TEXAS STATE MEET

Caden Leonard, Macy Wingard Capture Third Straight UIL 6A Individual Titles

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Bert Richarson PHOTOS

Seniors Caden Leonard of Southlake Carroll and Macy Wingard of Denton Braswell both made history on Saturday at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock by winning third consecutive cross country state titles in Texas' largest classification. 

Leonard, who returned from injury in time to join his team in October, ran 14:42.0 to win the boys final by seven seconds and cap an incredible state meet career. The son of Southlake Carroll's coach, Justin Leonard, finished sixth as a freshman in 2022 and then three straight at the state meet. 

Southlake Carroll also won the team title with 71 points, beating Austin Vandegrift (98) and Bridgeland (107). 

Wingard, who was 10th as a freshman before winning as a sophomore and junior, ran a time of 16:45.7 and had a margin of 24 seconds at the finish. 

The Bridgeland girls put three runners in the top nine to edge Flower Mound for the team title, 38 to 41. 

Sophomore Ruel Newberry finished second to Leonard in the 6A boys race in 14:49. Griffen Sacke of Bridgeland (14:52.3) and Kai Gutierrez of Southlake Carroll (14:56.5) also broke 15 minutes. 

Colby Huntress of Austin Anderson won the 5A boys final in 15:06.8. Grapevine easily won the team title with 63 points. 

Two-time defending champion Elizabeth Leachman did not race this fall, leaving the 5A girls race open to someone new. Eva Cragnolino of Austin LASA took the opportunity and won the individual in 17:47.1.

Lucas Lovejoy won the girls 5A team championship with 63 points, using a big advantage at No. 5 (25-50) to defeat Comal Smithson by 12 points. 

The Class 4A boys finish came down to a dive for the tape as Domenic San Miguel of Canyon ran 15:08.2 and held off the lunging Armando Morales of La Feria, who finished in 15:08.3.

Canyon's Noah Cooper was third and the Eagles were an easy winner with 48 points. 

The Canyon girls made it as 4A sweep and went even lower with 35 points. Addyson Bristow won the 3,200-meter race in 10:38.7 and teammate Presli Pool was third. 

Twins Noah and Ryder Strohman of Holliday went 1-2 in the 3A boys final, in 15:26.4 and 15:44.7, respectively. Lytle won the team title with 68 points. 

East Bernard won the 3A girls team championship. Kenli Atwood made it an individual sweep for Holliday as she won the girls race in 11:18.0. 

State Champions - RESULTS

Class 6A - Southlake Carroll boys 71 points, Bridgeland girls 38 points

Class 5A - Grapevine boys 63 points, Lucas Lovejoy girls 63 points 

Class 4A - Canyon boys 48 points, Canyon girls 35 points 

Class 3A - Lytle boys 68 points, East Bernard girls 94 points

Class 2A - Windthorst boys 106 points, Hamilton girls 65 points

Class 1A - Clyde Eula boys 78 points, Tilen McMullen County girls 50 points