Just four days after an already electric regional weekend, the spotlight swung to Charlotte, North Carolina, where the 2025 Brooks South Regional Championships delivered yet another round of high-stakes racing. Ten boys and ten girls would earn the right to advance to Brooks Nationals in San Diego, and the South region, spanning from Texas to the Carolinas, once again proved why it's home to some of the nation's fiercest competitors.
This year's storyline had a twist: no Texas girl advanced to nationals for the first time in several seasons. Still, the Lone Star State didn't go quietly. Georgia Giesinger of Fort Worth Nolan Catholic turned heads with a massive breakthrough, placing 19th overall in 17:55, a personal best that reaffirmed her rise among Texas' elite. Wylie East sophomore Evangeline Williams was the next Texan across the line, clocking 18:25 for 36th, a strong showing for one of the state's brightest young talents.
If the girls' race lacked Texas qualifiers, the boys' race more than compensated. The Strohman brothers, already household names in Texas distance running-delivered one of the most compelling performances of the day.
Noah Strohman, the four-time UIL 3A state champion and newly minted NXN qualifier, continued to add chapters to his growing legacy. His 14:57, good for third place, came on a McAlpine Park course that demands both strength and race IQ, with its blend of rolling hills, gravel straights, and shifting terrain. Noah handled all of it with veteran poise, securing yet another national-level berth.
Perhaps the day's biggest revelation, though, was his twin brother, Ryder Strohman. Long overshadowed only by Noah's historic résumé, Ryder has quietly built one of the most dramatic developmental arcs in the region this year, and Charlotte may have been his true breakout. Charging to fourth place in 14:58, Ryder not only booked his ticket to San Diego but also obliterated the 15-minute barrier for the first time in his career.
His progression tells the story:
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Season opener → 16:00
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Early breakthrough at Southlake → 15:30
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Multiple consistent 15:40s
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15:38 at NXR South
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And now → 14:58, on one of the South's most competitive regional stages
2025 Brooks South Inv. Championship Boys
Paired with his double silver in the 1,600m and 3,200m at last spring's UIL state meet and his 3A XC runner-up finish behind Noah, Ryder's rapid ascent is no longer a quiet subplot-it's a full-blown headline.
Joining the twins in San Diego will be Ethan Garza of San Antonio TMI Episcopal, who placed sixth in 15:00, a massive personal best. Garza has been remarkably consistent all year, with only one race slower than 15:47. His 15:16 from Chile Pepper and 15:19 from Texas A&M hinted at a big one coming, and Charlotte delivered exactly that. As only a junior, Garza now stands firmly among Texas' top long-term prospects.
Texas nearly added more qualifiers, but three standouts finished just outside the top 10:
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Armando Morales - 14th (15:09)
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Anthony Morales - 16th (15:16)
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Grady Jenkins - 18th (time not provided)
All three were deep in contention through two miles before the front group finally broke apart. Their performances underscore the depth of the state right now-on another day, any one of them might have punched a ticket.
In the end, the 2025 Brooks South Regional showcased what has long defined this meet: unpredictability, emerging stars, and a level of competition that pushes athletes to lifetime performances. Texas may have missed on the girls' side, but the boys more than upheld the state's reputation, sending three qualifiers, including one of the most compelling brotherly duos the South Region has ever seen.