XC Weekend Recap: A Myriad of Big Moves and Top Performances


Flower Mound and Monistere Claim Top Honors at Nike South

---

Houston area. Steeped in rich history, this prestigious event is hosted by The Woodlands and takes place on the same course as the NXR South. This year's competition showcased outstanding performances from both boys' and girls' teams, highlighting the depth of talent in Texas cross country.

In the boys' race, Parkview Baptist senior Aiden Monistere claimed victory with an impressive time of 15:21, defeating Houston Stratford's Benjamin Pearce by seven seconds. Monistere mentioned that his name "really hasn't gotten out there" after finishing as the runner-up at the Southern Showcase two weeks ago, but after his strong performance at Nike South, he is sure to gain recognition in the high school distance running community.

PLACEVIDEOATHLETETEAMMARKPOINTS
1Aiden Monistere12Parkview Baptist15:21.50
2Benjamin Pearce12Houston Stratford15:28.401
3Bryce Denton12Anna15:31.70
4Matthias Peterson12Northwest Nelson15:32.102
5Ryder Darcey11Katy15:34.803

On the girls' side, the competition was equally fierce. Flower Mound's Adeline Bennett took home the individual title with a time of 17:57.40, leading her team to victory with a total of 70 points. Teammate Ava Cole followed closely in second place at 18:01.40. Flower Mound backed up their #1 ranking in the COROS MileSplit50 girls team rankings with this performance, showcasing their dominance in Texas cross country. The Woodlands and Northwest Nelson rounded out the top three teams with 133 and 104 points, respectively.

Notable performances also came from the Cramer sisters of Parkview Baptist. Freshman Molly Cramer finished fifth in the Elite Girls 5K race with a time of 18:09, while her sister Lucy Cramer finished just three seconds behind her in sixth place.

Overall, the Nike South Invitational delivered an exhilarating showcase of remarkable talent and team unity, further solidifying its reputation as a must-attend event for cross country runners in the region.