The Woodlands High School Sweeps 13-6A Cross Country Titles

CONROE, TX — The Woodlands High School boys and girls cross country teams swept the team titles at the District 13-6A championships Friday at Camp Misty Meadows.

All five of the scorers for both the boys and girls teams finished inside the top 11 in their respective 3.1-mile races, and both won with a low score of 27 points. It was the second year in a row the Highlanders claimed both the boys and girls championships.

Kyle Easton won the boys race in 15 minutes, 44.5 seconds, and teammate Pablo Lessari was second in 15:50.3. Straton Miller was sixth in 16:06.8, Simon Gingras seventh in 16:11.8 and Ben Reyes 11th in 16:43.7. The Highlanders had two other top-15 finishers with Emilio Valencia placing 13th (16:52.4) and Ethan Sharkowicz 15th (17:00.8).

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On the girls side, The Woodlands' Penelope Gracey won in 18:27.4 after witnessing teammate and race leader Natasja Beijen fall and sustain an injury on the final turn, according to the Houston Chronicle. Stoya Laydevant finished fourth in 19:22.6, followed by Katarina Hodgson in fifth (19:50), Gia Kurp in sixth (19:56.9), Meredith Larkworthy in 11th (20:36.7) and Jae Green (20.43.9) in 12th.

"District champs, which is great," The Woodlands head coach Juris Green told the Chronicle. "We’re always happy about that. The conditions were really tough today. One hundred percent humidity is like being under water. That has an effect on people."

Both teams advanced to the Class 6A Region III meet, which will be held Oct. 25 at Kate Barr-Ross Park in Huntsville. The 6A girls race will start at 1 p.m. with the boys following at 1:40 p.m. The top four teams at the regional meet will advance to the state championships to be held Nov. 6 in Round Rock.

The Woodlands boys and girls teams both finished third at the state meet last season.

Also advancing to the regional meet were the College Park boys and girls teams, which both earned runner-up finishes, as well as the Conroe boys and Grand Oaks girls with third-place showings.