Neither team had a championship last season, so the victory was especially sweet
ROUND ROCK — An hour after the medals and trophies, they ran together. The boys and girls of Southlake Carroll, unbeatable all season and again on Saturday at the state championships, jogged through Old Settlers Park in a flash of green and white, crisply packed together like they were during their triumphant races.
The girls won the 5A championship with a team score of 34. The boys set a state record with their team score of 20 points. Fifteen points, for the sake of perspective, is like getting a 36 on the ACT. It’s perfect. So 20? It’s like missing only the hardest question of the science section.
“I didn’t believe it,” Nate Sullivan said.
Sullivan led the boys, finishing fifth overall. Ben Golestan, Joe Sansone, Trevor Gilley and Jordan Chavez joined him in the top 10. Courtney Kriegshauser finished second in the girls race, and Shelby Chapin and Felice Johnson finished sixth and seventh, respectively. The girls followed the same plan they have all year. Stay calm. Surge after the first mile. Pass every other color of jersey they see. And “smile, have fun,” Chapin said.
At the 4A level, Frisco Liberty senior Brady Turnbull ran his first mile like he wanted and stayed just behind the leader until about a half mile remained. From there, he fell off but still finished second, 12 spots better than last year.
“I’m extremely blessed,” Turnbull said, acknowledging a mob of family and friends taking pictures with him post race. “It was a good way to end it.”
The Kaufman boys, led by German Lopez, Edwin Munoz and Dylon Lowe, won the 3A state title, and the Highland Park girls repeated as state champions at the 4A level.
With a team motto of “Sole Sisters,” their race strategy has been clear all season. They hope to bunch together. On Saturday, Mary Beth Hamilton, Natalie Rathjen and Kate Krikorian finished 14th, 15th and 16th.
“It’s kind of cheesy but I have this quote, my favorite quote,” Hamilton said. “ ‘It is amazing what can be done when no one cares about who gets the credit.’ And I just think that’s really what we’re about.”
Unlike Highland Park, neither the boys nor the girls of Southlake Carroll experienced a championship last season. They had waited for this for so long.
Gilley had an app on his smartphone count down to this day. Chapin set her watch alarm for 11:12, the state meet’s date, to remind her of her goal daily.
They ramped up those reminders this last week. The girls texted each other almost every night, and each member of the state team wrote 19 letters, one for every runner, for encouragement and a reminder of the fun times they’d already experienced this season, a season that ended on the perfect note Saturday, state titles now belonging to both teams.
“We have such good camaraderie this year, the chemistry,” Kriegshauser said. “We wanted it as much for each other as for ourselves.”
UIL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
(At Austin)
SATURDAY'S RESULTS
CLASS 5A BOYS TEAM STANDINGS
1. Southlake Carroll ...........................20
2. Hou. Strake Jesuit........................110
3. College Park ................................122
4. Hou. Cypress Woods.....................128
5. The Woodlands............................130
6. EP Westwood ..............................153
7. Amarillo Tascosa .........................175
8. Katy Cinco Ranch .........................194
9. SA Holmes..................................253
11. Humble Kingwood ......................260
12. Eagle Pass.................................275
INDIVIDUALS
1. Craig Nowak, Hou. Cypress Woods15:16
2. Daniel Vertiz, SA Reagan ............15:21
3. Kevyn Hoyos, Hebron.................15:27
4. Robert Domanic, Hebron ............15:40
5. Nate Sullivan, SL Carroll ..........15:40.2
6. Ben Golestan, SL Carroll ..........15:40.5
7. CaleWallace, Hou. Cypress Ranch15:43
8. Joe Sansone, SL Carroll ..............15:47
9. Trevor Gilley, SL Carroll ..............15:51
10. Jordan Chavez, SL Carroll ..........15:53
CLASS 5A GIRLS TEAM STANDINGS
1. Southlake Carroll ...........................34
2. Humble Kingwood .........................48
3. Flower Mound .............................104
4. College Park ................................124
5. FM Marcus ..................................154
6. The Woodlands ............................160
7. Laredo Alexander.........................180
8. Hou. Cypress Fairbanks.................199
9. Katy...........................................220
10. Katy Seven Lakes .......................228
11. New Braunfels ...........................294
12. Edinburg....................................312
INDIVIDUALS
1. Karis Jochen, A&M Cons. .............11:12
2. Courtney Kreigshauser, SL Carroll11:23.5
3. Maddie McLellan, The Woodlands11:23.7
4. Ashley Mills, Humble Kingwood ..11:26
5. Catie Daigre, Humble Kingwood...11:27
6. Shelby Chapin, SL Carroll ............11:29
7. Felice Johnson, SL Carroll............11:31
8. Bottoms Janae, Klein ..............11:32.5
9. Safiya Balbina, Flower Mound ..11:32.8
10. Melanie Enriquez, RR Stony Point ... 11:33
CLASS 4A BOYS TEAM STANDINGS
1. Boerne Champion...........................52
2. Cedar Park ....................................66
3. EP Jefferson................................109
4. Friendswood................................147
5. Keller Timber Creek......................152
6. Juarez Lincoln .............................152
7. EP Burgess..................................170
8. Rockwall .....................................193
9. Brenham ....................................203
10. Highland Park ............................203
11. Hou. Stratford ............................214
12. Red Oak.....................................291
INDIVIDUALS
1. Ryan Teel, Friendswood..............15:42
2. Brady Turnbull, Frisco Liberty .....15:54
3. Joel Flores, EP Jefferson ............15:55
4. Adam Waldum, CP Vista Ridge ....16:01
5. Omar Trevino, SA Edison............16:09
6. Moore Nate, Lockhart ..............16:11.6
7. Jose Delgado, Pharr Valley View16:11.8
8. Gerardo Escapita, EP Jefferson....16:12
9. Levi Kessler, Friendswood ..........16:16
10. Nava Arturo, FW Boswell ..........16:18
CLASS 4A GIRLS TEAM STANDINGS
1. Highland Park................................72
2. Canyon.........................................94
3. Cedar Park ....................................98
4. Canyon Randall ............................120
5. Austin Vandegrift ........................150
6. Willis .........................................152
7. Keller Timber Creek......................167
8. Frisco .........................................175
9. New Braunfels Canyon .................208
10. Hou. Stratford............................221
11. Forney.......................................239
12. Friendswood..............................303
INDIVIDUALS
1. Cali Roper, Willis........................11:07
2. Perez Emily, Juarez-Lincoln.........11:18
3. Devin Clark, Smithson Valley ......11:26
4. Brittany Innis, Cedar Park.........11:27.1
5. Maggie Escobar, FW Boswell ....11:27.4
6. Maddie Zimmerman, Frisco Wakeland11:32
7. Meghan Shea, McKinney.............11:36
8. Abigail Tankersley, Boerne Champion ......11:37.5
9. Jessica Prickett, Burleson ........11:37.7
10. Kendall Howen, Rich. Pearce ......11:38
CLASS 3A BOYS TEAM STANDINGS
1. Kaufman.......................................61
2. Sanger .........................................80
3. Liberty Hill ...................................97
4. Lufkin Hudson .............................105
5. Decatur .......................................151
6. Fredericksburg.............................154
7. Andrews .....................................156
8. Lucas Lovejoy ..............................167
9. Salado ........................................188
10. Giddings ....................................231
11. Huffman Hargrave......................265
12. Borger ......................................280
INDIVIDUALS
1. JeffWeisheit, Venus..................15:54
2. Armando Fierro, Port Isabel......16:10.3
3. Bo Porter, Fredericksburg.........16:10.8
4. Eric Torres, Robstown ................16:17
5. Marcos Vallejo, Llano.................16:20
6. Tesfamariam Tesfey, Stafford.....16:21
7. German Lopez, Kaufman ............16:23
8. Kevin Nunez, Alvarado ...............16:26
9. Lucas Marquez, Andrews............16:28
10. Gustavo Lugo, Big Spring ..........16:42
CLASS 3A GIRLS TEAM STANDINGS
1. Lucas Lovejoy................................28
2. La Vernia......................................67
3. Decatur .......................................131
4. Liberty Hill..................................144
5. Fairfield......................................149
6. Sanger ........................................151
7. Ingleside.....................................169
8. Kaufman.....................................187
9. Perryton .....................................214
10. Lufkin Hudson ...........................220
11. Dalhart......................................248
12. Huffman Hargrave .....................253
INDIVIDUALS
1. Susan Kemper, Liberty Hill ..........11:42
2. Katie Ruhala, Lucas Lovejoy ........11:52
3. Olivia Hinojosa, La Vernia...........12:02
4. Madison Trees, La Vernia ...........12:03
5. Bree Fontenot, Bridge City ..........12:11
6. Brittany Adams, FW Castleberry..12:14.0
7. Ande Carlton, China Spring.......12:14.5
8. Evelyn Chavez, Paris North Lamar12:15.0
9. Kaitlyn Newton, Anna..............12:15.5
10. Rachel Gleason, Lucas Lovejoy ...12:18
CLASS 2A BOYS TEAM STANDINGS
1. Luling...........................................68
2. Diana New Diana...........................99
3. Forsan.........................................119
4. Eustace .......................................121
5. Brock..........................................140
6. East Bernard................................151
7. Eddy Bruceville-Eddy....................160
8. Dilley..........................................163
9. Harper ........................................183
10. Onalaska ...................................192
11. Tornillo .....................................257
12. Mt. Pleasant Chapel Hill..............300
INDIVIDUALS
1. Randy McClain, Onalaska ............16:16
2. Michael Barnett, Luling ..............16:21
3. Josh Day, Harper .......................16:34
4. R.L. Pilcher, Clifton ....................16:43
5. David Dorantes, Daingerfield ..16:44.71
6. Brad Beckham, Diana New Diana16:44.81
7. Jose Campos, Luling ..................16:47
8. Nathan Summer, Jarrell .............16:52
9. Evan Arambula, Eustace.............16:56
10. Zach Daniel, Crane....................16:58
CLASS 2A GIRLS TEAM STANDINGS
1. Spearman .....................................88
2. Meilssa ........................................97
3. East Bernard ................................111
4. Alvord ........................................125
5. Luling .........................................153
6. Harper ........................................159
7. Cameron Yoe ...............................166
8. Eddy Bruceville-Eddy....................168
9. Ballinger.....................................173
10. Nacogdoches Central Heights ......235
11. Elkhart ......................................238
12. Centerville.................................316
INDIVIDUALS
1. Carley Glass, Luling ....................11:50
2. Rebecca Ulrich, Melissa ..............11:55
3. Payton Baker, Gunter.................12:09
4. Annie Dunlap, Crawford..............12:17
5. Pamela Marquez, Keene.............12:29
6. Lauren Bedrich, Rogers...............12:31
7. Alisia Pena, Cameron Yoe ...........12:33
8. Gately Garnett, Spearman ..........12:36
9. Courtney High, Vanderbilt Institutional ....12:38.66
10. Amanda Ham, Elkhart ..........12:38.92
CLASS A BOYS TEAM STANDINGS
1. Boys Ranch ...................................72
2. Port Aransas.................................75
3. Comstock .....................................83
4. Moulton......................................123
5. Bovina ........................................135
6. Douglass.....................................163
7. Clyde Eula ...................................193
8. Valley View.................................194
9. Hartley .......................................197
10. Priddy .......................................197
11. Cumby .......................................201
12. Slidell .......................................301
INDIVIDUALS
1.William Roberts, Sanderson........16:37
2. Andres Watson, San Perlita........16:45
3. Hunter Fair, Hawkins.................16:46
4. Shawn Stegall, Sanderson ..........16:51
5. Alex Reyes, Moulton..................16:58
6. Kevin Griffin, Claude ..................17:15
7. Ty Ramos, Moulton....................17:28
8. Matthew Fries, Port Aransas ......17:30
9. Clay Orona, Waelder ..................17:32
10. Corban Marcantel, Port Aransas 17:36
CLASS A GIRLS TEAM STANDINGS
1. Gruver..........................................63
2. Sunray .........................................77
3. Hamlin .......................................102
4. Lindsay.......................................133
5. Clarendon ...................................152
6. Douglass.....................................176
7. Zephyr........................................178
8. Garden City..................................181
9. Johnson City................................192
10. Muenster ..................................219
11. Shelbyville .................................231
12. Comstock ..................................306
INDIVIDUALS
1. Macey Siegert, Seymour.........12:19.49
2. Abrianna Carrasco, Sanderson.12:19.57
3. Kamie Halfmann, Garden City .....12:24
4. Megan Holt, Lindsay ..................12:25
5. Jacqueline Villareal, Hamlin .......12:27
6. Olivia Jalomo, Quanah ...............12:35
7. Liberty Lasley, Cherokee ............12:39
8. Ashley Parsley, White Deer ........12:43
9. Madison McLain, Gruver.............12:44
10. Shelley Gibson, Gruver..............12:49