The Woodlands Boys Get It Done Again At State, Win 21st Title

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

The incredible Texas cross country legacy of The Woodlands added another state championship Saturday at Old Settlers Park 

The Highlanders, who qualified for state for the 40th consecutive year, won their 21st title. Dan Green's boys teams won 15 state titles in 30 years and now his son, Juris, has led the boys to six titles in 10 years. 

The Woodlands went into Saturday's meet ranked third in the state behind Flower Mound and Southlake Carroll. Spencer Cardinal (third) and Ethan Hammer (ninth) led The Woodlands, who fielded a seven-man squad without a senior, on the way to 99 points. Southlake Carroll was second with 113 points. 

Senior Alex Maier won his first race of the season in the Class 6A final, going 14:34.9 in an emphatic return to form, and his Flower Mound team finished third with 117 points. 

Junior Alex Schoppe was second in 14:43.9. 

Coppell put together a great race on the girls side and scored 79 points to beat higher ranked teams. 

Senior Ashlyn Hillyard of Plano ran 16:38.3 for the fastest time of the day in the 6A race. She was seven seconds up on sophomore Brynn Brown of Denton Guyer. 

Runners in Class 6A got some of the benefit of cooler morning temperatures. It was warmer for the Class 5A races, where high ranked individuals Graydon Morris of Aledo (15:04.0) and London Culbreath of McKinney North (16:58.5) were the winners. 

Morris, the Foot Locker runner-up last year, won his second consecutive 5A title. Culbreath won for the third straight year.

El Paso Eastwood won the 5A boys team crown with 62 points to beat challengers Austin LBJ (87) and Lucas Lovejoy (91). 

Frisco Wakeland edged out Boerne Champion, 90-98 for the girls 5A win. 

Judson Greer of Melissa won the Class 4A boys race in 15:02.9 as sophomores went 1-2-3. Decatur beat Andrews 90-92 to earn the team title. 

Anna Casey of Llano won the 4A girls 3,200-meter race in 11:39.8. Canyon scored 54 points for the win. 

Kevin Baez of Vanderbilt Industrial took the 3A boys race in 15:30. Steven Quintanilla of Sundown won the 2A race in 15:24.3.

The Happy girls edged Cumby Miller Grove with a tiebreaker after both teams scored 84 points. Cumby Miller Grove got the boys title, however, with 36 points.

Team Champions

Class 6A Boys - The Woodlands 99 points - RESULTS

Class 6A Girls - Coppell 79 points - RESULTS

Class 5A Boys - El Paso Eastwood 62 points - RESULTS

Class 5A Girls - Frisco Wakeland 90 points - RESULTS

Class 4A Boys - Decatur 90 points - RESULTS

Class 4A Girls - Canyon 54 points - RESULTS

Class 3A Boys - Eustace 65 points - RESULTS

Class 3A Girls -Tulia 86 points - RESULTS

Class 2A Boys - Great Hearts Monte Vista 40 points - RESULTS

Class 2A Girls - San Saba 72 points - RESULTS

Class 1A Boys - Cumby Miller Grove 36 points - RESULTS

Class 1A Girls - Happy 84 points - RESULTS