TAPPS Championships Recap: Girls 3200m

The 2025 TAPPS 1A Girls 3200m State Championship belonged to Hannah Murphy of Texoma Christian, who delivered a dominant performance to secure the title. After finishing as the state runner-up in 2024, Murphy returned with clear determination and poise. She wasted no time taking control of the race, pulling away from the field early and maintaining a commanding lead throughout to cross the line in 12:30.13-nearly a minute and a half ahead of the runner-up.

The silver medal went to Audrey Benedict, a junior from Spring Founders Christian School, who finished in 13:53.77. She ran a smart and steady race, holding her position behind the frontrunner and separating herself from the rest of the field. Her teammate, Avery Dubeck, a freshman, rounded out a strong team effort with a fourth-place finish in 14:42.58, showing promise for the future of the Founders Christian distance program.

Taking third was Daniela Skardenni of Bellville Faith Academy, who clocked 14:05.34 to earn a place on the podium in her junior season. The top five was completed by two freshmen: Waxahachie Prep's Chloe Balthrop (14:57.91) in fifth and Kyla Hess of Texoma Christian, who placed sixth in 16:14.15, giving Texoma two runners in the top six.

Murphy's performance not only earned her a state title, but also redemption after her runner-up finish last year. With two seasons left in her high school career, she has firmly established herself as the distance runner to beat in TAPPS 1A.

Emma Rhodes of Red Oak Ovilla Christian capped off a storied high school distance career with yet another dominant performance, claiming her fourth consecutive TAPPS 2A Girls 3200m state title in 12:00.65. Already a two-time TAPPS cross country champion (2023, 2024) and a three-time 3200m track champion entering the meet, Rhodes completed the rare four-peat on the track, cementing her legacy as one of the most decorated distance runners in TAPPS 2A history. She controlled the pace from the outset and never relinquished her lead, once again proving her consistency and excellence at the state level.

Sophomore Keely Aguilar of Dallas Alcuin School put together an impressive race of her own, sticking close to Rhodes in the early stages and securing a strong runner-up finish in 12:07.22. Her performance marked a significant improvement from previous outings and positioned her as the likely top contender heading into next season with Rhodes graduating.

Veteran competitor Maggie McDonald, a senior from Lubbock Southcrest Christian School, closed her career on the podium, placing third in 12:50.79. She was followed by Reagan Provin of Bryan St. Joseph Catholic, who ran 13:19.11 for fourth, and Tianna Geiger of Victory Christian Academy, who finished fifth in 13:43.67.

Freshman Elizabeth Dunman of Bracken Christian (14:47.67) and Andrea Miranda of Bryan Allen Academy (14:48.19) rounded out the next group of finishers, while Mary Beth Krischke of Hallettsville Sacred Heart took eighth in 15:24.06.

With this victory, Emma Rhodes adds one final gold medal to a remarkable TAPPS career-four 3200m titles, two in cross country, and a reputation for showing up and dominating on the sport's biggest stage.

Freshman Sarah Kleppel of Providence Classical made an immediate impact at the 2025 TAPPS 3A Girls 3200m State Championships, claiming the title in 12:04.34 in her first-ever appearance at the meet. From the opening lap, Kleppel asserted herself among the front-runners and gradually pulled away from the field, showcasing both poise and strength well beyond her age. Her win to go along with her cross country state title along with the 1,600m win later in the meet signals the arrival of a potential new force in TAPPS distance running, and she could be a dominant figure for years to come.

Behind Kleppel, junior Freja Rembold of Lucas Christian turned in a solid performance to take runner-up honors in 12:40.00. She battled in a tight second pack that included several experienced competitors and managed to break away in the closing laps. Not far behind, Noelle Miller, a sophomore from Waco Live Oak Classical School, grabbed third place in 12:45.26, just ahead of Kleppel's teammate Savannah Ohmes (12:50.51), another impressive freshman placing fourth.

Waco Live Oak's senior Miriam Carl finished fifth in 12:58.10, capping her TAPPS career with a strong showing. Sawyer Espanet of Covenant Classical, who also placed sixth last year, repeated her placement with a time of 13:00.35, displaying impressive consistency in back-to-back state meets. Her teammates Nancy Jageman (13:39.66) and Sachi Monwai (14:17.78) rounded out the top eight for Covenant, contributing to the team's strong presence in the event.

With Providence Classical placing two freshmen in the top four, the future of the program-and this event-appears bright. Meanwhile, returning athletes like Rembold and Miller will look to challenge for the crown in 2026 as the TAPPS 3A distance scene continues to evolve.

Colleyville Covenant Christian's Sophie Smith delivered a composed and dominant performance to claim the 2025 TAPPS 4A Girls 3200m state championship in 11:56.74. The junior separated herself from the field early and never relinquished her lead, closing strong to secure her first state title in this event. Her winning time was the only sub-12-minute performance in the field and marked a significant step forward as she heads into her senior year as the favorite.

The battle for second came down to a thrilling sprint to the finish between Julia Rhodes of Austin Veritas Academy and freshman Savannah Parker from San Antonio Christian School at Castle Hills. Rhodes narrowly edged Parker by just 0.27 seconds, clocking 12:31.00 to Parker's 12:31.27. For Parker, the podium finish was an impressive debut, showing she'll be a contender in TAPPS 4A distance races for years to come.

In fourth place, Chloe Thomas of Dallas Covenant ran 12:59.33, holding off Houston Northland Christian's Sophie Hornback (13:00.01) in a tight mid-pack finish. Just behind them, Emma Saadeh of Trinity Christian Willow Park, the only returner from last year's state final, placed sixth in 13:19.34, improving both her place and time from a season ago. Rounding out the top eight were Pasadena First Baptist freshman Charli Redmond (13:20.87) and Plano Coram Deo Academy's Hannah Van Eerden (13:42.27).

With a new champion crowned and several promising underclassmen making strong debuts, the 4A girls' distance field looks set for an exciting 2026 season. Smith's commanding victory puts a target on her back, but the depth shown in this final signals a competitive future ahead.

Emma Goetz of Tyler Grace Community successfully defended her title in thrilling fashion, edging out a fierce challenge from Austin Brentwood Christian's Harper Counts in one of the most dramatic finishes of the 2025 TAPPS 5A Girls 3200m state championship. Goetz, a sophomore and 2024 champion, clocked 10:53.07, just 0.03 seconds ahead of Counts, who crossed in 10:53.10. It was a clash between reigning champions, with Goetz representing 5A and Counts, the 2023 and 2024 4A champion, making her mark in her first year in the higher classification.

Behind the lead duo, Harper's twin sister Hailyn Counts secured third place with a strong solo effort, finishing in 11:47.24, giving Brentwood Christian a 2-3 finish and showcasing the depth of their program. Freshman Casey Goetz, Emma's younger sister, placed fourth in 11:53.34, making it a sibling double for Tyler Grace Community in the top five.

Another freshman, Emily Kacher from Legacy Preparatory Christian Academy, rounded out the top five with an impressive 11:55.67 in her state meet debut. She was followed by The Woodlands Christian's Elaina Formica, who placed sixth in 12:15.34. Frassati Catholic's Madeline Hellen (13:04.45) and Legacy Prep's Evelyn Griffin (13:09.72) completed the final scoring spots.

With three underclassmen in the top five and both Goetz sisters returning, TAPPS 5A distance running is in strong hands moving forward. But the narrow margin between Goetz and Counts may set the stage for an eagerly awaited rematch in 2026.

In a highly competitive finale to the 2025 TAPPS 6A Girls 3200m Championship, Madeleine Holland of Liberty Christian delivered a commanding performance to claim the title in 11:01.87, capping off her senior season with a well-earned gold. Holland, who had been one of the top distance runners in TAPPS all year, executed her race strategy with veteran poise to hold off a strong challenge from Fort Worth Nolan Catholic sophomore Georgia Giesinger, who took second in 11:04.04, just over two seconds behind.

Rounding out the top three was Abby Spiars of Plano John Paul II, who improved on her fourth-place finish from 2024 by clocking 11:23.70. Spiars showed great consistency all spring and stepped up when it mattered most. Meanwhile, St. John's Houston senior Averi Garrity finished fourth in 11:38.91, anchoring her team with a strong final state meet showing.

Defending 2024 runner-up Sophie Da Silva of Houston St. Agnes entered with high expectations but had to settle for fifth this year, finishing in 11:46.22. She was followed by Ursuline Academy's Ellie Tusa, who placed sixth in 12:09.24, and San Antonio Antonian's Eleanor Legault, who rounded out the top seven in 12:42.58.

With three underclassmen-Giesinger, Spiars, and Legault-returning next season, the stage is already set for another exciting showdown in 2026. But for now, it's Madeleine Holland who ends her high school career as the best in TAPPS 6A.