Flower Mound Remains No. 1 Despite Graduating Bulk Of Last Year's Regional Championship Team

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Girls NXR South Preview

Flower Mound of Lewisville, Texas has become a national power in the post-pandemic world of high school cross country and the program isn't letting up. 

The Jaguars are seeking a fourth appearance at NXN and early results show they may have the inside track to another regional title. 

Last year, Flower Mound, powered up front by twins Samantha and Natalie Humphries, finished 17th at NXN and perennial Texas power Southlake Carroll took 18th. 

The recent Texas powers, which also include The Woodlands and Lucas Lovejoy, are all primed to compete for state bragging rights and the opportunity to go to nationals 

But there is also an interesting development out of Arkansas, where a young and talented team from Rogers High could be ready to make some noise. 

Of course, Elizabeth Leachman is perhaps the biggest story in the South region. The Foot Locker cross country champion, still only a junior at Boerne Champion, has already won a pair of late-summer races with times in the 16:30s. She is expected to limit her travel for the next couple of months in order to conserve some of her energy for the postseason. 

Leachman won last year's NXR South girls championship race by almost a minute. 

Denton Braswell junior Macy Wingard, the Texas 6A champion, was third at the NXR South meet and 18th at NXN, just a few seconds behind Leachman. 

1. Flower Mound TX. Is there life for this program after Natalie Cook and the Humphries twins (Samantha and Natalie, both enrolled at Oregon)? Apparently so. Only three runners are back from last year's 17th place NXN team, but an early season victory at the Marcus Coach T Invitational affirms that the Jaguars are still formidable. Seniors Ava Cole and Alexandra Fox, sophomore Adeline Bennett and Liana Cluley-Garza, and junior Keira Primer scored 43 points and were compressed into 41 seconds at the finish line. It was an impressive performance that portends good things for the rest of the fall. 

2. Rogers AR. For starters, Arkansas has never qualified a girls team to Nike Cross Nationals. And perhaps, this Rogers team is still too young. But it is brimming with talent and this fall could see the Mountaineers climb a proverbial mountain. Last year Rogers won the Arkansas Class 6A title with 35 points and they are all back. Four of them were freshmen, including a set of triplets, and two more were sophomores. Let's start with the Scudder sisters: Katherine, Elizabeth and Anna. All three finished in the top 12 of the state final. In track all three ran 5:08-5:09 in the 1,600 meters. Sophomore Kayla Eggers, junior Lilly Beshears and junior Jalie Bohnert give this team even more potential. Rogers finished sixth at NXR South last year and this elevated ranking presumes forward progress and development for a young group. Let's find out.  

3.The Woodlands TX. The Highlanders finished fourth at the NXR South regional last year and return leader Stoya Laydevant, a senior, and sophomore Naomi Weller as key building blocks. A transfer from Southlake Carroll's NXN roster, Vanessa Vezga, is a key acquisition. Junior Olivia Winiesdorffer, freshman Mickey Cahill, junior Stella Wilder and senior Heidi Donovan all factored into an impressive early season victory at the College Park XC Invitational last weekend. This team should be in the mix for a possible NXN berth by the end of the season. 

4. Southlake Carroll TX. Yes, the Dragons took a hit with some key losses to graduation, but the 18tth place team from Nike Cross Nationals last year returns six of its 11 fastest girls from 2023. Senior Elizabeth Smits was the top performer for the team at NXN (77th) and she is joined on this year's roster by senior Sarayu Veluri, sophomore Abigail Perez, junior Luna Guttierez, and sophomore Grace McIlvain. Even if it is a bit of a rebuilding year, the track record of this program is that it never slips far. SLC has 15 NXN appearances to attest for the program's consistency.

5. Lucas Lovejoy TX. The reigning Class 5A champions lost a standout to graduation in Sara Morefield, but there is enough talent coming back for the Leopards to go after a fourth consecutive state title. At the Marcus Coach T Invitational on Aug. 31, the team finished second to Flower Mound and split 59 seconds on its scoring five. Junior Camryn Benson ran 18:03 to lead the team with an eighth place finish. Fellow juniors Bridget Bernal and Harper Jaynes, sophomore Talia Orshalick and senior Campbell Lester rounded out the top five. This program made it to NXN in 2022 and is highly motivated to stay in the picture. 

WATCHLIST

Aledo TX

Bridgeland TX

Piedmont OK

Humble Kingwood TX

Klein TX

Northwest Nelson TX

Jenks OK

Owasso OK