TEXAS STATE MEET

Elizabeth Leachman Overcomes Illness And Injury In Valiant Effort For Team; Southlake Carroll Edges Austin Vandegrift For Sixth Straight 6A Boys Title; Flower Mound Girls Win Fifth Straight

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Bert Richardson and Miles MacGregor PHOTOS | INTERVIEWS

Elizabeth Leachman wasn't sure she'd run in the Texas state cross country championships, and she isn't sure if she will be able to continue into the postseason. 

But on Saturday she showed up and did it for her team. The Foot Locker national champion and all-time Texas meet record holder won the Class 5A girls final at Old Settlers Park in 17:14.8, which was 50 seconds slower than she ran it in 2023 and seven seconds slower than Macy Wingard of Denton Braswell won to claim her second 6A title. 

But for the sheer grit of making it to the starting line and winning her second straight UIL state title in cross country, it was a big achievement. 

"State is something really special to me, especially in cross country," Leachman said. "I didn't qualify to be here on my own. I wouldn't be here without my team and so I think it was really important for me to get this one for them."

Leachman's fall has not been easy as she struggled with injury and illness. 

"This season has kind of been a whirlwind for me," Leachman said. "I started off the season feeling pretty good after coming off an injury, so  I was happy about that and surprised. But then in the course of a couple weeks I ran into a teammate at practice and ended up out again, and then I got the stomach flu after that and I caught strep and I haven't been able to shake feeling awful since then."

Leachman got off the starting line conservatively but ramped up into gear and blew the 5A girls field away by 43 seconds. 

In Friday's Class 6A action, the Southlake Carroll boys won their sixth straight team championship as junior Caden Leonard won the individual title in 14:50.1.  

The Dragons beat Austin Vandegrift by four points, 49-53, after the Vipers' Hudson Haley had an off day and finished 26th. 

Wingard's winning time in Class 6A of 17:07.9 put her 25 seconds ahead of Bridgeland's Lily Fawcett, who was second in 17:32.1.

Flower Mound of Lewisville won its fifth straight 6A girls team title with 47 points. Bridgeland was second with 81 points. 

Bryce Denton from Anna won the 5A boys race in a time of 15:16.9. Lucas Lovejoy won the boys team title with 77 points. 

Comal Smithson Valley scored 54 points for victory in the Class 5A girls competition. Leachman's efforts helped Boerne Champion finish in seventh place.

The Canyon boys and girls teams swept the Class 4A championships. Canyon's Addyson Bristow won the 4A girls 3,200-meter race in 10:43.3 and Lathan Lewter led the boys team by winning his race in 15:25.0.

Noah Strohman of Holliday won the 3A boys race for the third year in a row, in 15:24.8, and helped his team to a runner-up finish. Lytle won the team title with 68 points. 

Sophia Bendet from University City Randolph won the 3A girls race in 10:40.5, by a margin of 24 seconds. Holliday put four runners in the top 15 on the way to the team win.

The Plains boys and Hamilton girls won the Class 2A team championships. Marco Cunningham of Waco Meyer ran away with the 2A boys individual title in 16:12.7 and Cara Sims of Elysian Fields won the girls race in 11:34.6.

Sebastian Talamantez led Comstock to the 1A boys title with his victory in 16:10.3.  

Lily Benson of Roby won the closest race of the entire meet when she beat Hailie Cauthen of Clyde Eula, 11:56.0 to 11:56.8. Tilden McMullen County won the team title with 38 points. 

Team Champions - RESULTS

Class 6A - Southlake Carroll boys 49 points, Lewisville Flower Mound girls 47 points

Class 5A - Lucas Lovejoy boys 77 points, Comal Smithson Valley girls 54 points

Class 4A - Canyon boys 48 points, Canyon girls 45 points

Class 3A - Lytle boys 68 points, Holliday girls 35 points

Class 2A - Plains boys 52 points, Hamilton girls 37 points

Class 1A - Comstock boys 57 points, Tilden McMullen County girls 38 points