Here Is How Texas Fared At XC National Championships

RunningLane Girls Gold Race: Maya Easterwood Runner-Up, Two Texans in Top 10, Katy Girls 7th

The Girls Gold race at RunningLane delivered one of the strongest showings by Texas athletes in meet history, highlighted by Coppell junior Maya Easterwood, who finished second overall behind champion Katy Zang. Easterwood matched Zang stride for stride through two miles, with both athletes splitting a near-identical first mile (Zang 5:22.4, Easterwood 5:22.2) and reaching two miles together (Zang 11:10.1, Easterwood 11:10.3). The difference came only in the final stretch, where Zang's late surge created the decisive separation. Easterwood closed in 17:06.36, just two seconds off the win, adding another major performance to a breakout season that has now placed her firmly among the nation's top juniors.

Texas also landed a second top-10 finisher as San Antonio's Iris Latta continued her remarkable consistency, placing ninth overall. Latta has produced one of the most complete seasons of any homeschool athlete in the country, notching performances of 17:15 at NXR South (7th), 17:15 at the VA Showcase (9th), 17:25 at Great American, and sub-18 marks stretching all the way back to early September at Nike South and the Texas A&M Invitational. Her ninth-place finish at RunningLane validated her ability to compete with the nation's best on the biggest stage.

In the team standings, Katy High School delivered a strong showing, finishing 7th out of 21 teams in the Girls Gold race. The Tigers posted a 1:35:26 total time with an impressive 19:05 team average and a tight 2:08 scoring-runner spread. Vienna Fish led the squad in 18:25, followed by Avery Torrey (18:41), Kinley Skaggs (18:46), and Abby Lester (18:58), giving Katy four girls under 19 minutes. Annabelle Hesterman (20:34) and Jasmine Avalos (20:41) rounded out the top seven. The group's strength through the middle and ability to move well during the second half of the race allowed them to climb to seventh by the finish, a promising outlook heading into 2026.

Camden Gibson (3701 jersey)

RunningLane Boys Gold Race: Camden Gibson Takes 3rd, Esparza 10th, Keller 9th as a Team

The Boys Gold race delivered another strong set of results for Texas, with two athletes finishing inside the top 10. College Park senior Camden Gibson placed third overall in one of the fastest and deepest national fields of the season. Gibson crossed in a 14:52.31 PR, close behind race winner Nicholas Mazzeo (14:49) and runner-up Peter Mecham (14:51). His third-place finish capped a huge season in which he consistently placed among elite fields across the calendar and established himself as one of the premier seniors in the nation.

Joining him in the top 10 was Round Rock's Andrew Esparza, who ran one of the strongest races of his career to finish 10th in 15:02.10. Esparza opened in 4:45 for the first mile and maintained momentum through two miles (9:45.9) before holding off a deep chase pack in the final stretch. His season résumé reflects his steady rise: 10th at NXR South, 6th at the UIL 6A State Meet, multiple invitational wins, including the Hoka McNeil and Vista Ridge events, and a 14:55 performance earlier in the year at the Marcus Coach T Invitational. His top-10 finish in Huntsville was the culminating breakthrough of the best season of his career.

In the team race, Keller High School performed exceptionally well, placing 9th out of 21 teams. The Indians posted a 1:19:57 top-five total, averaging 15:59 with a tight 56-second spread, one of the smallest among all top-10 squads. Senior Boston Bowcutt led the effort in 15:28, followed by Anthony Abeyta (15:42), Austin Boto (16:03), Ethan Wilson (16:17), and Cade Swan (16:24). William Washington (16:36) and Heath Shiflett (16:41) provided crucial depth in the sixth and seventh spots. Keller moved up steadily after the first mile thanks to strong mid-race positioning, demonstrating both discipline and cohesion in a field stacked with national-caliber programs.

New Balance RunningLane XC Championships

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Nike Cross Nationals once again lived up to its reputation as the deepest high school cross-country meet in the country, and both the girls and boys races delivered fast times, tight packs, and plenty of drama. On the girls side, the individual race was defined by a hard early tempo and a relentless front group that produced three sub-17:00 performances. Ann Arbor Stadium's Natasza Dudek claimed the national title in 16:50.1, edging Blair Bartlett (16:51.7) and Jaelyn Williams (16:58.0) as the trio separated themselves from the field and held their form all the way through the hills and mud of Portland. All three managed to balance aggression with patience, staying committed to the pace while leaving just enough for a decisive final kilometer.

Texas was well represented at the front of that race through Denton Braswell star and three-time UIL 6A state champion Macy Wingard, who finished eighth in 17:21.9 as the top Texan. True to form, Wingard got out hard and put herself in contention from the gun, passing 1K in 3:16.3, within half a second of the leaders-and still only four seconds back at 2K (6:39.2). The third kilometer was where the race began to stretch; Wingard slipped to 10:20.9 at 3K and dropped to 13:48.5 at 4K, falling 13 seconds behind the front trio. Even so, she held on well over the final stretch for a top-10 finish in a field loaded with national-class talent. Her NXN race was a fitting capstone to a carefully managed season in which she raced sparingly early, then peaked through the championship phase with wins at District 05-6A, Region I-6A, the UIL 6A state meet (16:45.7), and NXR South (16:53.5).

Making her NXN debut, Cypress Woods senior Laney Barnes followed up her breakout Texas season with a strong 31st-place finish in 17:58.0. Barnes also attacked the race from the front half, splitting 3:17.8 at 1K and 6:44.4 at 2K before the pace and the course began to take its toll. She came through 3K in 10:31.3 and 4K in 14:06.9, ultimately battling to the line for a top-35 finish. Her run in Portland capped a year that saw her consistently at the front of every major race she entered: a 17:09 runner-up finish at UIL 6A state, a 16:57 third-place finish at NXR South, and a string of victories at Region 2, District 16, Texas A&M, Alief, and other major Texas invitations. Together, Wingard and Barnes gave the South Region and Texas one of its strongest one-two individual showings in recent NXN memory.

In the girls' team competition, Flower Mound reaffirmed its status as one of the nation's premier programs. After finishing second at the UIL 6A state meet behind Bridgeland, but winning the NXR South title, the Jaguars placed ninth in Portland, once again leading the South Region representation on the national stage. Flower Mound's top five produced a 1:35:27 total time, averaging 19:05 with a compact 28-second spread. Their pack tactics were evident in the splits: they moved from a solid position at 1K into stronger standing by 3K and 4K, with the group holding together between roughly 11:08 and 11:18 at 3K before closing well over the final kilometer. Keira Primer (18:50.3) and Liana Cluley Garza (18:53.0) were nearly inseparable, followed closely by Adeline Bennett (19:12.1), Jewel Barnes (19:13.6), and McKayla Kohutek (19:18.3). With Allie Driscoll (19:53.1) and Eliana Rivera (20:10.8) providing depth, Flower Mound's tight compression through their scoring five allowed them to navigate the chaos of the mid-pack and secure a top-10 national finish.

Bridgeland made history with its first-ever NXN appearance, turning a breakthrough Texas season into a national-stage debut in Portland. After flipping the script on Flower Mound to win the UIL 6A state title before finishing behind the Jaguars at NXR South, the Bears carried that momentum into Oregon and finished 16th in the team standings. Bridgeland's top five combined for a 1:36:59 total and a 19:23 average with a 1:12 spread, showing both strength at the front and solid depth. Ali Montgomery led the way in 18:48.8, with Rowan Saacke (19:02.4), Hope Smith (19:23.1), Susana Rawls (19:43.4), and Haley Hill (20:01.6) rounding out the scoring five. Their team's splits showed a group that started conservatively in the crowded early stages and gradually worked forward between 2K and 4K, moving from mid-pack to solid national placement by the finish. For a first trip to NXN, Bridgeland proved it clearly belongs among the country's elite.

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Caden Leonard (1)

On the boys' side, the individual race unfolded as a tactical slugfest that turned into a four-man showdown over the final kilometer. Herriman's Jackson Spencer ultimately claimed the national title in 15:01.1, using a blend of strength and closing speed to separate from a tightly bunched lead group. He and Yohanes Van Meerten hit 1K in 2:55.7 and 2K in just under 6:00, with Southlake Carroll's Caden Leonard tucked just a few tenths behind. Through 3K, Leonard actually held a slight edge at 9:06.7, with Spencer at 9:07.9 and Van Meerten at 9:08.0, but the final 1,000 meters were decisive. Spencer surged to a 2:54.0 fourth kilometer and closed in 2:59.2, while Van Meerten (15:03.3) and Leonard (15:03.7) battled behind him. Leonard appeared to have second place secured entering the final straight, but Van Meerten's last strides edged him for the runner-up spot, nudging the three-time UIL 6A state champion into third by just 0.4 seconds. Even so, Leonard's performance was nearly 30 seconds faster than his third-place finish a year ago and backed by a season that included wins at District, Region, State, and NXR South, cemented his status as one of the most accomplished Texas distance runners ever.

Behind Leonard, Texas put three more boys just outside of the top 10, showcasing the depth of the South Region. Ruel Newberry (Denton Guyer) finished 11th in 15:22.2, running with the frontrunning mentality that's defined his season. He went out in 2:54.8 through 1K and 5:57.7 at 2K, nearly matching the leaders' aggression through the halfway point. His 3K and 4K splits (9:06.5 and 12:02.4) mirrored the pace of the lead group early before the tempo finally pulled away, but he still held on strongly to secure his place just outside the top 10. Kai Gutierrez, Leonard's Southlake Carroll teammate and the UIL 6A fourth-place finisher, crossed the line just 0.5 seconds behind Newberry in 12th at 15:22.7. He was slightly more measured early (2:57.6 at 1K, 5:59.5 at 2K) before fighting hard through a 9:13.3 3K and 12:12.5 4K, then closing well to maintain his position. Ethan Locke (Waco Valor Prep), the two-time TAPPS 2A state champion, gave the South another big performance with his 13th-place finish in 15:22.9. Locke started a touch more conservative at 3:03.6, but kept himself within striking distance at 2K and 3K before rallying over the final 2K with nearly identical 4K and 5K splits to Gutierrez.

In the boys team race, Southlake Carroll once again confirmed its place among the nation's premier programs, finishing fourth overall and improving one spot from its fifth-place result the year prior. The Dragons' top five combined for a 1:19:15 total and a 15:51 average with a 1:22 spread, an impressive feat in such a deep national field. Leonard led the way with his third-place 15:03.7, while Gutierrez's 12th-place 15:22.7 gave Carroll two low sticks that few teams could match. Behind them, Jaxon Glenn (16:06.7), Michael Fuller (16:15.4), and Grant Norgart (16:26.6) provided the depth necessary to hold their team position, with Claudio Auns (16:38.9) and Evan O'Donnell (16:47.8) rounding out the seven. Carroll's team splits tell the story of a group that stayed engaged with the front from the start: they sat second at 1K and remained within the top four at every checkpoint, with their pack holding form as the race thinned out and the stakes intensified.

Austin Vandegrift, meanwhile, continued one of the most impressive multi-year rises in Texas cross country. After reaching NXN last season via an at-large bid, the Vipers returned to Portland this year as an automatic qualifier and finished 17th, validating their status as a true national-level program. Their top five posted a 1:23:32 total and a 16:42 average with a per usual tight 33-second spread, one of the best compressions in the field. Collin Goodwin led the charge in 16:24.9, followed by Avinash Dewagan (16:34.6), Kai McCullough (16:46.1), Atticus Reyes (16:48.5), and Miles Nutt (16:58.1). With Anderson Mills (17:11.2) and Devin Celkis (17:31.5) providing depth, Vandegrift's strategy was clear: keep the pack intact, stay patient through 2K and 3K, and move up as a group in the second half. Their team's splits show exactly that progression, as they climbed from the low 20s at 1K into the top 18 by 3K and closed the final 2K with enough momentum to crack the top 20 nationally.