Top Texas 6A teams Flower Mound and Southlake Carroll have aspirations to return to Oregon, with reigning 5A champion Lucas Lovejoy looking to secure significant first appearance at NXN; Several elite individuals have opportunity to grab spotlight following graduation of Eastbay and RunningLane winner Cook

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Girls NXR South Preview

For the first time since 2013, three Texas girls teams competed at the same national meet when Lewisville Flower Mound, Lucas Lovejoy and Southlake Carroll all finished in the top 20 last year at the Garmin RunningLane Championships in Alabama.

Although the memorable achievements of Natalie Cook winning the individual title and her Flower Mound teammates placing seventh overall, in addition to Lovejoy and Carroll finishing 19th and 20th, respectively, occurred at John Hunt Park in Huntsville instead of at Glendoveer Golf Course in Portland, Ore., as part of Nike Cross Nationals, there are still significant opportunities awaiting all the returning athletes this season.

The same three programs are the leading contenders to compete this fall for the two automatic berths and a potential at-large bid Nov. 19 at NXR South at Bear Branch Park.

Carroll has accounted for 13 of the 34 overall appearances achieved by Texas teams from 2004-19 at either Nike Team Nationals or NXN, with Flower Mound earning its lone bid to race in Oregon in 2018 and several other programs like Lovejoy, Klein, Austin Vandegrift, Boerne Champion and Colleyville Heritage all pursuing their first trips to compete in Portland.

Prosper and Conroe The Woodlands are both faced with the challenges of replacing significant seniors in order to achieve appearances again at NXN, with the top programs from Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma all looking to make history by becoming the first teams from their respective states to advance.

The graduation of Cook, also last year’s Eastbay national champion who is now a freshman at Oklahoma State, provides an opportunity for Cedar Park junior Isabel Conde de Frankenberg, Prosper senior Shewaye Johnson, Heritage junior Allie Love, Lovejoy senior Amy Morefield, Klein junior Kathryn Koonts and Flower Mound sisters Nicole Humphries and Samantha Humphries to take over as the new leading ladies in Texas this season. 

1. Flower Mound TX. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the Jaguars’ success last year wasn’t repeating as Texas UIL 6A state champions, rather their seventh-place finish at the RunningLane Championships in Alabama, especially doing so without Nicole Humphries contributing to the performance. Despite the graduation of two-time national champion Natalie Cook, Flower Mound still boasts an exceptional trio up front, led by junior sisters Samantha Humphries and Nicole Humphries and also including sophomore Alexandra Fox. The development of depth for the Jaguars will not only be the main determining factor in securing a third straight 6A title, but also earning a second trip to Nike Cross Nationals after making their debut in Oregon in 2018. Senior Abbey Coberly and juniors Eva Hirniak and Natalie Spangher will be instrumental in replacing graduates Allison Buemi and Virginia Knight, with junior Bailey Hooley and sophomores Ava Cole and Claire Bettencourt also looking to develop into consistent contributors for the Jaguars, who will face an elite field Sept. 16 at the Woodbridge Classic, including fellow national powers Buchanan of California, Arapahoe from Colorado and North Carolina 4A champion Cuthbertson.

2. Lucas Lovejoy TX. Since the UIL expanded to six classifications for the first time in 2014, no 5A girls programs have managed to qualify for Nike Cross Nationals. Only adding more incentive for Lovejoy is the fact that the Leopards are still seeking their first NXN berth after demonstrating they were capable of racing at a national level last season by following their 5A state title with a 19th-place performance at the RunningLane Championships in Alabama. Senior Amy Morefield is the top returning athlete for Lovejoy, which held off Boerne Champion by a 65-71 margin last season to capture the 5A crown and secure the program’s first championship since winning the 3A title in 2011. She is supported by an impressive junior class that includes Kailey Littlefield, Peyton Benson, Kate Carlson and sister Sara Morefield. The emergence of freshman Camryn Benson could wind up providing the Leopards with the necessary depth to compete with 6A programs Flower Mound and Southlake Carroll in November. Tatum Novicke, Jocelyn Chapman, Bridget Bernal and Kaylee Martin are also freshmen capable of contributing for Lovejoy, which will also get a preview of potential challengers from Arkansas Oct. 1 at the Chile Pepper XC Festival in Fayetteville.

3. Southlake Carroll TX. The girls program with the most appearances at Nike Team Nationals and Nike Cross Nationals in state and regional history with 13 – including five in a row from 2009-13 – the Dragons rebounded from an uncharacteristic fourth-place finish at the UIL 6A state final to triumph at NXR South, before finishing 20th at the RunningLane Championships at Alabama, one spot and 12 points behind 5A winner Lucas Lovejoy. Although Southlake Carroll graduated Kaylie Cox, a veteran lineup returns, highlighted by senior Ava Bushaw, juniors Alexandra Walsh and Sylvia Schwedler and sophomore Elizabeth Smits. The Dragons also have the ability to showcase more depth with senior Natalie Ng, junior Charlotte Martin and promising sophomores Gabriella Tesoriero, Ryann Flores and Sarayu Veluri. Southlake Carroll qualified for NXN in 2019 after winning the 6A state title, but has been overshadowed by Flower Mound the past two seasons. No program has demonstrated the ability to perform well at the regional meet better than the Dragons, who will again earn valuable experience during the season competing Sept. 16 at the Woodbridge Classic and Oct. 1 at the Chile Pepper XC Festival.

4. Klein TX. Another group with aspirations to qualify for Nike Cross Nationals for the first time, returning the entire lineup from a sixth-place finish last season at the UIL 6A state final could make the Bearkats a sleeper Nov. 19 at NXR South at Bear Branch Park. Junior Kathryn Koonts and senior Kristen McHugh provide Klein with a pair of catalysts to lead its pack, with strong support from senior Isabella Rivault, junior Daniela Mendez and sophomore Sophia Goerlich. The addition of freshmen Paige Meinhardt and Kamdyn Spencer could be the most valuable components for the Klein lineup, with juniors Genesis Navarro and Teia Morris also possessing important experience from last year’s postseason. McHugh is the only Klein competitor with experience racing at the regional meet, with the Bearkats facing the added pressure of likely needing to place in the top two at NXR South in order to earn an automatic berth to race in Oregon, since no Texas program has earned an at-large berth to NXN since 2013.

5. Austin Vandegrift TX. There are other teams in Texas with more experienced athletes or veterans with the potential to challenge for state individual championships, but the Vipers demonstrated with their third-place finish at NXR South last year that they could be a strong factor come the UIL 6A final, as well as at the regional meet this season. Vandegrift learned from its eighth-place performance at the state championship meet and graduated only Taylor Mathis from the lineup, returning improved juniors Annie Burton, Caitlin Garrett, Kaitlyn Jones and Peyton Wagner. A balanced roster has only benefited from the addition of freshman Tibbie Mustacchia, with senior Carley Thornton, junior Svea Jones and sophomores Leilani Preciado and Cate Cloran all capable of contributing for the Vipers, who will have a significant opportunity to compete Oct. 1 at Bear Branch Park at the Nike South Invitational in an effort to prepare for the regional meet. Vandegrift might still be another year away from becoming a serious contender to qualify for NXN, but the Vipers have the potential to thrive in the underdog role in the postseason.

WATCHLIST

Bentonville AR

Boerne Champion TX

Colleyville Heritage TX

Deer Creek OK

Fayetteville AR

Prosper TX

Ruston LA

The Woodlands TX