CAMDEN GIBSON IS RUNNING AWAY WITH IT

Gibson leads three state lists. Ferguson is the only 1:50 man in Texas. Leonard and Kranz own the longer stuff

Weeks into the outdoor season, a few name have separated themselves atop the Texas boys distance fields after notable performances at the Victor Lopez Classic and the Texas Distance Festival. Let's take a look.

Camden Gibson has his name at the top of three state leaderboards and the season is barely in full swing. The Conroe Woodlands College Park senior opened his 1600m at 4:18, went 4:15, then ran a blazing 4:05.72 to win the College Park Invitational on Mar 13, the fastest outdoor 1600m in Texas this season by more than six seconds. He went to the Victor Lopez Classic on Mar 26-28 and won the 1500m in 3:51.10 and the 3000m in 8:28.95. Second place in the 3000m was Isaac Knape of Houston St. Thomas at 8:38.15. Gibson's 800m this season sits at 1:54.86.

Nicholas Ferguson is the only boy in Texas to break 1:51 in the 800m so far this spring. The Houston Heights (formerly Houston Reagan) junior ran 1:50.64 to win the Shelia Lofton Relays on Mar 27. He has also run 48.23 in the 400m this outdoor season. Ferguson opened his 800m at 1:53 in late February. Remarkably, his 2025 season best was 2:04.14.

Caden Leonard ran 4:01.02 to win the mile at the Texas Distance Festival Sponsored by HOKA on Mar 20, his outdoor season opener and an outdoor PR. That mark sits 9.74 seconds on the leaderboard ahead of second-place Noah Strohman of Holliday High School (4:10.76). Leonard ran 4:00.07 indoors at the ASICS Sound Invite on Feb 14. Strohman's teammate Ryder Strohman finished fourth at the same meet in 4:13.10.

Lucas Kranz owns the state's top 3200m at 9:07.68, run at the Texas Distance Festival on Mar 20. The Austin Lake Travis sophomore opened that event at 9:28 in February and has also run 4:18.13 in the 1600m and 1:56.51 in the 800m this spring. Wells Peterson of TMI Episcopal sits second at 9:07.84, 0.16 seconds back after finishing fifth at the same meet.

Here is where the top five stand right now in each event.

800m

• Nicholas Ferguson, Houston Heights (fka Reagan), 1:50.64 - Shelia Lofton Relays, Mar 27

• Maddox Davis, Katy, 1:52.26 - Panther Relays, Mar 20

• Tyson Cotchery, Unattached-TX, 1:52.30 - Miners Invitational, Mar 20-21

• Lincoln Wright, Mansfield Legacy, 1:52.35 - Texas Distance Festival Sponsored by HOKA, Mar 20-21

• Elijah Zuniga, Spring Providence Classical School, 1:52.54 - 43rd Victor Lopez Classic, Mar 26-28

1500m

• Camden Gibson, Conroe Woodlands College Park, 3:51.10 - 43rd Victor Lopez Classic, Mar 26-28

• Elton Martin, The Woodlands, 3:52.71 - 43rd Victor Lopez Classic, Mar 26-28

• Carter Maloy, Katy Tompkins, 3:58.40 - 43rd Victor Lopez Classic, Mar 26-28

• Ryder Darcey, Katy, 4:00.01 - 43rd Victor Lopez Classic, Mar 26-28

• Andrew Duff, Klein Oak, 4:00.70 - 43rd Victor Lopez Classic, Mar 26-28

1600m

• Camden Gibson, Conroe Woodlands College Park, 4:05.72 - College Park Invitational, Mar 13

• Jaxon Asbill, Dayton, 4:11.84 - Texas Distance Festival Sponsored by HOKA, Mar 20-21

• Anthony Abeyta, Keller, 4:12.22 - Jesuit-Sheaner Relays, Mar 27-28

• Elton Martin, The Woodlands, 4:12.94 - College Park Invitational, Mar 13

• Andrew Esparza, Round Rock, 4:13.00 - Chap Relays 2026, Mar 12

Mile

• Caden Leonard, Carroll High School, 4:01.02 - Texas Distance Festival Sponsored by HOKA, Mar 20-21

• Noah Strohman, Holliday High School, 4:10.76 - Texas Distance Festival Sponsored by HOKA, Mar 20-21

• Ruel Newberry, Denton Guyer, 4:11.12 - Texas Distance Festival Sponsored by HOKA, Mar 20-21

• Ryder Strohman, Holliday High School, 4:13.10 - Texas Distance Festival Sponsored by HOKA, Mar 20-21

• Wells Peterson, TMI Episcopal High School, 4:13.90 - Texas Distance Festival Sponsored by HOKA, Mar 20-21

3000m

• Camden Gibson, Conroe Woodlands College Park, 8:28.95 - 43rd Victor Lopez Classic, Mar 26-28

• Isaac Knape, Houston St. Thomas, 8:38.15 - 43rd Victor Lopez Classic, Mar 26-28

• Kaeden Beno, Spring Providence Classical School, 8:46.36 - 43rd Victor Lopez Classic, Mar 26-28

• Jed Mazingo, Humble Kingwood, 8:49.11 - 43rd Victor Lopez Classic, Mar 26-28

• Eli Mugambi, Humble Atascocita, 8:50.60 - 43rd Victor Lopez Classic, Mar 26-28

3200m

• Lucas Kranz, Austin Lake Travis, 9:07.68 - Texas Distance Festival Sponsored by HOKA, Mar 20-21

• Wells Peterson, TMI Episcopal High School, 9:07.84 - Texas Distance Festival Sponsored by HOKA, Mar 20-21

• Ethan Locke, Valor Prep Academy High School, 9:09.80 - West HS Relays, Mar 19

• Andrew Esparza, Round Rock, 9:10.18 - Charles Austin High School Classic Varsity, Mar 27

• John Boland, San Antonio Antonian, 9:10.20 - Texas Distance Festival Sponsored by HOKA, Mar 20-21