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South Region Girls Preseason Rankings 2021Published by
Flower Mound looks to find its way back to NXN, this time as favorite following UIL 6A title; Southlake Carroll hopes to continue postseason excellence By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor Girls NXR South Preview Lewisville Flower Mound was one of the most inspiring stories at the 2018 Nike Cross Nationals, rebounding from a runner-up finish at the UIL 6A state final to prevail at the South Regional meet and earn its first trip to compete in Oregon. The Jaguars don’t expect to catch anyone by surprise this season after winning the 6A title last year, but they have embraced the challenge, not only preparing to face the top competition regardless of classification in Texas, but also joining Southlake Carroll and Austin Vandegrift in the girls sweepstakes race Sept. 18 at the Woodbridge Classic in California, where they will have an opportunity to evaluate if they can be a significant presence at a national level come December. Following the most unique season in program history, Southlake Carroll is happy to be competing again in an odd-numbered year. All superstitions aside, the Lady Dragons have qualified for NXN in every odd-numbered year since 2005. Aside from the cancellation of last year’s event, the only years Southlake Carroll missed qualifying to compete at Nike Team Nationals or NXN were 2008, 2014 and 2018. Only New York powers Fayetteville-Manlius and Saratoga Springs, both with 14 all-time girls appearances, have more than the 13 trips to the national meet accumulated by Southlake Carroll. Although Boerne Champion is the returning 5A state winner, Grapevine and Lucas Lovejoy are programs in the same classification with the potential to earn their first trips to NXN. There is clear separation among the top three programs in 6A in Flower Mound, Southlake Carroll and Conroe The Woodlands and the rest of the pack, but 5A is significantly deeper, which makes the margin for error even more fragile in the postseason. The arrival of Cameron McConnell from Cherokee Trail High, the 5A state runner-up in Colorado last year, has Canyon Randall optimistic about its potential to upset the balance of power in the postseason, with the Raiders adding a legitimate state championship contender to a group that returns every scoring athlete from a sixth-place lineup last year. Another sleeper come state and regional competition could be Prosper in the 6A classification, with junior Shewaye Johnson – a transfer from Ballard Community after winning the Iowa 3A state title last season – joining senior Aubrey O'Connell to form one of the best tandems in Texas. 1. Flower Mound TX. The reigning UIL 6A state champions return three athletes who placed in the top 20 at last year’s final, including seniors Natalie Cook and Allison Buemi, along with sophomore Samantha Humphries. Coach Andrew Cook did a masterful job last season for the Jaguars, but since the addition of the 6A classification in 2014, there has yet to be a repeat winner at the state championship meet, a trend Flower Mound hopes to erase this season. Nicole Humphries, Samantha’s twin sister, along with senior Virginia Knight and junior Emma McLaughlin give the Jaguars the depth necessary to not only repeat for the first time in program history, but qualify to race again at NXN after winning the 2018 regional crown. 2. Southlake Carroll TX. The consistency of the Lady Dragons under coach Justin Leonard has been remarkable, including a 6A state championship in 2019 and a runner-up finish last season. Senior Kaylie Cox is an impressive leader for the group, but the support of juniors Ava Bushaw, Audrey Dunn and Natalie Ng, along with the experience of senior Olivia Jones will be crucial if Southlake Carroll is going to challenge not only Flower Mound for a state title, but also earn a 14th all-time appearance to race at the national meet in Oregon, the most by any girls program outside of New York. 3. Grapevine TX. Seniors Lila Nicodemus and Abigayle Kuehne both placed in the top 20 at the 5A state final last year, as the Mustangs were one of the state’s most improved teams. Juniors Kylie Himes and Theresa McCullough, in addition to senior Madyson Lucero, provide coach Rick Miller with significant experience in order to compete against last year’s winner Boerne Champion and fellow contender Lucas Lovejoy. Grapevine relied on an exceptional 19-second spread to make the state podium last year, but following the graduation of two scoring athletes, the continued focus on pack running will be crucial to the program’s opportunity to challenge for the 5A title for the first time since 2015 and perhaps find itself in regional contention. 4. The Woodlands TX. With senior Natasja Beijen and sophomore Katarina Hodgson returning following top 15 performances at the 6A state final last season, the Highlanders can match the strength up front against any team in its classification. Although senior Brooke Forbes and sophomore Gia Kurp have demonstrated the potential to be reliable contributors, the biggest area of emphasis for coach Juris Green – who succeeded Noel Hansen following his retirement last season – will be developing depth in the back of the lineup following the graduation of several veterans last year. 5. Lucas Lovejoy TX. Although last year’s winner Boerne Champion returns a pair of top 10 competitors from last year’s 5A state meet, there is plenty of upside for Lovejoy with its top five scorers all returning from a lineup that finished seventh under coach Carly Littlefield. Sophomore Kailey Littlefield and junior Amy Morefield are an impressive tandem up front for the Leopards, with seniors Rachel Malik and Katie Armstrong also returning, as well as sophomore Sara Morefield. Senior Hailey Malik also has a chance to be an important contributor for Lovejoy, which is seeking its first championship since winning back-to-back 3A crowns in 2010-11. WATCHLIST |
