TDP Week 1 Girls’ Rundown (2/23/25)

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I apologize for not having this completed in time to be posted on MileSplit. The Boys’ version was an experiment on the format of what I wanted to accomplish. It will change a bit from week-to-week, but try to honor kids in each event (800, 1600, 3200) every week. Of course there will be times when I expand, but that’s the premise.

This week’s girls’ roundup will be short. I stuck with the following standards: 800m (sub-2:20), 1600m (sub-5:20) and 3200m (sub 11:20). Asa I stated on the boys’ post, these standards will change from week-to-week.

800M

Four girls broke the 2:14 barrier last week with Hailey Johnson of Lake Creek pacing the field with an impressive 2:13.16. Johnson was a podium finisher at State last year, finishing third in class 5A behind Isabel Conde De Frankenberg and Kailey Littlefield, now at Oregon and Oklahoma State, respectively. She will will a favorite for the title this year in 5A, along with Faith Murphy of Austin Anderson (2nd in 6A in ’24) as the latter drops down a classification this year. Of course it will be interesting to see if Elizabeth Leachman (Boerne Champion) attempts the triple again, but right now Johnson looks to be in solid early season form. She will also have some competition from teammate Addie Micklos, whose 2:15.29 was just a second off her PR.

Taryn Bailey of DeSoto won the Mansfield Maberry Invitational in 2:13.24. Baily was a State podium finisher in 2023 (3rd) and qualified in 2024 but finished ninth.

Sophomore Adeline Bennett of Flower Mound continued right where she left off after a stellar freshman campaign, capturing the Byron Nelson Invitational in 2:13.39. Bennett has real range, having finished 8th at State in the 800m last spring and 4th at XC State this past fall.

The fourth runner under 2:14 was Meredith Wolfe of Round Rock who won the Dripping Springs Tiger Relays in 2:1398. Wolfe had a solid season last year and has also shown some good depth by going 5:05.95 indoor this season for the mile, as well as finishing 7th at XC State in 6A this past fall.

ATHLETESCHOOLGRMEETTIME
Hailey JohnsonLake Creek12Cy Ranch Mustang Relays2:13.16
Taryn BaileyDeSoto12Mansfield Maberry Invitational 2:13.24
Adeline BennettLewisville Flower Mound10Byron Nelson Invitational 20252:13.39
Meredith WolfeRound Rock12Dripping Springs Tiger Relays2:13.98
Addie MicklosLake Creek11Cy Ranch Mustang Relays2:15.29
Izzy CrewDripping Springs9Dripping Springs Tiger Relays2:16.53
Megan CalhounKeller Timber Creek12Byron Nelson Invitational 20252:17.13
Savanah MoyaNew Braunfels10Comal ISD Relays2:17.42
Brooke LloydHumble Summer Creek11Kingwood Zoe Simpson Invitational2:17.80
Kaitlyn BarnesCypress Springs10Damani Gibson Memorial Relays2:18.81
Evanna JacobsenMidlothian Heritage12Mansfield Maberry Invitational 2:19.01
Cate CloranAustin Vandergrift12Dripping Springs Tiger Relays2:19.26
Hannah HammerCanyon Lake12Comal ISD Relays2:19.30
Erin PetersPearland11Cy Ranch Mustang Relays2:19.34
Kaiyah BrownHumble Summer Creek11Kingwood Zoe Simpson Invitational2:19.74
Tibbie MustacchiaAustin Vandergrift11Dripping Springs Tiger Relays2:19.94

1600M

Bridgelend junior Rowen Saacke was one of only two girls who broke the 5-minute barrier this past week. Saacke’s 4:46.86 at the Damani Gibson Memorial Relays is impressive and would have placed her 6th on the 1600m list a year ago AT THE END OF THE SEASON. The 2024 State qualifier (7th) definitely has the fitness this season after a strong country country fall where she finished 8th at State and 9th and RunningLane.

The only other athlete to go under 5 was Adeline Bennett of Flower Mound, who is mentioned above in the 800m section. It appears that Bennett will be the immediate successor to the Flower Mound throne where there is no rebuilding, only reloading.

ATHLETESCHOOLGRMEETTIME
Rowan SaackeBridgeland11Damani Gibson Memorial Relays4:46.86
Adeline BennettLewisville Flower Mound10Byron Nelson Invitational 20254:52.18
Mia PerezSmithson Valley12Comal ISD Relays5:00.59
Brady SolanskySmithson Valley9Comal ISD Relays5:02.04
Savanah MoyaNew Braunfels10Comal ISD Relays5:02.92
Emma WadeCedar Park Vista Ridge12Vista Ridge Invitational 20255:05.93
Huntley BuckinghamHouston Episcopal/IMG11Dick Phillips Relays5:07.19
Jamie KlanderKaty Mayde Creek11Katy ISD Bubba Fife Relays5:07.55
Evanna JacobsenMidlothian Heritage12Mansfield Maberry Invitational 5:08.67

3200M

Junior Jamie Klander of Katy Mayde Creek led all runners in the 3200m this past week, winning the Bubba Fife Relays in an impressive 10:52.49, following up her 10:51.18 the week prior in Pearland. Klander finished 5th at State a year ago and 12th at XC this past fall and appears to be headed towards a great season.

Katherine Valentine of Clear Falls made the most of her name day, clocking a 10:53.38, just behind Klander at the Bubba Fife Relays (on the 15th). She reached State last spring in the 1600m, finishing 9th but was also 4th in Austin at the 2023 championships.

Huntley Buckingham, who ran for Houston Episcopal in the fall, but is also listed as with IMG, also eclipsed the 11-minute mark winning the Dick Phillips Relays in 10:58.66. She finished 3rd at the SPC XC Championships in the fall.

Victoria Guerrero of Katy finished third behind Klander and Valentine at the Bubba Fife Relays, but was still able to sneak under 11 minutes in 10:58.79, a new PR for the senior.

ATHLETESCHOOLGRMEETTIME
Jamie KlanderKaty Mayde Creek11Katy ISD Bubba Fife Relays10:52.49
Katherine ValentineClear Falls12Katy ISD Bubba Fife Relays10:53.38
Huntley BuckinghamHouston Episcopal/IMG11Dick Phillips Relays10:58.66
Victoria GuerreroKaty12Katy ISD Bubba Fife Relays10:58.79
Sophia HamdaniHouston Bellaire112025 Dick Phillips Relays11:10.22
Stoya LaydevantConroe The Woodlands12Kingwood Zoe Simpson Invitational11:10.23
Dana Rojas VasquezMcAllen12 PSJA Battlin Bear Relays]11:15.88

Again, this is just week one. Standards and styles may change, but my hope is the content just gets better.