Power of five leads The Woodlands to 10th state title

By Erik Boal, DyeStatCAL Editor

The Woodlands delivered the most memorable performance Saturday in Round Rock, Texas to win the Class 6A boys title at the University Interscholastic League State Championships, but it was the number five that was most prominent in the Highlanders’ victory.

Led by senior Daniel Golden (16:17.06) and junior Noah Wells (16:18.93) taking the top two spots in the 5-kilometer race, The Woodlands wasn’t affected by the rainy and muddy conditions at Old Settlers Park, placing all five scoring runners in the top 11 to produce a 24-104 victory over Southlake Carroll.

The Highlanders denied Southlake Carroll a fifth consecutive title and captured their first title since 2010, when The Woodlands enjoyed a run of five straight championships in Class 5A.

William Hunsdale (16:30.86), Matthew McClellan (16:34.28) and Nicholas Enochs (16:36.70) finished ninth, 10th and 11th for 10-time state champion The Woodlands, completing an impressive 19-second gap among its top five athletes.

Golden improved from 57th last season, when he was The Woodlands’ seventh runner. The Highlanders didn’t have an athlete place better than 26th last year, suffering a 94-105 setback to Southlake Carroll.

Heymach makes her mark

Following a runner-up finish as a freshman and third place last season, Lamar junior Julia Heymach captured her first state cross country championship to go along with a pair of state track titles in the spring.

With New Braunfels senior Paige Hofstad, the 2013 Class 5A champion and last year’s 6A runner-up, injured and unable to race, Heymach battled through inclement weather and uneven footing to prevail in 18:19.62.

Heymach took second to Hofstad in the Class 5A final as a freshman at Manvel. After transferring to Lamar for her sophomore year, Heymach finished behind Smithson Valley’s Devin Clark and Hofstad in the 6A final last season.

Marcus, led by a sixth-place finish from Quinn Owen (19:05.65), held off Southlake Carroll 78-87 for the 6A team championship. The Marauders, who won their first state title since a Class 5A victory in 2000 and the program’s fourth championship overall, were edged 68-76 last season by Hebron.

It marked the first time since 2010 that Southlake Carroll didn’t win a boys or girls state team championship.

Blunt repeats, record run slowed

Independence senior Carter Blunt had aspirations of challenging the meet record of 14:41.6 set in 2010 by Marcus’ Craig Lutz, but the unfavorable course conditions resulted in a more methodical approach to a third consecutive title.

Blunt clocked 16:20.46 to win the Class 5A championship, the sixth-fastest time of the meet across all divisions.

Blunt won last year’s 5A title in 15:22.20 after securing a 4A championship in 15:48.30 as a sophomore at Heritage.

Arambula aims high

Following an 18^th-place finish in last year’s Class 4A final, helping San Elizario win its first state title, junior Erick Arambula fueled the Eagles’ repeat with his individual victory in 16:05.79.

San Elizario, with six runners placing in the top 25, prevailed again with a 57-101 victory over Hudson.

Nic Butts improved from 11^th last season in Class 3A to win in 16:03.89, the fastest time of the meet.

More streaks continue

Luling repeated as Class 3A boys champion with a 40-70 victory over Cole, extending the Eagles’ championship run to six in a row overall, including four straight 2A titles from 2010-13.

Just like San Elizario’s boys, Bandera also repeated as 4A girls champion with a 94-120 triumph over Sanger. Valley View defended its Class 2A boys title with a 28-76 victory over New Summerfield.

Best of the rest

Alamo Heights senior Abby Gray improved from 12^th last year to win the Class 5A title in 18:23, the second-fastest girls time of the meet behind Heymach.

Grapevine won the 5A girls championship with a 65-85 victory over Randall. In the 5A boys final, Wakeland edged Lovejoy 88-93 for the title.

The girls finals from Class 1A to 4A were all 3,200-meter races. East Bernard sophomore Jessica Rabius, runner-up last year, had the fastest time among the four races to win the 3A title in 12:00.87.

Princeton’s Jaymee Dotson won the 4A championship in 12:12.82, Valley Mills’ Hannah Dillard secured the 2A title in 12:46.01 and Saltillo’s Sienna Collins captured the 1A crown in 12:52.18.

Rabius led East Bernard to the 3A team title, with Hamilton capturing the 2A championship and Miller Grove securing the 1A victory.

John Zuniga of Port Aransas won the boys 2A championship in 18:03.10 and Medina’s Austin Zirkel captured the 1A title in the most exciting race of the day, leaning ahead of Burton’s Cash Kunkel 18:13.45 to 18:13.48.

The boys 1A team battle was just as close, with Priddy edging Miller Grove 34-35.