In two articles, so far, we've documented a group of boys who we think will be front-runners in the 2025 Nike Cross South Regional. The top five boys who aren't members of the top two teams that run themselves to automatic qualifying or any eventual at-large qualifiers.
The beauty of the regional races is that we don't know until it is all over who the two automatic qualifying teams are, for us to be informed of who the individual qualifiers are.
It is a wait, watch-and-see type of thing.
So, we'll have to wait, but we are going to do what we do. Prognosticate, guess, and somewhat predict whether we get it right or wrong.
The athletes we have already predicted to be front-pack runners and likely qualifiers are listed below. We'll now be taking a look at the next level of boys who have the potential to challenge the runners we have already identified.
- Caden Leonard (TX) -
- Noah Strohman(TX) -
- Ruel Newberry (TX) -
- Griffen Saacke (TX) -
- Kai Gutierrez (TX) -
- Jackson Free (AR) -
- Dominic Matthias (OK) -
- Brady Monahan (LA) -
- Brian Burns (AR) -
- Kai Gutierrez (TX) -
Sleepers
Graham Hummel (TX)
I've listed Hummel in the previous articles, but a sleeper might be a little more appropriate. Now, I'm not saying either way that he is or is not going to make the NXN South team, but the Dallas HSAA homeschool runner is a legit talent.
Is his 14:29 from his first race of the season a legit 5K? Maybe or maybe not, but if that is all you're interested in to make decisions, let me enlighten you before I get another email telling me how wrong my personal point of view is.
The sophomore is tough. He followed up the 14:29 with a 15:04 at Coach T. Then we saw a 15:05 at Nike South. The next day, Hummel then competed at the Hoka McNeil Inv. and even though it didn't go extremely well, it was a tough 15:52 performance against some of Texas's best.
Competing in back-to-back days of high-level 5Ks isn't advised for most; I guess an elite triathlete has different thinking. Hummel is following the elite triathletes in the likes of Reese Vannerson and Blake Bullard.
In the midst of cross-country season, Hummel was the youngest to make Team USA for the 2025 Triathlon World Junior Championships in Wollongong, Australia. With the World Junior Triathlon season completing on October 16th, his last month of training has been focused on running. We might not have seen the best of Hummel yet.
Andrew Esparza (TX)
Even though he won't be wearing green, there will be another Dragon who will have a legitimate shot at qualifying for NXN. Round Rock's Esparza had a transitional cross-country season that followed his transition on the track. He ran a 14:55 at Coach T, followed by a win at Coach T in 15:07.
Esparza earned his first UIL state meet medal this season with his sixth-place finish at state when he ran 15:02. He is fast on fast courses; we could see Esparza hit another level on Monday.
Alan Gallardo-Lopez (AR)
If Lopez runs, he is a legitimate threat. While finishing third this year at the Arkansas 6A state meet, he did win the title last season. Lopez has two distinct knacks that would work in his favor. He is a frontrunner in just about every race he competes in. His lowest finish this season was a fourth place at Chile Pepper, where he ran a 15:01 PR.
His next favorable trait is the success he has had over his career competing in Texas. He might be a better statistical runner in Texas than anywhere else.
Ryder Darcey (TX)
Darcey has been on fire this entire fall. He began with a 14:58 PR at Coach T and ended with an eighth-place finish at the UIL 6A state meet in 15:13.
Darcey has two consistent races that are very notable and applicable to Monday's race. He ran 15:21.83 at the Texas A&M Inv., followed by a 15:21.90 seven days later at the Nike South Inv. Both races were at Dale-Watts.
Garrett Barr (AR)
Barr is having an excellent senior season, and it could continue with a bang next Monday. He began the 2025 season with a 15:25 PR at Bentonville's Sugar Creek Showdown, and very little could slow him down as the season played out.
A 15:14 PR at Chile Pepper and a runner-up finish at the Arkansas 5A state meet. Although it wasn't in the championship race last year, Barr was fifth at one of the NXR South races last year.
Tyler Connelly (TX)
Like many of the other runners on this list, Aledo junior Connelly is another runner who has excelled this season. His 15:09 PR began his season, which he ran twice, and a 15:10 at the UIL 5A state meet ended things.
His consistency wasn't just in the times but in his placements as well. His seventh-place finish at Coach T and sixth-place finish at Nike South were his lowest finishes. Every other race was a win except his third at state.
He ran 15:23 at Nike South, the same course as Monday's race, which shows he should do well on Monday.
Sean Burns (AR)
A lot has been made about Burns's older brother Brian. However, it should be noted that both Sean and Brian are the younger brothers of 2023 graduate and current University of Oregon Connor Burns, who ran 1:51, 3:58, 8:34, and 13:37 (track 5K and 14:27 XC 5K).
So, Sean has it in his blood to run fast. He began with a 15:24 to open the season, a 15:37 at Southlake, and ended as runner-up at state behind his brother. What should be kept in mind is how Burns ran a 15:22 PR at Gans Creek and 15:39 at Chile Pepper; both are collegiate courses, and show how well the sophomore handles things.
Domenic San Miguel (TX)
San Miguel has been oh so close to breaking 15:00 this season. The UIL 4A state champ ran under 15:10 four times this season and only has one 5K over 15:11 in 2025. The Canyon junior's sixth-place finish at Coach T in 15:08 is his only race where he wasn't the winner or runner-up.
This will be his first race following his state championship, and he could be running with even more confidence.
Noah Thayer (OK)
Thayer is definitely a track guy with PRs of 1:53 and 4:12. While he was only able to finish 6th at the Oklahoma 6A state this year, he was the state champ in 2024, where he ran a 15:06 PR.
Noah Cooper (TX)
Cooper was the third-place finisher at the UIL 4A state meet. He is very similar to his Canyon teammate, San Miguel. How similar, you ask? Well, the two often swapped positions on a weekly basis. The biggest deviation between the two was the five-second difference at the state meet, where San Miguel won and Cooper was third.
He has a 15:04 PR, a 15:05 and three other races under 15:13. Copper finds his way to the front at the ends of races, which is quite the challenge at NXR South, but a good ace to have in your pocket.
Brody Maasen (OK)
Maasen was the Oklahoma 6A runner-up this year with a 15:22 run. His 15:14 PR at Chile Pepper and his runner-up at the OSU Cowboy Jamboree are proof he can run fast and compete well on collegiate courses.
Boston Bowcutt (TX)
The Keller junior is having a great season. His ninth-place finish at the UIL 6A state meet, following his fifth-place finish at the Region 1-6A show, demonstrates his big-race capabilities.
Bowcutt ran 15:31 at the Texas A&M Inv., so he has Dale-Watts experience.
Brennan Robin (LA)
Robin from Parkway in Bossier City, Louisiana, is coming off a runner-up at the LHSAA Division 1 race, where he led most of it until relinquishing the lead to Brady Monahan in the last 1K.
The junior has finished first or second in every race this season and has a 15:09 5K PR. If he races, look for him to be a serious contender.
Armando Morales (TX)
Morales completed his UIL cross country career for La Feria, but if he lines up for NXR South, just know that he will be a tough one to keep off the plane to NXN.
He finished runner-up at the UIL 4A state meet for the second year in a row, but it was only .01 that kept him from the championship. Usually, his twin, Anthony is the only person who beats him, so with a field of other capable runners, this could allow him the chance to sit and kick.
Andrew Brown (MS)
Tepelo junior Andrew Brown is the back-to-back Mississippi 7A state champion and should be running with confidence.
Brown has 15:04 and 15:05 season best runs paired with 4:09 and 9:03 speed. His tool bag gives him the ability to run just about any kind of race. It wouldn't be wise to allow him to stick around the top group too long.
Griffin Hummel (TX)
Texas is full of guys who can run and are capable of popping a good race out of nowhere. Hummel is one of them.
A Region 4 win, followed by a 15:06 and seventh-place finish at the UIL 6A race, could be a ramp that Hummel is just waiting to take off from.
Colby Huntress (TX)
Huntress is another Texas guy with all of the qualities to capture a spot heading to Portland. The UIL 5A state champion ran a 15:06 PR in his last outing to prove he can compete.
The Austin Anderson senior has 1:51 and 4:12 speed, giving him he ability to close just as good as anyone and better than most in the field.
Noah Loweree (TX)
The El Paso Eastwood junior finished just outside the podium finishers at the UIL 6A state meet with his 15:22 run. Loweree has a 15:08 PR on his resume and has plenty of big race experience.
Experience on the El Paso courses should give Loweree a good shot in this one.
Noah Garcia (TX)
Garcia is the teammate of Loweree, and he placed one spot ahead of him at the UIL 6A race. They have the same first name as well as the same type of chances to make the South Team at NXN.
Eastwood runners have one it before, both individually and as teams, so the information they need will be there. It takes a lot to race in El Paso, and I think that makes everything else pretty much easy, and the Dale-Watts course should be almost like heaven to them. It should bode well for all El Pasoans.