The Woodlands Looks To Re-Establish Dominance In South

By Paul Schmitz of DyeStat

Boys NXR South Preview 

In 2018, the South was probably the weakest region in the country. That was certainly true on the boys team side with 20th- and 22nd-place NXN finishes for Southlake Carroll TX and El Paso Eastwood TX.

In 2019, the South has some renewed reason for optimism. After a two-year NXN absence, Conroe The Woodlands TX is back with a quality team and is the pick to take its first regional title since 2015. This is a team that can compete for a single digit NXN finish. The ever-present Southlake Carroll program is projected for its 10th consecutive trip to NXN and should have an improved team from 2018. An at-large bid is not an impossibility with El Paso Eastwood and Flower Mound TX both returning squads that can compete with the regional perennial powers from The Woodlands and SLC.

Since the first Nike South race in 2007, the top two spots and automatic NXN qualifying teams have all come from the state of Texas. Teams from Texas have secured every top-two spot in the region since 2004. Only Rogers AR scored a trip to Portland with an NXN at-large bid in 2007.

As in 2018, the teams with the best chance to compete with the teams from Texas are Bentonville and Fayetteville, both from Arkansas. These teams have gone 1-2 in the state's largest classification the past two years, with Bentonville coming out on top. Both squads return four of their top five runners. The top team in Oklahoma is Deer Creek, the defending large class state champion. Deer Creek returns six of seven but does not have the firepower to compete with the top Texas schools.

1. The Woodlands TX.  The Highlanders used five juniors and two sophomores when they won the Class 6A title last November. The parity in the state was evident two weeks later when the squad finished fourth at NXR South. With all seven returning and depth below, this team has created separation from that parity and is the team to beat this fall. The group is led by seniors Ryan Cardinal and Ethan Hammer.  

2. Southlake Carroll TX.  The Dragons are poised to make their 10th straight NXN appearance in 2019. Led by senior Nate Lannen, this team does not have the depth of The Woodlands, but always finds competitive runners and peaks at the right time.  

3. El Paso Eastwood TX.  The reigning 5A Texas state champions shocked the region last year and captured the NXR South title and earned a first ever trip to NXN. The Troopers' 22nd-place finish might have been a “happy to be here” type of experience, but it was well earned. With five of seven returning, this group knows how to get there and can again compete with the big schools in 6A. Led by senior Sergio Leon Cuartas, EPE can be inconsistent at times 2-7, but could sneak into NXN again if it all comes together at regionals. 

4. Flower Mound TX. This team has a potential low stick in Kirk Jarrett. Flower Mound finished third in the Texas state meet and also at NXR South in 2018 and returns four of the top five and five of seven. The gaps between teams are small in the region, especially between Nos. 2,  3 and 4 and there will be some movement before the season ends. It would not be a surprise to see Flower Mound move up.

5. Lucas Lovejoy TX  The competition in the NXR South appears to be a four-horse race with the rest of the field vying for fifth. Lucas Lovejoy gets the nod as the best of the rest. This team returns all of its top five from 2018 after a third-place 5A finish in Texas and a 13th-place finish at the NXR South. 

Watchlist

Bentonville AR

Fayetteville AR

Deer Creek OK