We're excited to continue rolling out our TAPPS Championship recaps. We acknowledge we're a few weeks behind, as our team was called on to provide additional coverage for state championships in neighboring states immediately following the first weekend in May.
Over the next few days, we'll be publishing event-by-event recaps for both boys and girls divisions. These summaries are based on official results and insights from individuals who were on-site at the meet to ensure accuracy and context.
2025 TAPPS 1A Boys 3200m State Championship Recap
David Salas (San Angelo Cornerstone Christian) capped off a legendary high school career with a dominant victory in the 2025 TAPPS 1A Boys 3200m Championship. Running unchallenged from the gun, the senior and reigning TAPPS cross country champion added yet another gold medal to his resume, crossing the finish line in 9:31.31. The win completed a rare and remarkable quadruple for Salas, who swept the 800m, 1600m, and 3200m titles at this year's state meet-marking the fourth straight year he won both the 1600m and 3200m crowns.
Behind Salas, Austin Classical School senior Joshua Oban claimed the runner-up spot in 10:00.86, showing strong endurance in a race where Salas' early pace created a wide separation. Bellville Faith Academy's Ethan Stegent rounded out the podium in third with a time of 10:29.28, edging out Robert Welling (Spring Founders Christian), who took fourth in 10:32.82.
Salas' performance ranks among the top in TAPPS 1A history and sits just outside the all-class top 10 performances this season in the association. His time was well ahead of most of the higher classification winners, and though he narrowly missed a top-5 TAPPS mark this season, his consistency and dominance over four years leave no doubt about his place among the state's all-time greats in small-school distance running.
Salas took the torch from is sister Lesli who won multiple titles and set record and as a senior, he has left and indelible mark in TAPPS 1A distance running himself.
2025 TAPPS 2A Boys 3200m State Championship Recap
Ethan Locke of Valor Prep Academy continued his reign over TAPPS 2A distance running with another masterclass performance in the 3200m final at the 2025 TAPPS State Championships. The defending state champion and undefeated TAPPS runner made a statement early and never looked back, cruising to a meet-winning time of 8:55.99. Not only did Locke repeat as champion, but he also shattered the 9-minute barrier for the first time in his career, building on his pre-meet season best of 9:09.30-already the top mark in all of TAPPS entering the meet.
Locke separated himself from the field with ease, leaving the rest of the competitors to battle for second in a much more tightly contested race. That honor ultimately went to freshman Lucas Higgins (Lubbock Southcrest Christian), who ran 10:14.91 to edge out his teammate Jorden Anderson (10:15.27) in a 2-3 finish for their program. Higgins' performance was especially impressive given his age and the level of competition, marking him as a rising star in the TAPPS distance ranks.
Rounding out the top five was senior Luke Gehrig (Muenster Sacred Heart), who closed out his high school career with a strong 10:17.46 effort. Meanwhile, freshman Daniel Puller (Bryan Allen Academy) claimed fifth in 10:42.04, showing promise for the future. Despite a wide gap between Locke and the rest of the field, the race delivered a showcase of both elite talent and emerging young runners, with Locke cementing his status as the undisputed leader in TAPPS 2A distance running.
2025 TAPPS 3A Boys 3200m State Championship Recap
The 2025 TAPPS 3A Boys 3200m State Championship proved to be a thrilling showcase of young talent, headlined by freshman Nate Lugo (McKinney Cornerstone Christian Academy). In one of the most tightly contested distance races of the 3A classification, Lugo surged to the front and never relinquished his lead, claiming the state title in 9:51.20. His time not only earned him the championship but also placed him among the top 10 fastest performances across all TAPPS classifications this season - a remarkable achievement for a ninth grader.
While Lugo took the spotlight, Providence Classical packed the podium with a strong team performance. Senior Steven Wimberly, last year's 2A state runner-up and this year's cross country champion, was considered a title contender coming into the race after his school's move to 3A. He finished a close second in 9:54.61, showing his experience and grit. Teammate Kaeden Beno, a sophomore, secured third in 9:56.47, and senior Henry Stevens followed in fourth at 10:07.11 - giving Providence Classical three of the top four finishers in a dominant team showing.
Waco Live Oak's Zeke Carl, just a sophomore, rounded out the top five in 10:21.84. Meanwhile, Lucas Christian's Konrad Williamson (10:58.69) and Covenant Classical's duo of Jude Schuknect (11:08.42) and Daniel Keyes (11:46.42) completed the field. Covenant's athletes found themselves outside the lead pack, but they were in the race, which is indicative of the program's ability.
Ultimately, it was Lugo's fearless front-running and Providence Classical's impressive depth that defined the 3A final - a race that highlighted both the future and current strength of TAPPS distance running.
2025 TAPPS 4A Boys 3200m State Championship Recap
The 2025 TAPPS 4A Boys 3200m State Championship brought a dramatic finish to one of the most anticipated distance races of the weekend. Senior Adrian De Los Santos of San Antonio Holy Cross delivered a clutch performance, winning his first TAPPS state title with a time of 9:53.42, narrowly edging out a competitive field. The victory marked a major breakthrough for De Los Santos, who had quietly ascended throughout the season and capped it off with a composed and tactical effort to take gold.
Sophomore Grant Rodges of Houston Northland Christian continued his strong season with a runner-up finish, clocking a 9:58.51 - a personal best and good for No. 15 among all TAPPS classifications this season. Rodges hung tough throughout the race and looked like a future title contender. Just behind him, Dallas Covenant teammates Gibson Walker and Noah Verdin, who were both state meet medalists last year, both finished third and fourth, respectively, in 10:03.49 and 10:05.44. Verdin had entered the meet with the faster seed time, ranked TAPPS No. 8 with a 9:47.56 from earlier in the year, but it was Walker who found the edge in the closing laps.
The top five was rounded out by Noah Blaut of Austin Hill Country Christian, another medalist from 2024, who posted a time of 10:09.53. Further back in the pack, Dallas Shelton placed two runners in the final with Alexander Whitaker (6th, 10:31.54) and Jack Conger (8th, 10:38.28), while David Gardiner of San Antonio Castle Hills placed seventh.
Compared to the 2024 edition of this race - which featured multiple sub-10 performances and an 11-second margin of victory - this year's competition was tighter in the front and deeper overall. While none of the runners cracked the top TAPPS overall leaderboards, the event highlighted strong up-and-coming talent and closed out the 4A distance calendar on a high note.
2025 TAPPS 5A Boys 3200m State Championship Recap
The 2025 TAPPS 5A Boys 3200m State Championship was wide open heading into the final, with the top four finishers from 2024 having moved on. With the departure of the Para twins and Wells Peterson now competing in 6A, new faces rose to seize the moment-none more so than Adrian Rule of San Antonio Christian. The junior made the most of his state meet return to the 3200m event after a year hiatus, executing a calculated race to take the title in 9:33.21, a time that placed him No. 3 on the TAPPS performance list for the season.
Behind Rule, Midland Christian's Braden Belew, a 2024 finalist who placed sixth last year, improved significantly to finish second in 9:38.14. Belew had entered the meet with a strong resume, including a 9:37.04 from the Texas Distance Festival, and backed it up with another sub-9:40 effort. Right on his heels was Elijah Savage of Fort Bend Christian Academy, who had been one of TAPPS' most improved and most consistent distance runners this season. Savage continued his impressive campaign with a 9:41.35 for third place, showcasing his ability to handle big-race pressure.
Veteran Hunter Hinrichsen of Fort Worth Christian-fifth in 2024-ran his final state meet with poise, finishing fourth in 9:43.24, while Rule's teammate Nathan Womack added valuable points with a fifth-place finish in 9:50.47, backing up his own TAPPS top-10 season time of 9:50.12.
Rounding out the top eight were Monroe Gaddis of Tyler Grace Community (6th, 9:53.41), Austin Regents senior Elias Gonzalez (7th, 10:01.91), and AJ "Aaron" West from Fort Bend Christian Academy (8th, 10:14.68).
With most of the field returning next season-including Rule, Belew, Savage, and Womack-the 2026 edition of the TAPPS 5A 3200m final is shaping up to be even deeper and faster. But for now, it was Rule's night to shine as he claimed his first state title and announced himself as a serious contender for next year's crown.
2025 TAPPS 6A Boys 3200m State Championship Recap
The 2025 TAPPS 6A Boys 3200m State Championship featured several of the top distance talents in Texas, and it was Wells Peterson of TMI Episcopal who solidified his breakout junior season with a decisive victory. After finishing third in the 5A final a year ago, Peterson transitioned to the 6A division and took complete command of the race. His winning time of 9:08.80 not only gave him the title but also ended the season as the fastest mark in TAPPS this year and one of the top distance performances in recent TAPPS history.
John Boland of San Antonio Antonian was the top returner from last year's race and once again delivered with a strong showing. The sophomore, who had run 9:14.32 earlier this season at the Arcadia Invitational, settled for second in 9:19.95, comfortably holding off the rest of the field to secure another podium finish. Boland continues to show elite potential and will enter 2026 as a clear title favorite.
Finishing third was St. John's Houston senior Chris Pietrak, who had taken fourth in last year's 5A final. Pietrak showed poise and experience to navigate the field and clock 9:36.23, capping off his high school career with a state medal. Close behind was sophomore Isaac Knape of Houston St. Thomas, whose 9:45.26 performance built on a strong regional season that included a 9:40.62 at the TAPPS South Regional.
Rounding out the top eight were Dallas Parish Episcopal's Marco Pineda (5th, 10:00.86), Frisco Legacy Christian senior Daniel Ogomo (6th, 10:05.53), Liberty Christian's Cooper Harris (7th, 10:07.11), and freshman Luke Aslin from Fort Worth Nolan Catholic (8th, 10:09.60), who impressed with a top-eight finish in his state meet debut.
With Peterson and Boland both returning in 2026, the 6A division appears primed for another year of high-level competition. But for now, the spotlight belongs to Peterson, who has emerged as one of the state's elite distance runners with a commanding championship win.
