TAPPS 2024 cross country state meet: Colleyville Covenant Christian runner wins gold, more

“Have faith in my training. Be fearless. Be focused. Have fun.”

That was the strategy described by Colleyville Covenant Christian junior Sophie Smith as she easily out-distanced the field, winning Gold in the 4A Girls classification on Monday, October 28, at the TAPPS state cross country meet at Cottonwood Creek Golf Club.

Smith ran a blistering 12:14.83 to capture the top spot, well ahead of second-place finisher Hannah Van Eerden of Plano Coram Deo, who clocked in at 12:48.69.

“It was a great race,” added Smith, who said she wanted to “start fast and maintain a good pace.”

Though no team titles, there were some quality team performances and strong individual showings from runners representing Fort Worth-area schools.

The Top 10 individual finishers in each classification earn all-state accolades.

To be considered for team titles, a school must enter a minimum of five and a maximum of seven runners, with the highest five-runner scores counting toward the team totals.

Girls Results

In Class 6A, Argyle Liberty Christian (128 points) and Fort Worth Nolan (143 points) finished third and fourth in team scoring. Senior Madeleine Holland of Liberty Christian (11:58.68) and sophomore Georgia Giesinger of Nolan (12:05.71) earned all-state honors by finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.

Holland was a standout this past Spring in the state track meet, claiming Silver in the 3200 and Bronze in the 1600 events.

Sophomore Sophia Belcher of Grapevine Faith Christian ran a 12:44.70 fifth-place time to earn all-state recognition in 5A competition.

Fort Worth Temple Christian (170 points) and Willow Park-Trinity Christian (171 points) finished fourth and fifth in the 4A team standings.

Sophomore Emma Saadeh (13:33.37) and senior Olivia Quinn (13:43.69) placed seventh and eighth to lead Willow Park, earning all-state accolades in 4A. Arlington Pantego Christian sophomore Maren Redecker ran a 13:15.42, which was good for a fourth-place finish and all-state recognition in the 4A event.

Fort Worth Covenant Classical finished third with 88 team points in the 3A classification, led by senior Nancy Jageman and sophomore Caroline Schroeder, who finished 14th and 15th, respectively.

Decatur Victory Christian senior Tianna Geiger was ninth in the 2A race, earning all-state honors.

In 1A, Azle Christian sophomore Hallie Collins won Silver, with a time of 13:23.04. Sherman Texoma Christian sophomore Hannah Murphy took Gold with a 12:51.66 winning time.

“The race felt a bit different this year,” said Collins, who has been the lone school representative at the state meet now for two straight years. “I could tell during the race something was a little off.”

Collins, a year ago as a freshman, won Gold with a time of 13:32.05, with Murphy finishing second.

Collins went on to earn three medals in a standout performance at the TAPPS state track meet this past Spring, finishing fourth in the 400, third in the 800, third in the 1600, and second in the pole vault.

Boys Results

Fort Worth Nolan, in 6A, finished in sixth place (194 points), paced by Santiago Leslie and David Granado, who were 18th and 26th, respectively.

Fort Worth Christian took second place in 5A, with 154 points, with all-state senior Hunter Hinrichsen posting a Silver medal-winning time of 16:29.40.

Willow Park-Trinity Christian junior Boren Merrill, garnered Silver in the Boys 4A run, with a time of 16:53.28.

Fort Worth Bethesda Christian junior Atticus Giere (18:49.75) and sophomore Boden Curtis (18:52.65) ran 6th and 8th, respectively, earning all-state honors.

Meet Notes

Dallas Ursuline 6A Girls won its second consecutive, and 17th overall, cross-country state championship. San Antonian Antonian senior Micaela Villarreal won her third straight Girls 6A individual Gold and was a Silver medalist in 2021 as a Freshman.

Austin Brentwood junior Harper Counts won the 5A Girls race, while The Woodlands Legacy Prep took the team title.

The Dallas Covenant Girls captured the Girls 4A team championship, its third overall and first since 2017-2018 back-to-back crowns.

Spring Providence Classical Freshman Sarah Kleppel won Girls 3A individual Gold, leading her team to its fourth straight (and overall) team title.

Senior Emma Rhodes of Red Oak Ovilla Christian took the Girls 2A race, while Shiner St. Paul claimed its 13th overall Girls team title.

Sherman Texoma Christian sophomore Hannah Murphy won the Girls 1A competition, with San Angelo Cornerstone Christian claiming the team title.

Junior Wells Peterson of San Antonio TMI-Episcopal won the 6A Boys race, with San Antonio Antonian edging Houston St. Thomas High School by two points in the team standings.

Junior Adrian Rule claimed the Boys 5A event for San Antonio Christian, which finished atop the team standings as well.

The Dallas Covenant Boys, in 4A, took the team title -- its ninth consecutive straight and overall championship -- with sophomore Noah Verdin winning Gold for Covenant.

In 3A, senior Steven Wimberly won Gold to lead Spring Providence Classical Boys to its fifth straight and 10th overall Boys team title.

Lubbock Southcrest Christian won the Boys 2A team title, its sixth overall. Waco Valor junior Ethan Locke won the individual event.

Spring Founders Christian won the Boys 1A team title, but San Angelo Cornerstone Christian senior David Salas became a four-time Gold medal winner in the Boys 1A competition.

Salas has also earned three straight 1600 and 3200 individual track titles and will compete next Spring. If successful in both, he would become the first-ever TAPPS athlete to capture four Gold medals in cross country and the two long-distance track events combined.