By Mike Waters / Contributor
WACO — Call it a perfect 10. Covenant capped a decade of boys cross country dominance by continuing its remarkable state-title streak at the TAPPS 4A state meet on Monday.
The Knights had three harriers finish inside the top five in the individual standings at Cottonwood Creek Golf Course. In the process, Covenant totaled 46 team points, easily out-distancing Midland Classical Academy’s 87 second-place score.
“It has been an amazing journey, watching generations of runners grow and succeed,” said Knights head coach Michael Golden. “The kids, year after year, push each other to greatness. They trust each other. I trust them.”
Noah Verdin, who won an individual gold medal as a sophomore in 2024, settled for silver this year. Verdin clocked in at 17 minutes, 17 seconds over the 5-kilometer course as Luke Scarborough of Waco Vanguard claimed first-place with a winning time of 17:03.
“Noah’s probably a little disappointed in not repeating,” said Golden, in his 10th year leading the program. “But he, like all the runners, is all about team. Totally unselfish.”
Gibson Walker and Cade Shepelwich were fourth and fifth, respectively, for the Knights. By finishing in the top 10, the aforementioned trio earned all-state honors.
Covenant’s unprecedented feat includes the last six team titles in 4A, after claiming four straight 3A crowns from 2016 to 2019 before moving up one classification. The 10-year streak is a TAPPS record for all divisions.
In 2015, the year before this amazing winning streak began, the boys totaled 204 points at the state meet. That is just two fewer points than the combined scores of the first six titles from 2016 to 2021.
This year’s 41-point margin of victory was the smallest in the last seven title years. A 20-point win in 2018 was the closest any other team has come to Covenant.
Meanwhile, the Covenant girls fell just two points shy of a repeat. They tallied 76 points to claim silver, just behind team champion Plano Coram Deo. Chloe Thomas ran a 13:12 to finish in fifth place, earning all-state honors.
In Class 6A, Ursuline narrowly missed the opportunity for a three-peat atop the podium as Fort Worth Nolan edged the Bears for the girls team crown.
“We ran a solid race,” said Bears head coach Becky Firth. “We knew it would take an excellent showing to win. We were close. Really proud of the girls.”
Presley Andras capped her decorated Ursuline career by finishing second individually in 12:02, trailing only Nolan’s Georgia Giesinger. Andras, a senior, has two silver medals and two bronze medals in four state appearances.
“Really wanted to win it this year,” said Andras, a Houston commit who plans to run cross country and track in college. “But I am proud of what I and the team have accomplished these four years running cross country.”
Andras will now turn her focus to track season after winning a silver medal at the state meet in both the 800 meters and 1,600 last season.
“Looking forward to finishing out my long distance high school career next spring,” Andras said. “I am so grateful for all my time at Ursuline.”
Elsewhere at the state meet, Alcuin junior Keely Aguilar took bronze in the 2A girls race. Aguilar, who came in fourth a year ago, also is a three-time medalist as a distance runner in track for the Hawks.
