaders through the opening two laps before taking matters into his own hands. When it became clear that the rest of the field wasn't interested in matching his pace, Peterson surged ahead, creating a sizeable gap that grew to nearly 50 meters by the middle stages of the race.

For laps three through seven, Peterson was in full command, running alone against the clock with poise and determination. But the toll of leading solo at that pace began to show late in the race, and his margin gradually shrank. In the final stretch, he was caught, and while his bid for a sub-9 finish narrowly slipped away, Peterson still came away with a massive personal best of 9:01.70. It was a gutsy run that showed both his courage and talent, and hinted that the sub-9 mark may not be far off.

Mia Perez (Smithson Valley) capped off her stellar 2025 season with another elite performance at the RunningLane Championships. Having only lost once all year-and fresh off her UIL 5A state title-Perez looked to test herself against a strong national field in the 800 meters. She came in riding momentum after back-to-back 2:07 performances at state and the TTFCA Meet of Champions, where she was runner-up.

In Huntsville, Perez positioned herself well early, quickly settling into a strong rhythm near the front of the pack. From the opening strides, it became clear the race would come down to a head-to-head battle between Perez and Florida standout Aurora Bertelsen Del Solar. The pair crossed the 400m mark in a brisk 1:02 and remained shoulder-to-shoulder through most of the second lap.

At the 500m mark, Perez attempted to gain an edge with a subtle surge, but Del Solar was unfazed and matched the move stride for stride. As they entered the final straightaway, it was still anyone's race. With just five meters remaining, Del Solar found a final gear to edge slightly ahead and claim the win in 2:06.80. Perez, in another display of consistency and toughness, crossed just behind in 2:07.16-remarkably her third straight race hitting that exact time-securing another impressive second-place finish on a big stage.

Additional top finishers:

The girls Championship Mile at the RunningLane Championships opened with a controlled but assertive pace, as the pacer led the field through the first lap in 1:08. Among the competitors, it was Rowan Saacke (Bridgeland) who stepped up early, becoming the first racer to hit the 400-meter mark in 1:09, setting a slight gap on the rest of the field, which came through in 1:10.

By the halfway mark, the pacer stepped off and the race dynamics shifted. Kinley Wolfe of Cherry Creek HS (CO) took charge, with Florida's Danielle Graham (IMG) sliding up into second as the field crossed the 800-meter mark in 2:21. Wolfe continued to press the pace, coming through 1,000 meters in 2:57.50 with Graham tight on her heels. Saacke tucked into third, leading a chase pack that included Texas star Mia Perez, who was doubling back after a grueling 800m effort the night before.

Down the stretch, Wolfe displayed impressive strength and closed well to capture the win in a commanding 4:43.08. Behind her, Graham fought to hold her position as Saacke applied pressure, ultimately holding on for second. Saacke took third with a strong 4:46.02 performance, while Perez, a University of Texas commit, gritted through the double to finish fifth in 4:49.38-capping off an outstanding weekend of middle-distance running.

In the second fastest section of the girls mile at the RunningLane Championships, standout Eva Cragnolino of Austin LASA once again delivered a brilliant and tactical performance that showcased her championship pedigree. The UIL 5A 3,200m state champion entered the race with just one sub-5:00 performance in the 1,600m this season-a 4:53.20 from the Texas Relays-but she proved once more that she belongs among the nation's elite.

Cragnolino played the long game, electing to settle into the back of the pack early as the race got underway. Her patience paid off. At the halfway mark, she began to move up gradually, climbing into the top five by the time the lead group hit 1,000 meters in 3:02. As the race approached the final lap, she was clipped from behind while trying to advance, yet she recovered quickly and crossed the 1,200m split in third place-positioned perfectly for her signature late-race surge.

Down the backstretch, Cragnolino launched her first move to seize the lead. South Carolina sophomore Ava Lindsey responded and briefly held her off. But with 120 meters to go, Cragnolino unleashed a decisive final kick that no one could match. She powered down the homestretch and crossed the finish line with a lifetime best of 4:40.74-an emphatic win that reaffirmed her status as one of Texas' top distance runners and one of the most exciting competitors in the country.

Additional top finishers: