The Texas Panhandle put on a show Friday at the UIL State Cross Country Championships, and once again, the Canyon Lady Eagles were right in the middle of the celebration.
Canyon's powerhouse girls cross country program added another chapter to its incredible legacy, cruising to a third straight Class 4A state championship at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock.
And this one came with a little extra history.
With their latest championship, the Lady Eagles now have 15 state titles in program history, tying Highland Park for the most in Texas history.
That's right. Fifteen state championships.
Canyon didn't just win another title, either. The Lady Eagles dominated the competition, finishing with 44 points to comfortably beat runner-up Salado, which scored 74.
For longtime Canyon head coach Ray Baca, it was another special moment for a program that has become the gold standard of Texas high school cross country.
The Lady Eagles put in the work throughout the summer and fall, stayed healthy and delivered when it mattered most. Despite all the championship banners already hanging in Canyon, this group carved out its own place in program history.
Presli Pool Puts Exclamation Point on Dream Season
As impressive as Canyon's team championship was, sophomore sensation Presli Pool managed to make the day even sweeter.
Pool capped off a sensational postseason by capturing the Class 4A individual state championship with a blazing time of 10 minutes, 46.5 seconds.
And it wasn't particularly close.
Pool crossed the finish line nearly 29 seconds ahead of Salado's Mccall Boyd, who took silver in 11:15.2.
The victory completed a remarkable postseason sweep for Pool, who also won the District 4-4A and Region I-4A individual championships.
District champion. Regional champion. State champion.
Not bad for a sophomore.
Pool has quickly established herself as one of the premier distance runners in Texas, and with two more high school seasons ahead of her, the future looks awfully bright.
Of course, Canyon's championship wasn't a one-runner show.
Aubrey Holloway delivered another outstanding performance, finishing among the top 10 with a time of 11:26.9.
Ella Martinez and Emah Quicksall also came through in a big way. Martinez finished 14th in 11:40.9, while Quicksall was right behind her in 15th at 11:44.1.
That kind of depth is exactly why the Lady Eagles continue to be so difficult to beat on the biggest stage.
Randall Lady Raiders Bring Home State Bronze
Canyon wasn't the only District 4-4A program making noise in Round Rock.
The Randall Lady Raiders made sure the Texas Panhandle had another reason to celebrate, earning a third-place team finish with 84 points.
Randall's bronze-medal performance gave District 4-4A two of the top three teams in Class 4A, further showing just how strong girls distance running has become in the Amarillo area.
Senior Brooke French led the Lady Raiders with a terrific fourth-place individual finish, clocking an 11:23.6.
French wasn't alone near the front of the pack.
Rebel Rea turned in a ninth-place performance with a time of 11:32.5, while Maren Lefever finished right behind her in 10th at 11:32.8.
That's three Randall runners finishing among the top 10 at the state meet.
It's hard to ask for much more than that.
A Golden Day for the Texas Panhandle
When the dust settled Friday in Round Rock, the Texas Panhandle had plenty to celebrate.
Canyon brought home another team championship, Pool claimed individual gold, and Randall earned a well-deserved spot on the podium.
For Canyon, the latest championship adds to a dynasty that continues to set the standard across the state. For Randall, a bronze-medal finish highlighted another impressive season and showed the Lady Raiders belong among Texas' best.
And for District 4-4A, having two teams on the state podium is something special.
One district. Two state trophies. An individual state champion.
