Texas Distance Project-Week 2 roundup

Welcome to the second week of the Texas Distance Project, where we give you an update on how middle distance and distance runner excelled over the previous week.

Since we missed the girls last week, we will start there. One caveat, there were many meets that were cancelled due to the cold and wet conditions. Since meets around Austin were cancelled, many competed for their clubs at the Viper Distance Festival where there were some blistering early season results.

We also recognize that many events were not properly recorded. If a meet is missing, please make sure your coaches update that information at MileSplit.

800M

There were some great times this week despite the chilly weather across the state. A total of 13 ladies beat this week’s standard of sub-2:21.

Training partners Faith Murphy (Austin Anderson) and Emma Wade (Vista Ridge) set the standard by going 2:10.40 and 2:13.94. Both of these ladies have State Meet experience and seem to be in great form early at Viper. Murphy, an Arkansas signee, was second at last year’s state meet in this event. Murphy’s time is the fastest in the state so far.

Not to be outdone, the Allen Eagle Relays also produced some great time. Nora Ryan (Prosper) edged Lovejoy’s Mia Reaugh and teammate Erin Young, winning in 2:15.79. That time is just off her PR of 2:15.35. Reaugh, who like Murphy is a 400m specialist as well, having gone 56.29 last season did set a PR with her time of 2:16.12.

ATHLETE SCHOOL GR MEET TIME
Faith Murphy Austin Anderson 12 Viper Distance Festival 2:10.40
Emma Wade Vista Ridge 12 Viper Distance Festival 2:13.94
Nora Ryan Prosper 12 Allen Eagle Relays 2:15.79
Mia Reaugh Lovejoy 12 Allen Eagle Relays 2:16.12
Erin Young Prosper 12 Allen Eagle Relays 2:17.20
Evanna Jacobsen Midlothian Heritage 12 Lake Ridge 12th Annual Invitational 2:17.80
Ariel Simpson Euless Trinity 10 Saginaw Rough Riders Relays 2:17.81
Taryn Elmer Lewisville Marcus 10 Hebron Hawk Invitational 2:17.86
Kenedy Card Rockwall 11 Hebron Hawk Invitational 2:18.29
Sophie Brooks Lovejoy 11 Allen Eagle Relays 2:19.5
London Harden Crowley 12 Lake Ridge 12th Annual Invitational 2:20.40
Sofia Brandenberg Aledo 11 Argyle Relays 2:20.44
Isabella Baeza Lewisville Marcus 12 Hebron Hawk Invitational 2:20.74

1600M

Evanna Jacobsen, a Baylor commit, not only captured the Lake Ridge Invitational 800m in 2:17.80, she also clocked week-leading 1600m in 5:11.35. Jacobsen has solid range, having also competed in the 300m hurdles, as well as the steeplechase within the past year.

Not to be outdone, junior Tibbie Mustacchia of Austin Vandergrift followed up her 5:14 last week with a 5:11.50 at the Viper Distance Festival where she beat teammate Cate Cloran (5:13.33).

ATHLETE SCHOOL GR MEET TIME
Evanna Jacobsen Midlothian Heritage 12 Lake Ridge 12th Annual Invitational 5:11.35
Tibbie Mustacchia Austin Vandergrift 11 Viper Distance Festival 5:11.50
Alivia Spangler Prosper 11 Allen Eagle Relays 5:12.25
MJ Novelli Northwest Nelson 12 Argyle Relays 5:12.49
Cate Cloran Austin Vandergrift 12 Viper Distance Festival 5:13.33
Ava Cole Lewisville Flower Mound 12 Hebron Hawk Invitational 5:16.20
Emily Orr El Paso Franklin 11 Eastwood Jim Omohundro 4th Annual Invitational 5:16.93
Jenna Moore Waxahachie 9 Hebron Hawk Invitational 5:17.74
Meagan Meyers Mansfield Lake Ridge 12 Lake Ridge 12th Annual Invitational 5:18.54
Reese Bartos Waxahachie 9 Hebron Hawk Invitational 5:19.32
Erin Young Prosper 12 Allen Eagle Relays 5:19.64

3200M

A total of nine girls registered this week’s sub-11:24 standard.

Flower Mound’s Adeline Bennett, who is only a sophomore, had the fasted time of the week I the 3200m and the only sub-11 effort, coming in at 10:36.09 at the Hebron Hawk Invitational. The sophomore was coming off a week where she also crushed both the 800m and 1600m at the Bryson Nelson Invitational a week ago.

Bridget Bernal took the 3200m at the Allen Eagle Relays in 11:06.37, lowering her PR and dropping over 20 seconds off her time a week prior. The junior is 2-for-2 in wins for her 3200s so far in 2025, an event that is new to her this season.

Alivia Spangler, a junior from Prosper, won the 1600m at the Allen Eagle Relays in 5:12.25 but was even more impressive was her 11:12.44 3200m. She dropped 22 seconds off her time from the week before. She’s gone sub-11 in the past and also has a 5:07 1600m in the books so I expect her to drop even more time as the season progresses.

Manfield Lake Ridge’s Meagan Meyers captured her home meet in 11:14.94. A regional finalist a year ago in both the 1600 and 3200, she looks to build on a solid early season and make a run for State in what is a tough region (6A-1).

ATHLETE SCHOOL GR MEET TIME
Adeline Bennett Lewisville Flower Mound 10 Hebron Hawk Invitational 10:36.09
Bridget Bernal Lovejoy 11 Allen Eagle Relays 11:06.37
Alivia Spangler Prosper 11 Allen Eagle Relays 11:12.44
Meagan Meyers Mansfield Lake Ridge 12 Lake Ridge 12th Annual Invitational 11:14.94
Camryn Benson Lovejoy 11 Allen Eagle Relays 11:15.56
Abigail Leonard Garland Sachse 10 Allen Eagle Relays 11:18.61
Campbell Lester Lovejoy 12 Allen Eagle Relays 11:20.23
Clare Boneau Keller 12 Argyle Relays 11:21.14
Caroline Krupa Austin Vandergrift 10 Viper Distance Festival 11:23.52

BOYS

800M

Manfield Summit’s Eduardo Estrada led the boys this week with a 1:56.28, winning the Lake Ridge Invitational. Estrada ran 1:55.52 to a sixth-place finish at state a year ago and is actually the top returner from that heat, as Cooper Lutkenhaus and Justin Northwest moved to 6A.

Josh Odums of Mansfield Legacy was the only other runner this week under 1:57. Odums is coming off a solid XC season where he finished top-40 at State.

Liam Bengtsson of Nelson ran 1:57.76. Bengtsson could make a huge leap this weekend at the Justin Northwest 1k with Lutkenhaus if he can hang on. It will be a big opportunity to show what he can do.

ATHLETE SCHOOL GR MEET TIME
Eduardo Estrada Mansfield Summit 12 Lake Ridge 12th Annual Invitational 1:56.28
Joshua Odums Mansfield Legacy 12 Lake Ridge 12th Annual Invitational 1:56.70
Liam Bengtsson Northwest Nelson 11 Argyle Relays 1:57.76
Brenden Miller Mansfield 11 Lake Ridge 12th Annual Invitational 1:57.89
Griffin Vallarino Rock Hill 11 Allen Eagle Relays 1:58.18
Zach Brumfield Wylie 11 Hebron Hawk Invitational 1:58.30
Michael McCart Prosper 11 Allen Eagle Relays 1:58.50
Winston Thompson Mansfield Lake Ridge 11 Lake Ridge 12th Annual Invitational 1:58.59
Blake Raccuglia Mansfield Legacy 12 Lake Ridge 12th Annual Invitational 1:58.99
Lincoln Wright Mansfield Legacy 11 Lake Ridge 12th Annual Invitational 1:59.10
Bruno Nascimento Rock Hill 11 Allen Eagle Relays 1:59.49
Collin Woodside Mansfield 12 Lake Ridge 12th Annual Invitational 1:59.50
Justin Roberts Midlothian Heritage 12 Lake Ridge 12th Annual Invitational 1:59.93

1600M

Austin High’s Luke Bone ran the fastest outdoor time in the state so far at the Viper Distance Festival, dropping a 4:14.22. That’s a big PR for the Texas Tech signee who focused solely on the 800m last year, garnering a State berth, as well as a spot in the U20 final in Eugene, Oregon last summer.

Northwest Byron Nelson’s Jason Wade garnered a PR, going 4:18.57 and winning the Argyle Relays. He’s about 20 seconds ahead of where he was at the same time last year and that bodes well for a great outdoor season.

Jackson Stafford of Vandergrift (4:19.23) and Aiden Fitzgerald of Friendswood (4:19.26) were neck and neck down the stretch at the Viper Distance Festival. We spoke about Stafford last week (1:55.74 800) and he continues to impress.

Fitzgerald was second at the 5A State XC Championships this fall and was 4th a year ago at the State Meet in the 3200m. It will be curious to see if he tries to compete the 1600/3200 combo this year when championship season rolls around.

ATHLETE SCHOOL GR MEET TIME
Luke Bone Austin High 12 Viper Distance Festival 4:14.22
Jason Wade Northwest Nelson 12 Argyle Relays 4:18.57
Jackson Stafford Austin Vandergrift 12 Viper Distance Festival 4:19.23
Aiden Fitzgerald Friendswood 11 Viper Distance Festival 4:19.26
Caden Gary Lovejoy 12 Allen Eagle Relays 4:19.89
Aidan (Danny) Torres El Paso Eastwood 12 Eastwood Jim Omohundro 4th Annual Invitational 4:20.13
Miles Westbrook El Paso 12 Jefferson Invitational 2025 4:20.90
Matthias Peterson Northwest Nelson 12 Argyle Relays 4:20.94

3200M

The 3200m at the Viper Distance Festival was by far the most dominant and competitive event in the state last week. With ten runners under 9:30 it was impressive, considering it was about 40 degrees and misting off and on from what I was told.

Austin Bowie junior Griffin Hummel won the race in an impressive 9:11.11 over three close competitors from Vandergrift. Sophomore Collin Goodwin (9:13.30) is starting to make a name for himself with the Vipers outpacing his teammates, Princeton signee Hudson Haley (9:14.90), Kai McCullough (9:16.28) and Miles Nutt (9:25.75).

Marco Cunningham, a senior and the defending 2A State Cross Country champion from Waco Meyer, set a PR as well in 9:18.88. Meyer finished 2nd at the 1600 and 3200 in 2023 at the State Meet, but settled for 7th a year ago in the 1600m. He appears ready to challenge for both titles in 2025.

Marble Falls’ Tyler Hamblin is another athlete who looks to be building nicely off a strong XC season. Hamblin finished 4th at the State XC Meet in 4A and was a sixth place finisher in the 3200 a year ago.

ATHLETE SCHOOL GR MEET TIME
Griffin Hummel Austin Bowie 11 Viper Distance Festival 9:11.11
Collin Goodwin Austin Vandergrift 10 Viper Distance Festival 9:13.30
Hudson Haley Austin Vandergrift 12 Viper Distance Festival 9:14.90
Kai McCullough Austin Vandergrift 11 Viper Distance Festival 9:16.28
Marco Cunningham Waco Meyer 12 Viper Distance Festival 9:18.88
Miles Nutt Austin Vandergrift 11 Viper Distance Festival 9:25.75
Tyler Hamblin Marble Falls 12 Viper Distance Festival 9:26.86
Luke Dial Austin St. Andrew’s 12 Viper Distance Festival 9:29.11
Andrew Thompson Lake Highlands 11 Viper Distance Festival 9:29.59
Coulson Boyd Salado 11 Viper Distance Festival 9:29.71