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South Region Boys Early Season Rankings 2025Published by
Loaded Bridgeland Roster Sets Sights On Championships In Texas And The South By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor Boys NXR South Preview The South region is chocked full of teams bringing back the bulk of their rosters from 2024 and an NXR move to College Station awaits one of the deepest fields in the history of the meet. Southlake Carrol TX seeks its seventh consecutive UIL Texas state title before defending its NXR South crown. Senior Caden Leonard, son of head coach Justin Leonard, is the top returner from Nike Cross Nationals after finishing third last year in Portland. SLC has qualified for NXN 16 times. With the exception of Austin Vandegrift, which lost some talented seniors, the top six teams from last year all figure to be as good or better in 2025. Bridgeland TX finished second last year, Jesuit of New Orleans was fourth, El Paso Eastwood TX was fifth and Bentonville AR was sixth. All four teams join Southlake Carroll in the top-five. Bentonville, which won the John Dye Dual Meet National title, is also going to be a force in Arkansas. Brian and Sean Burns have a track season already at their new school but their impact on cross country has already been felt as well. Leonard won the NXR South individual race last year. Noah Strohman of Holliday TX is the next highest returner (fifth) and last weekend won a big showdown with Denton Guyer sophomore Ruel Newberry in a time of 14:40.0. 1. Bridgeland TX. The Bears came into the season with high expectations and have delivered right away. At last weekend's Jesuit Strake Crusaders Invitational, senior Griffen Saacke ran 14:40.1 at Bear Creek Park and six additional teammates ran under 16 minutes for an easy team win. Bridgeland has the type of depth that could land it on the podium at NXN. Seniors Layton Carlisle, Maddox McCallister and Kyle Pawlak and juniors Dean Rosales and Patricio Navarro have been waiting on this season to start ever since last year's 19th-place finish at NXN. 2. Southlake Carroll TX. Texas' most successful cross country program has NXN in its sights practically every year, and in Caden Leonard's senior season it would be extra special to make it back. Leonard is running again after an injury that he suffered last June and is expected to be ready to race by early October. Last Saturday on its home course, the Dragons finished second to Bentonville by 30 points. With Leonard in the lineup it would have been very close. Senior Michael Fuller, junior Jax Glenn, junior Grant Norgart, junior Adhavan Palanivelrajan and junior Claudio Auns will keep the team in the mix for a top-two finish, but the region has become very competitive. 3. Bentonville AR. Senior Brian Burns and sophomore Sean Burns, the younger brothers of recent high school sub-four miler Connor Burns, are making a huge impact at their new school after transferring last winter from Missoui. With the Burns brothers third and eighth at the Southlake Carroll Invitational last weekend, Bentonville beat Carroll on its home ground. The impressive showing also included standout performances by senior Logan Hurley, junior Alex Wagner, junior Vini Pimental and freshman Remington Morland. In a stacked NXR South landscape, Bentonville is a serious threat to win the region. 4. Jesuit LA. The Bluejays of New Orleans graduated Brady Mullen but strong team culture is continuing to thrive and six of last year's top seven are back. Seniors Brady Monahan and Joe Accardo lead the way. Next in line are junior Andrew Nimmo, senior Connor Fanberg, and juniors Nicholas Braud and David Quintana. One of the big tests for this group will come at the Great American XC Festival where the Bluejays finished third last year. 5. El Paso Eastwood TX. Yet another team that can put five runners under 16 minutes for 5,000 meters of cross country, the Troopers have an NXN pedigree and are putting together another outstanding team. Junior Noah Loweree, senior Job DeSantos, junior Elias Alcocer and sophomores Jacob Lara and Noah Garcia comprise a team capable of competing for a Texas state title and contending in the South. WATCHLIST More news |
