WSMS XC — Rogers Meet Results
I hope you all have been doing well. We are so proud of how hard these athletes are working! So many of these student-athletes come to practice each day ready to defend and strengthen the Lovejoy XC culture of excellence — and we are seeing the continued results of those actions.
CLICK HERE for the Rogers MS XC Meet results
Rogers Meet - Team Results
Congrats to our 7th Grade Girls Team for winning the meet!! This team won all 3 Regular Season Meets!! These girls won the meet with a super low score of 20 points — beating 2nd place by over 50 points! They finished 2-3-4-5-6-9-12-14 putting 6 in the top 10 and 8 in the top 15! Impressive work ladies! Keep challenging each other to be Stronger-Faster-Tougher!
Congrats to our 7th Grade Boys Team for having their best team race of the season so far! These guys ran really well together by getting a great start which allowed them to be competitive as a team. Will nearly hit Top 15 and our 5 scorers all finished Top 40! Only 2 points shy of Top 4. (Top 4 moves on from Area to District)!
Congrats to our 8th Grade Girls team for placing 2nd at the meet. Raced WELL! Frontrunner put in critical work to break into the Top 10 (9th Place) and the PACK moved UP throughout the race, leaving the team 8 points ahead of Cockrill. These girls have a big fight on their hands coming up on Monday at Area!
Congrats to our 8th Grade Boys team for placing 2nd at the meet! These guys put 2 in the Top 10, and 4 in the Top 15! Our #5 guy had an awesome race finishing in 23rd!
Rogers Meet - Individual Results
- Congrats to individual 8th Grade Boys Champion, Preston Kennedy! He won all 3 of his regular season meets!!
- Congrats to individual 7th Grade Boys Runner-up, Mitchell Smith! Mitchell has podiumed in every regular season race!
- Congrats to individual 7th Grade Girls Runner-up, Jacqueline Garnic! Jacqueline has podiumed in both of her regular season races!
- Congrats to 7th Grade Girls 3rd place individual medalist, Camille Pettit!
- Shoutout to Abi Watson, Valentina Olvera, & Hannah Roberts for their 4-5-6 place finishes!
Congrats to ALL Athletes who finished in the Top 15!!!!
- 7th Grade Girls
- Jaqueline Garnic - 2nd Place
- Camille Pettit - 3rd Place
- Abi Watson - 4th Place
- Valentina Olvera - 5th Place
- Hannah Roberts - 6th Place
- Claire Carlson - 9th Place
- Caroline Crews - 12th Place
- Harper Quigg - 14th Place
- 7th Grade Boys
- Mitchell Smith - 2nd Place
- 8th Grade Girls
- Bronwyn Vaughan - 9th Place
- 8th Grade Boys
- Preston Kennedy - 1st Place
- Tom Goeders - 8th Place
- Bryan Schmidt - 11th Place
- Carson Reyes - 12th Place
Shout Out to our athletes who are nearing Top 15 — pushing towards Top 20!
- 7th Grade Girls
- Natalie Young - 22nd
- Lucy Richardson - 23rd
- 7th Grade Boys
- William Kaufman - 18th Place
- 8th Grade Girls
- Aubrey Anderton - 17th Place
- Ella Carr - 21st Place
- Eliza Abraham - 22nd Place
- Alisa Kontareva - 25th Place
- Harper Dixon - 26th Place
- Lindsay Schmidt - 27th Place
- 8th Grade Boys
- John O'Brien - 23rd Place
Thank you,
David Müeller
LHS XC Boys — Celina & Cowboy Jamboree Recaps,
District Championships, Homecoming
Parade
Meet Recap — Celina Invitational
Coach Muller and Coach Glaze took our runners to this meet while Coach Littlefield and I were at OSU. We didn't have a lot of PR's this week, but this served as a good opportunity to compete one last time before the District meet.
CLICK HERE for full meet results
Meet Recap — Cowboy Jamboree
The OSU course is a very challenging course and is typically a little long. Being able to compete at a great venue is a memorable experience for our runners. We had some great performances on this course overall, and we had some performances that we know could be better. This next week we are off from racing, and our focus will be set on the District Championship on October 7th. Congrats to Tristan and Joey placing in the top 10 at this meet, 4th and 7th place respectively.
CLICK HERE for full meet results
District and Beyond
Lovejoy is hosting the District Championship on Tuesday 10/7/25 at LHS.
This is a crucial meet this year for the boys program. Our boys program has never lost a District Championship at the Varsity or JV level. Our runners are going to have to bring their A game this year to defend that streak at both levels. McKinney North has a strong team this year for both Varsity and JV. Walnut Grove also has a strong team and has been state ranked two times this year. Our boys district might be the most competitive district in the state of Texas this year.
This is our last week of training before the District Championship. We will have four morning practices this week. Monday will be in the morning, because Coach Littlefield and I will bus the WSMS runners to their meet Monday afternoon. Our main workouts will be Tuesday and Friday this week to ensure we are fully rested and charged for those workouts. Thursday we will run with the WSMS runners for our Big Bro / Lil Bro program.
All runners will compete in the District Championship on October 7th. After this meet, runners who have run 18:30 or faster this season will continue to train for the Nike South Regional Meet on 11.24.25 in College Station, TX. Runners who do not race at NXR will do one additional time trial the week of 10.13.25 on the track. After that those runners not advancing to NXR will take one full off from running. The week after taking one full week off, runners will run 3 days that week. After that we will ease back into easy running building a strong base for the track and field season.
Homecoming Parade
We are excited for your students to participate in the Lovejoy Homecoming Parade on Monday, October 6 at 6:00 PM at Heritage Ranch. Please see the Homecoming Parade Flyer for complete details, including attire, code of conduct, transportation, safety expectations, and the full parade order.
Lovejoy Boys Cross Country will wear our Black Lovejoy XC Team Shirt and walk as a group in the parade.
Permission Form Required: Every student participating in the parade must have a signed permission form on file before participating. Please make sure your child returns this signed form no later than Friday, October 3rd.
Logan Kelly
cell: 903-821-8399
LHS Girls XC — Celina Recap, Cowboy Jamboree Recap, Emily Armstrong, Runners of the Week
It was a successful Friday for the Lady Leopards! Our JV group took the win at Celina — showing the incredible depth of our team. The varsity group traveled to Stillwater to compete on one of the most challenging (and beautiful) courses in the nation. The NCAA National Championship was held here a few years ago. The girls ran really well and very strong and came up with a BIG WIN! This makes the 3rd week of winning a high profile meet for this group of girls. (Fall Fest, McNeil, OSU) We have defeated many teams this season, and now we buckle down and get ready for the big show which will happen on October 31st in Round Rock.
Next up for all Leopards is the District Championship!
Emily Armstrong
Great TX.MileSplit article on freshman Emily!
Emily Armstrong (Lucas Lovejoy)
Lovejoy freshman Emily Armstrong wasted no time turning middle-school promise into varsity impact. After sweeping her 2023 JH races (12:44 and 13:17 for 3200m), she opened 2025 by lopping more than a minute off that best with an 11:21 two-mile win at the Rock Hill XC Opener. Two weeks later, she proved it wasn't a soft opener-Armstrong jumped straight into Texas' brightest lights, clocking 18:18 for 7th at the Coach T - Marcus Invitational, then returning with an 18:21.40 for 5th at the stacked Lovejoy XC Fall Festival. Three races, three statement finishes, and a clear pattern: she handles pace, traffic, and pressure like an upperclassman.
For a program chasing another UIL 5A team title, Armstrong's value is enormous. She gives the No. 1-ranked Lovejoy lineup a freshman low-stick with week-to-week reliability and late-race bite-exactly the kind of scorer that tightens 1-5 spreads at regionals and state. If her trajectory from 11:21/18:18 form continues into October, Armstrong won't just be a future star; she'll be a present-tense difference-maker on the podium.
Runners of the Week
- Leila Bailey came to OSU with something to prove, and she did! She ran her strongest race of the year and came up huge running in our #5 spot for the team! She ran only 7 seconds off of Talia ... which is a very big deal. She has set high goals for this season and her high school career, and as she gets stronger I am certain that she is going to be one of those runners that will do BIG things in the future!! She is a worker, she is reflective on her training and racing, and she is eager to ask questions on how to improve. She is an impressive young woman who is ALL IN!
- Kara Ryan is only a freshman and brand new to the sport, but she has so much potential. Unfortunately she has battled some hip pain that has caused us to have to pull back on some training ... yet she was able to go out Friday and run in the #1 spot for the Varsity group and run the fastest time for the team at Celina! Once she gets accustomed to the mileage and training ... I firmly believe she will be a top runner for us. She has a natural talent to run, and when the gun goes off in a race ... she COMPETES!
- Amelie Casier is another freshman with a lot of talent. She really loves to sprint and hurdle ... but she's starting to figure this distance thing out. She had a great race at Celina and ran the #2 spot behind Lily Stabile to lead the JV group to the win over Liberty by only a 4 point margin. The girls who nominated her said that she set a goal to earn a medal and race well - and then she did just that. She is one who has A LOT of untapped potential! She will get to showcase her speed once we hit the track this year!
- Grace Peay is a senior who is a difference maker wherever she goes. She is active in our school through STUCO and other leadership roles, and she is a calm and kind presence on our team. She has been with us all 4 years and is someone that everyone looks up to as a kind and solid human. She does a great job leading her group in training and holding others accountable to the work and staying positive — even on the hardest days and earliest mornings. She ran in the #3 spot for the winning JV team at Celina!
STRONGER. FASTER. TOUGHER.
CHAMPION MINDSET.
TAKIN' OUR TITLE BACK!!
Carly Littlefield
WSMS XC — Upcoming Meet, Popsicle Practices, Athletes of the Week
I hope you all are doing well! I am really excited about the Lovejoy MS Meet coming up! Our athletes have been really dedicated at practice and are demonstrating impressive self-motivation. I'm excited to see them continue to challenge themselves to improve as we progress through the season!
We appreciate all student-athletes who stay until the end of the 8th Grade Boys race to help us break down the course! It can get done pretty quickly when a bunch of people jump in to help!
Another Popsicle Practice is in the Books!
Thank you to the Richardson family for partnering with us this past week to provide popsicles to wrap-up Friday's practice! It is so fun to celebrate the student-athletes' hard work throughout the week in this way!
Athletes of the Week!
Last year, we began to recognize "Athletes of the Week" in a memorable way. Celebrating their consistent efforts, focus, demonstration of a growth mindset, determination, sportsmanship, and heart of service, Athletes of the Week receive an original Lovejoy XC jersey that they can choose to wear at a practice each week. We are so excited to name Harper Quigg, Ella Carr, Michael Jenkersen, and Tom Goeders as our Athletes of the Week!
- Harper Quigg is in her first year of XC and has just started training in these last few weeks. She started working hard right from the first day and had an awesome group of training partners to run with. Since we missed her in the time trial, it was so fun to see her crush it at the Evans XC Meet — helping the 7th grade girls team put 6 GIRLS in the top 15 at the first meet! Harper's positivity and grit is so awesome to see on the daily. She exemplifies a "STRONGER FASTER TOUGHER" mindset on the daily to better herself and her team. We are so excited to see more great things from Harper this season and are so thankful she is part of the Lovejoy XC Program!
- Ella Carr is in her second year of XC, but her first year with us here at WSMS XC, and we only WISH we had her with us sooner! Ella has been a positive, self-motivated, hard-working athlete from the start! She jumped right in with an eagerness to get to work and challenge herself. She's been such a joyful teammate, and really showed off in the Evans XC Meet, showcasing her willingness to go all in and chase down a couple runners from a team we needed to finish in front of, and she was TOUGH and chased them down! She exemplifies a "STRONGER FASTER TOUGHER" mindset on the daily to better herself and her team. We are so excited to see more great things from Ella this season and are so thankful she is part of the Lovejoy XC Program!
- Michael Jenkersen enters his first year on the WSMS XC Team and he has gone FULL EFFORT since showing up! It has been encouraging to see such a great contribution to the team culture by his consistent work-ethic. He has jumped right into working hard with his teammates and challenging them to new levels in workouts and races! At the Evans Meet, he led a pack of 4 WSMS XC Boys to move up in the race for the later half of the race. His willingness to lead a push in the race, surrounded by like-minded teammates is something to celebrate! We are so excited to see more great things from Michael this season and are so thankful he is part of the Lovejoy XC Program!
- Tom Goeders enters his first year at WSMS, but he is not new to the sport. He made quite an announcement on his arrival, having the fastest overall One Mile Time Trial this year in 5:40! Tom has been such a hard-working athlete — consistently coming out to the summer practices starting in July, and working with full effort every day. He has been a phenomenal addition to our team by challenging our other XC Boys towards excellence in each practice and the races! He delivered as the #2 guy on the 8th Grade Boys team earning the WIN at the Evans Meet! We are so excited to see more great things from Tom this season and are so thankful he is part of the Lovejoy XC Program!
Thank you,
David Müeller
LHS XC Boys — Braswell, McNeil Recaps
Meet Recap — Denton Braswell Meet
We had a ton of PR's at this meet! It was a great opportunity for our Marcus racers to run this course again and for those whose race was cancelled at Marcus to have the opportunity to run a fast time on this course.
CLICK HERE for full meet results
Meet Recap — McNeil Invitational
This was a great opportunity for our boys team to run the state course and do a practice run for the state meet. Our team was able to stay overnight, become familiar with the updated state meet course and environment, and compete against some of the best 5A competition. #1 Grapevine beat us for the 2nd time this season. We were also able to face #5 Weslaco East for the first time this season. Weslaco East ran a great race finishing just behind Grapevine and beating our boys team. On a brighter note, we were able to beat all the other 5A Ranked teams in the field. I will be reviewing with our boys team what we will need to accomplish in order to meet out Top 3 Podium goal for state. We still have time to make this happen. It will take a team effort and a locked in focus to make it happen!
CLICK HERE for full meet results
Logan Kelly
cell: 903-821-8399
LHS Girls XC — McNeil Recap, Harper Jaynes, Runners of the Week
The varsity groups ran at the McNeil Invite on Saturday, and it was a true TEAM effort on display by Lovejoy. It was a crowded and talented field, and we took the win in both the Silver and Gold divisions by a large margin. Our 2nd group (silver) defeated teams who are all the top varsity from other schools while our top 7 proved why they have recently been voted as the #1 ranked team in the state by dominating the field. The ladies left no doubt that we are one of the strongest, fastest and toughest teams in the STATE!
Harper Jaynes
A special shoutout to Harper Jaynes on this awesome achievement! I recently did a grade check and all of our girls are doing great things in the classroom! I am beyond proud of their dedication to being the BEST they can in every aspect of their lives!
Runners of the Week
- Lily Stabile is a freshman who got her 2nd JV win this season on Thursday in Denton. She got out aggressive and held the lead throughout. She has so much potential and will be someone to keep your eye on for the next 3 years as she adjusts to the training and continues to get stronger each week! She has a natural talent to run, and she is a fierce competitor!
- Tatum Novicke is a senior who is an extremely talented runner. She ran her freshman year (and in middle school) and then focused on basketball her sophomore and junior years ... but now she is back! She has done some impressive things on the court, and I am very proud of her for coming back to join us for her senior year. She is a great all-around athlete who brings a fiery competitive edge wherever she goes!
- Morgan Suder is a junior who decided to join us this year, and boy are we glad she did! She is a soccer player and a very talented and tough runner. This was her first 5k of the season, and she proved that she has what it takes to be a standout! Like Lily, she has done a great job adjusting to the tough training, and she continues to get better and better. She is quiet, but ultra competitive and works so hard to be the best she can. She brings a gentle strength to the team that many girls recognize and admire.
- Madison Simpson is a runner who brings so much to our team! She is a great leader, a hard worker, and always has a smile on her face! She ran in the #1 spot for the silver team on Saturday, leading the Leopards to the win. She is consistent in her training and racing and will be one of the girls who will take the reins of the team her junior year! She is such a focused athlete, and she is improving rapidly!
STRONGER. FASTER. TOUGHER.
CHAMPION MINDSET.
TAKIN' OUR TITLE BACK!!
Carly Littlefield
LHS JV Squads Compete at Upscale Braswell Meet
While Varsity Tests Out the State Course at the McNeil
The Leopards have reached that part of the season where the varsity and JV split off to separate meets. The varsity traveled out of town for some experiential races on the State course down in Round Rock, while the JV returned to the North Lakes Park course for a meet hosted by Braswell.
At Braswell, the JV ran into several high level teams such as 5A Wakeland, 6A Southlake Carroll, and 6A Marcus. Many including Lovejoy ran their JVs in the varsity races. But there were some teams like Byron Nelson, Timber Creek and Argyle who went with their varsity squads this morning. This meet was more upsale than the typical Thursday meet that Lovejoy has competed at in prior seasons.
Down at the McNeil the Leopards ran in the Gold and Silver races which teams must qualify for in order to enter. So nothing but top-flight competition there. Lovejoy last ran at the McNeil in 2022.
The girls ran a single JV squad (with 21 runners) at the Braswell meet while the boys ran two squads competing in both the varsity and JV races. The reverse occurred at the McNeil where the girls competed in both the Gold and Silver races while the boys only ran in the Gold race. The girls went 3 for 3 in winning all of their races and by comfortable margins. The boys fared less well as their pack running has been more seperated than desired. The weather was clear and sunny in both venues, although a bit sweaty with limited wind.
In the Braswell Varsity Boys race, the guys finished in relative pairs, but were not close enough together for the team to get a top-10 finish. Competition-wise, no team scored under 100 points and only 5 of the 23 teams scored under 200 points. Surprisingly brutal for what was supposed to be a Thursday JV meet.
The first pair in were freshmen Kipton DuBois (17:33.67) and Will Murphy (17:36.42). Then Declan Keating (17:59.7) and Dylan Welch (18:04.5) came in. Next were Aiden Oye (18:19.28) and Evan Wheeler (18:24.20). Lovejoy's #7 was Carson Koerner (18:39.51). And not far behind Carson was Jake Clinton (18:47.38).
[results] for the Braswell Varsity Boys race
In the Braswell JV Girls race, a crowded field of 373 finishers saw Lovejoy clobber the other schools with a meet-low 39 points. Denton Guyer took 2nd place with 95 points. Not a close race. Lovejoy's order of finish was 1-3-4-11-20 (21-36).
Lily Stabile (19:52.85), Morgan Suder (20:11.27), and Tatum Novicke (20:20.63) rushed the finish line to start Lovejoy's scoring at an incredibly low 6 points. There was about a 1.5-minute wait before Michaela Martin (21:18.02), Paige Spencer (21:43.66) and Lily Sanders (21:44.03) locked down the win.
[results] for the Braswell JV Girls race
In the Braswell JV Boys race, the guys squeezed off a top-10 finish in 9th place amongst the 28 teams. Promising.
Freshman Max Reinhard (18:48.72) was well out front for Lovejoy. Connor Katerberg (19:07.43) was the chaser, while Miles McDonald (19:37.78) led in the scoring pack that included Aiden Martin (19:43.47) and Bryce Moore (19:53.17).
[results] for the Braswell JV Boys race
The McNeil Gold Girls race kicked off Saturday's competitions and started promptly at 7:30 am. Lovejoy's 80-point score comfortably beat out CCCAT #7 ranked 6A San Antonio Johnson (147 points), #10 ranked 6A Marcus (168 points), 6A Austin Bowie (221 points), 6A San Antonio Reagan (222 points), etc. Amongst the noteworthy 5A competitors were #9 ranked Boerne Champion (228 points, 6th place), #3-ranked Highland Park (252 points, 8th place), #6 ranked Grapevine (269 points, 10th place), and 5th ranked A&M Consolidated (297 points, 13th place).
With Emily Armstrong not competing this weekend, Camryn Benson (18:32.3) was out front by herself. The girls were roughly spaced in 20-second increments. Bridget Bernal (18:51.9), then Sofia Dominguez (19:03.3), then Talia Orshalick (19:22.2), and finally Lily Fogle (19:34.3) completed the scoring. And close behind Lily were Cailee Horinek (19:44.0) and Harper Jaynes (19:47.9). All finished in the top 35% of the field. Split time of 1:02.0 should get better.
[results] for the McNeil Girls Gold race
The McNeil Gold Boys race had some unexpected results. Unranked 6A Round Rock won the race with 143 points. And then 4A La Feria took 2nd place with 184 points. Those were the only two teams under 200 points. While Lovejoy (404 points) defeated ranked 5A teams College Station and Borne Champion, the Leopards came in behind #1 ranked Grapevine (253 points) and #5 ranked Welasco East (254 points).
Tristan Arceneau (14th in scoring in 15:55.2) and Joey Reid (19th in 5:59.6) traded places a few times during the race to see who would be Lovejoy's #1 today. Arjun Sharma (16:39.3) got his first taste of the State course today — only Tristan and Joey have raced here before. Carter Ewing (17:36.4) and Adam Rogers (17:57.6) closed out the scoring. Freshman Haden Snyder (18:33.0) and sophomore Bryce Morales (18:59.9) made their first weekend road trip with the varsity. But that's the point of competing at the McNeil — exposure, experience.
[results] for the McNeil Boys Gold race
The McNeil Girls Silver race closed out a very long week for Lovejoy XC and with quite a bang. The Lady Leopards won their 3rd championship trophy/plaque in as many days. None of the Lovejoy girls finished in the top 15, but once they started scoring they came in quickly. The team scores were high because of the highl level of competition: Lovejoy (142 points) was the only team under 200 points.
Madison Simpson (20:21.7) ran upfront with Leila Bailey (20:42.1) before separating from the pack. Kennedy Johns (20:44.3) was nipping at Leila's heels at the finish. Mia Binnings (20:55.7) and Kaylee Martin (21:04.6) finished the scoring. Dani Sassine (22:18.0) had a solid race, but Kate Roberts (DNF) was pulled in the second half of the race.
[results] for the McNeil Girls Silver race
CLICK HERE for the Braswell meet photo album
CLICK HERE for the McNeil meet photo album
LHS Girls XC — Braswell Recap
It was a great morning to race! We ran the same course from the 1st Marcus meet and had MANY PRs!! (of course many of these girls got rained out the first time around ... but still had PRs compared to previous times!).
Lily Stabile, Morgan Suder and Tatum Novicke got out to the front quickly and commanded the race going 1-3-4 with Michaela Martin working her way up throughout the race finishing 13th. Paige Spencer and Lily Sanders weren't far behind in 23rd and 24th.
STRONGER. FASTER. TOUGHER.
CHAMPION MINDSET.
TAKIN' OUR TITLE BACK!!
Carly Littlefield
Lovejoy XC Fall Festival Succeeds Again
Another successful Fall Festival hosted by Lovejoy at the now infamous Myers Park. Lots of help from lots of boosters and even retired boosters to pull off the best 5A meet in Texas. Per usual, the Lovejoy coaches knocked themselves out for this meet and it showed.
The Lovejoy girls acquitted themselves well and went 1st, 2nd, and 2nd in their three races which were competitive. The Lovejoy boys faced even stiffer competition and are in a rebuilding year, so they went 4th, 6th, and 10th in their three races.
The meet featured 1,380 runners (who finished) — 583 girls and 797 boys. 50 different schools brought teams.
The weather was mixed: typically cooler September temperatures (the first race started at 74°F), but between the early morning's high humidity and a lack of wind, the first four races were rather sweaty. A breeze kicked up by the fifth race providing some welcome relief.
The Varsity Girls Elite race had Lovejoy (42 points) winning convincingly over 5A Highland Park (74 points), 5A A&M Consolidated (124 pts), and 6A Prosper (127 points). More importantly the Lady Leopards top-5 average time of 18:41.2 is one of the best over the past 5 years. The 1-5 split time was a respectable 53.7 seconds.
While CCCAT has ranked the Lovejoy girls at #2, CCCAT has ranked A&M Consolidated at #3, Highland Park at #4, and Wakeland at #6. Competition-wise, this race resembled a Region Championship and Lovejoy won it handily.
Senior Camryn Benson (3rd in scoring in 18:16.70) finished a few seconds ahead of freshman Emily Armstrong (4th in 18:21.40). This was Cam's last go-around on the Myers course (District will be run at LHS this year), and Emily's first full 5K on the Myers course. Senior Bridget Bernal (7th in 18:37.6) also had a top-10 finish and has also run her last at Myers. Having Emily in the lineup is like having Sara Morefield back.
Junior Talia Orshalick (13th in 19:00.1) improved by 31.3 seconds over her time at Fall Fest last year. Senior Sofia Dominguez (15th in 19:40.4) was (as usual) close to Talia and closed out the scoring. Talia and Sofia tend to flip-flop positions from meet to meet.
And even closer to Sofia were Lily Fogle (17th in 19:14.60) with a 107.8-second improvement at Myers, and Cailee Horinek (18th in 19:16.5) with a 42.4-second improvement. So that's all of Lovejoy's scorers (including their #6 AND #7 spoilers) in the top 20.
Sophomore Leila Bailey (19:38.3) had a 104.3-second improvement today. And finally Harper Jaynes (19:49.4) finished 37th overall in a field of 138 elite varsity runners. Very solid showing by the top girls.
[results] for Varsity Girls Elite race
The Varsity Boys Elite race saw Lovejoy (153 points) finish 4th behind CCCAT #1 ranked 4A Canyon (125 points), 6A Prosper (142 points), and #8 ranked 5A McKinney North (152 points). The Leopards dropped their 1-5 split time down to 90.0 seconds — a major 60-second improvement over their Coach T split time. The top-5 average was 16:28.1. The boys are confident they can make up the 1-point difference with McKinney North by District.
This race was highly competitive with no teams scoring less than 100 points and only 5 teams scoring between 100 and 200 points. A real barn burner.
Tristan Arceneau (8th in scoring in 15:43.8) and Joey Reid (11th in 15:52.1) led for the Leopards. Always better to have two hammers upfront instead of one. Arjun Sharma (21st in 16:17.1) has been playing the role of the chaser this season — a bridge between the hammers and the scoring pack.
Carter Ewing (16:53.7) led in a stretched out scoring pack with Adam Rogers (17:13.8) and Haden Snyder (17:33.7) behind him. This was Adam's best outing this fall and by far his best on the Myers course ever (his last go at it). This was Haden's first 5K at Myers. "The hills at Myers Park are hard."
[results] for Varsity Boys Elite race
The Varsity Girls race was won by CCCAT's #5 ranked 6A team The Woodlands (57 points) which skipped the elite races and ran in the open varsity races instead. Still, Lovejoy (65 points) finished only 8 points back. Wakeland (121 points) and the other 17 teams were not competitive with The Woodlands and Lovejoy. This was the girls largest field of the day with 193 finishers.
The Lovejoy girls nailed down a fantastic 28.2-seconds 1-5 split time with a cavalcade of finishers: Kennedy Johns (8th in 20:20.8), Madison Simpson (9th in 20:27.1), Mia Binnings (14th in 20:34.7), Lily Stabile (16th in 20:42.6), and Kaylee Martin (19th in 20:49.0). All top-20 finishes.
Kate Roberts (21st in 21:05.3) and Tatum Novicke (23rd in 21:13.5) were close behind as Lovejoy's #6 and #7. Kate literally limped in, and Tatum was facing the Myers beast for the first time in a few years.
[results] for Varsity Girls race
The Varsity Boys race saw Oklahoma's #2 ranked 5A team from Bishop McGuinness (34 points) win while running its #1 varsity. Very close behind was #5 ranked 4A Sanger (35 points) also running its #1 varsity. And then came Dallas St. Marks (95 points) running its #1 varsity. And then came #3 ranked 6A The Woodlands (148 points).
It can be hard to judge how your team does in these pre-UIL championship meets because the level of competition can vary widely. This was yet another race for the Lovejoy boys where they ran into some oversized opponents that are not representative of what they will face at District. But the Leopards did finish behind McKinney North (178 points). That's the only real challenge to take away from this race. Lovejoy handled all the other 5A teams just fine.
Bryce Morales (18:11.3) was close to a sub-18-minute time. We'll see what he does at the McNeil next weekend when he runs with the elite varsity. Freshmen Kipton DuBois (18:25.3) and Declan Keating (18:44.8) got their first taste of a Myers 5K. Dylan Welch (18:58.0) and Carson Koerner (19:15.5) finished off Lovejoy scoring and secured the 6th place finish (quite good considering the competition).
[results] for Varsity Boys race
In the Elite JV Girls race, 6A The Woodlands (18 points) ran away with the victory. Lovejoy (64 points) finished 2nd and bested all the other 5A and 6A teams.
Lovejoy's #1 to #5 runners all had top-20 scoring finishes: Michaela Martin (22:38.8), Chloe Long (22:50.4), freshman Camryn Barney (22:55.3), Lily Sanders (23:06.8), and Paige Spencer (23:34.0). Solid finishes by Lily and Paige are what gave Lovejoy its 4-point edge over Wakeland in the scoring.
[results] for Elite JV Girls race
In the Elite JV Boys race Lovejoy's #3 squad ran into several other teams #2 squads. And after the graduation of the Lovejoy 2025 seniors in May, our guys squads are somewhat leaner this fall.
Connor Katerberg (20:19.2), Andrew Herrera (20:36.1), and Miles McDonald (20:54.1) all broke the 21-minute mark. The guys fought hard in this race — lots of intense battles with opposing runners while coming down the chute. A Lovejoy worthy performance despite the placement.
[results] for Elite JV Boys race
CLICK HERE for the meet photo album.
LHS XC Boys — Fall Festival Recap
A huge thank you to all of our parents, volunteers, and booster club supporters who helped make the Lovejoy XC Fall Festival a success! The meet ran smoothly, and we received a lot of positive feedback from visiting teams, coaches, and spectators. Your support makes a big difference!
Our varsity boys placed 4th overall, finishing just one point behind #8-ranked McKinney North — a district opponent we’ll see again at the District Championship on October 7th. While North edged us out this time, we gained confidence by defeating #6-ranked Boerne (last year’s 5A state runner-up) and #9-ranked Prosper Walnut Grove.
We had strong performances from our top three runners — Tristan, Joey, and Arjun — while Carter, Adam, and Haden stepped up with significant improvements on a tougher course compared to the Marcus meet. In addition, our open varsity and JV athletes delivered standout performances that showcased the depth of our program. Building team depth has always been a tradition of Lovejoy Cross Country, and this year’s squad is working to continue that legacy.
McKinney North may have edged us out on Saturday, but our focus remains on preparing for when it matters most — District, Region, and State.
CLICK HERE for full meet results
Logan Kelly
cell: 903-821-8399
LHS Girls XC — Fall Festival Recap, Runners of the Week
Thank you again to all who were able to help out in any way with Fall Festival. Coach Kelly has done an incredible job of building this into a premier meet, and our booster club and parents continue to step up every year and make sure it stays that way! (We even had many "retired" booster members show up to help out!!) Also — shoutout to our kids who spent over an hour on cleanup duty which is no small task — especially after running your heart out! It is a blessing to have such a great team of people in Lovejoy XCTF. THANK YOU.
Runners of the Week
- Talia Orshalick is a special athlete. She is one of the most driven young women I've ever coached. If she puts her mind to something ... it is going to happen. She showed this her Sophomore year running incredible in the 300 hurdles all year and working her way to a 57 in the 400. Her performance at the state track meet in May was one of the best I've ever seen. She is now showing that same grit and determination in Cross ... and it really makes our team very strong. She refuses to give less than her best, and she works diligently to be the best for herself and especially her team. She had the best Cross Country race of her career so far on Saturday going 19 flat on a tough course. She got out fast and held on for a strong finish for her team!
- Kennedy Johns is a junior who has come so far in the past few years! She is also an amazing hurdler for us, and she has the grit and work ethic to put that speed and talent onto the course as well. She had a breakout race on Saturday ... starting conservative but working up throughout the race and finishing strong! She was running really well in July and had a setback with some foot pain issues ... but she's on the comeback! She balances varsity cheer with Cross and has done an awesome job! She is a worker!!
- Paige Spencer finally got to race in a meet for the first time in a while! She has battled some serious injuries for a year now, so we have taken it very slow on her return ... but she came out with some fire on Saturday!!! She finished in the 5th spot for us in JV and only ran 30 seconds off of her PR. She is a naturally great runner, and I look for her to keep improving and show up big at District!! One of the most notable things about Paige is that throughout her injury ... she has shown up to EVERY PRACTICE and helped take times for the team and encourage them. She has been a huge help for me, and I appreciate her commitment to the program!
- McKenzie Archibeck is a freshman who is a standout high jumper ... come watch her this track season!! I am so proud of her for taking the leap into cross country. She is an absolutely amazing young woman who is kind and sweet. She is quiet, but fierce! She also plays basketball and manages to make it all work. She — along with several from our sprint group — ran her first 5k on Saturday. She did awesome! She is patient and tough. You never hear her complain or show fear or doubt. She just works!!
STRONGER. FASTER. TOUGHER.
CHAMPION MINDSET.
TAKIN' OUR TITLE BACK!!
Carly Littlefield
Volunteers & Donations Needed for Lovejoy XC Fall Festival
The Lovejoy XC Fall Festival is quickly approaching. We will host the meet on Saturday, September 13th at Myers Park in McKinney, TX. To continue the great success of this meet we need everyone's help!
This is Lovejoy's signature XC meet — the best 5A XC meet in Texas. It started all the way back in 2006 during the team's very first season. The proceeds from this meet fund much of the XC and Track & Field seasons. Many volunteers and donations are needed for success.
Please check out our two sign-ups to help with this great event!
- CLICK HERE to volunteer
- CLICK HERE to donate
Donations items rance from $5 to $25, and please consider donating multiple items.
Please direct any volunteering questions to Jennifer Orshalik (214-578-6632).
LHS Girls XC — 100% Attendance, Leadership Committee
Sorry for the extra communication this week ... but I wanted to share two great things happening this week
- Attendance has been 100% this week - thank you! On top of that, Wednesday's workout was probably the best overall we've had all season by ALL kids! We should race really well Saturday!
- We have established a leadership committee this year for the program, and I had 21 girls sign up. We had our first meeting a few weeks ago. We met in smaller groups this week, and the girls are doing a GREAT job of implementing the lessons into their daily lives and within the team. We have had great discussions, and we are all learning from each other and identifying strengths and weaknesses in our leadership.
See you tomorrow at the course! And thanks so much to the Booster club and ALLLLL of the volunteers for helping get set up today and tomorrow morning! It takes a village ... and we have the BEST VILLAGE!!
STRONGER. FASTER. TOUGHER.
CHAMPION MINDSET.
TAKIN' OUR TITLE BACK!!
Carly Littlefield
LHS XC Boys — Updates
This is a big week for Lovejoy Cross Country. We will host the Lovejoy XC Fall Festival on Saturday. Some of the top teams from across the state will travel to compete in our meet. We are still in need of meet volunteers for the event. Please consider signing up if you are able!
Big Bro / Little Bro with WSMS
This Thursday our boys team met and ran with our future runners at WSMS for our Big Bro/Lil Bro program. This is a great opportunity for our team to mentor and be a great example for our WSMS runners. Big thank you for Coach Muller for helping organize this! We will be running with WSMS runners every other week.
Logan Kelly
cell: 903-821-8399
LHS Girls XC — Updates, Runners of the Week
We had a solid week of training. We ran a threshold yesterday which is one of the most important training days we have and simulates a race for the week. CLICK HERE for yesterday's threshold results. The next 3 weeks are races! Enjoy this cool weather today!
6-Week Grade Check — September 19th
The 6-week mark for the school year will be on September 19th. Runners must be passing all classes by this date in order to remain eligible for UIL competition. The only courses that are exempt are AP courses, Dual Credit courses, or Pre-Cal.
All Smiles Running with Our Baby Sis's on Thursday!
LLI Golf Tournament
We are still needing representation of Lovejoy Cross Country and Track & Field at the upcoming LLI Golf Tournament, which directly benefits all Lovejoy athletic programs. There are spots available for both teams and sponsors, and we would love for our program to be represented. Please consider joining or supporting if you are able.
Runners of the Week
- Payton Jurist is a freshman who is totally new to the sport. I met her during middle school track last year and immediately noticed she had something special. She WANTS to get better. She WANTS to compete. She has a strong work ethic and a great attitude! She has been a great addition to the team and has been improving rapidly. I am eager to watch her continue to grow in this sport!
- Lily Sanders has been a staple in our program for 5 years. She ALWAYS shows up for practice and anything our team is doing and she strives to be the best runner and person she can be. She is a great teammate who deeply cares about carrying on the legacy and culture of our team. Lovejoy Cross Country is important to her, and it shows in everything she does. This season, she has set higher goals, and she has been training hard to reach them. She had an incredible threshold on Friday, proving that her hard work and dedication is paying off.
- Cailee Horinek is one of the most talented and dedicated athletes in the entire program. She can do it all. She is fast, she can jump, she is one of our top 4x4 legs, she is an outstanding mid-distance runner, and she is one of our top XC gals. She has impressed her teammates this week as she was nominated by many for this accolade. I agree with them. One runner said, "she is such a hard worker and always gives her best effort. She is one of the toughest runners on our team!" That says it all right there! Watching Cailee grow the past 4 years has been so awesome. She ran a 56 last year on the track, and yesterday ... she showed her range by having an OUTSTANDING 4-mile threshold. When she puts it all together in a 5k ... she will be dangerous!
STRONGER. FASTER. TOUGHER.
CHAMPION MINDSET.
TAKIN' OUR TITLE BACK!!
Carly Littlefield
WSMS XC — Updates, Athletes of the Week
I hope you all are doing well! These student-athletes put in phenomenal work today. It was HARD, and they stayed determined throughout the entire workout. I am continually impressed by the grit they are developing!
Another Popsicle Practice is in the Books!
Thank you to the Struthers family for partnering with us this past week to provide popsicles to wrap-up Thursday's practice! It is so fun to celebrate the student-athletes' hard work throughout the week in this way!
Athlete of the Week
Last year, we began to recognize "Athletes of the Week" in a very special way. Celebrating their consistent efforts, focus, demonstration of a growth mindset, determination, sportsmanship, and heart of service, Athletes of the Week receive one of the original Lovejoy XC jerseys that they can choose to wear at a practice each week. To cover last week and this week, we are so excited to name Claire Carlson, Mitchell Smith, Bronwyn Vaughan, and Bryan Schmidt as our Athletes of the Week!
- Claire Carlson is beginning her first year with the WSMS XC team and she showed-up with speed and a smile! Claire has positive energy for days, and takes that right into her approach to workouts. Her mindset, attitude, and actions exemplify the girls' program motto of "STRONGER, FASTER, TOUGHER." It has been awesome seeing the way she maintains a genuine friendliness, all the while being an unrelenting competitor. At this rate, Claire is headed towards success, and significantly, she's bringing the whole 7th grade girls team with her! We are so excited to see more great things from Claire this season and are so thankful she is part of the Lovejoy XC Program!
- Mitchell Smith is beginning his first year on the WSMS XC team and made quite a statement from the get-go. It was initially shocking to see this 7th grader jump right into a tempo workout with the likes of Preston, Tom, and Bryan and run with them as if he'd been doing it for months. Continuing on theme, Mitchell battled with Tom during the Time Trial running smooth 5:41 to kick off the season with a statement! Beyond this, Mitchell has such a positive attitude, and continues to challenge his training group with the amount of effort he brings to each practice. We are so excited to see more great things from Mitchell this season and are so thankful he is part of the Lovejoy XC Program!
- Bronwyn Vaughan enters her second year on the WSMS XC team and has immediately worked to inspire her teammates towards excellence and success. Her consistent, high quality work ethic never misses a beat, and she is often found making sure to finish the last few minutes of her run or putting in some additional minutes if there is time to spare. Along with this, she works to unify the team by putting full effort in games and team bonding opportunities. She exemplifies a STRONGER, FASTER, TOUGHER mindset and lifestyle, never skipping the details in warm-ups, workouts, or post-work. We are so excited to see more great things from Bronwyn this season and are so thankful she is part of the Lovejoy XC Program!
- Bryan Schmidt enters his second year on the WSMS XC team and continues to impress me with his full-effort attitude. When the work gets tough, Bryan gets to work. His competitive mindset is showcased in his refusal to back down from a fight. He has continually supported the team with outstanding past performances in races, as well as full-effort contributions in practices. Bryan has demonstrated reliability and trustworthiness to his team through his actions. Success isn't built in a day, and Bryan is successful. His consistent efforts have been encouraging to me and his team. This kid has got GRIT. We are so excited to see more great things from Bryan this season and are so thankful he is part of the Lovejoy XC Program!
Have a great weekend,
David Müeller
LHS Girls XC — Coach T Recap, Runners of the Week
We had a great meet on Saturday for those who were able to compete. Unfortunately, due to lightning, the JV races were cancelled. The open Varsity took 2nd to Flower Mound and that group ran really solid. The Elite Varsity group took 3rd to 6As Flower Mound and Katy. With Camryn racing, we would have been 2nd and very close on the heels of FM — who are 5-time 6A State Champions.
Runners of the Week
The only way to describe the performance of these ladies from Saturday is ABSOLUTELY COMMANDING. The way these 3 raced showed a state championship performance. When we throw Camryn into the mix and get our 5-7 up to 19 flat mark ... we will be VERY hard to beat this season.
- Emily Armstrong — only a freshman — but EXTREMELY COACHABLE and completely FEARLESS. She has been looking strong and comfortable for the past 2 weeks of practice, so I was eager to see what she could do when she had a race on her hands. She did not disappoint. I asked her to get out with the lead pack (minus the leader, Easterwood) and just go for it and see where she landed. She did just that taking an early spot in the top 5. She came through the woods about 10-15 seconds behind an Aledo girl. I told her "the girl in orange is the only 5A girl in front of you — go get her!" With just over 800 meters to go ... she did go catch and beat her! This competitive edge from a freshman adds a big boost to our veteran line-up who has state experience.
- Bridget Bernal has been working HARD. She's increased weekly mileage just a bit and has been cross-training 2-3 times a week. Coming off of an 8th place finish at the state track meet, she has proven that she is going to be a strong competitor in class 5A this season. She also got a great, aggressive start and had her typical unbelievable finish. She is so solid and dependable — you know when she steps on the line she will give everything she has every time and finish either where you expect or better. She is ultra competitive and has big goals for this season.
- Sofia Dominguez is off to a great start this season. She had some really amazing and fast races on the track at the end of the season, and she has also been busting her tail this summer. She is fit and she is fast. When she is on — there is nothing she can't do — she gets this look on her face, and you know she's about to run fast. Saturday she ran this race very tactically sound — she knows what works for her, and she executed it to perfection. She ran in our #3 spot and was only 27 seconds behind Emily and 17 seconds behind Bridget. This is an amazing gap for 1-3 and will make us tough to beat.
STRONGER. FASTER. TOUGHER.
CHAMPION MINDSET.
TAKIN' OUR TITLE BACK!!
Carly Littlefield
LHS XC Boys — Coach T Recap
Two of our boys groups were able to race this weekend at the Coach T Marcus Invite. Unfortunately, the lightning forced our JV races to be cancelled. We were able to race some of the top 5A teams in the state. #2 McAllen and #1 Grapevine both had higher team finishes on Saturday. Our boys were able to significantly defeat #5 College Station. This race gives us an idea of where we stand at this current point in the season.
We still have work to do and everyone has the task of improving our depth and closing the gap time for our 1-5 runners. This is going to be our focus of improvement for the remainder of this season. We will face #3 ranked boys team Boerne at our home meet, Lovejoy XC Fall Festival, on September 13th.
CLICK HERE for the meet results.
Logan Kelly
cell: 903-821-8399
WSMS XC — Updates
This week I have been challenging the student-athletes to new heights by asking them to take more ownership of their workout — and it has not been easy — but their growth and determination has been AMAZING! I am really impressed with these young leaders. They are learning a lot about investing in their workouts, inspiring each other towards excellence, working with new teammates, communication, and being a problem solver. It's TOUGH and THEY ARE DOING IT! Please be proud of your student-athletes and encourage them to continue embracing challenges with a growth mindset — good things are headed their way!
1-Mile Time Trial Photos
Thank you Mrs. Elliott-Kubes for taking these photos for us!
- link: https://dador.smugmug.com/Sports/LISD-XC/2025/20250821-WSMS-Time-Trial/
- password: flying
Have a great extended weekend!
David Müeller
LHS XC Boys — Updates
Coach T — Marcus Invitational
This week we will compete at the Marcus Coach T Invite in Denton, TX. The course is typically fast and the meet is one of the most competitive early season meets in Texas. 5 of the top 10 ranked 5A teams will attend: Lovejoy, Grapevine, McAllen, College Station and Aledo. 6 of the top 10 ranked 6A teams are schedule to attend: Southlake, Waxahachie, Byron Nelson, Flower Mound, Keller, and Austin Vandegrift. We will leave bright and early for this meet at 4:40 AM!
End of SportsYou — Switching to Rooms on Thrillshare/Apptegy
To comply with new district policy, we will be ending Sports You on Sunday 8.24.25 and switching to the Lovejoy ISD app through Apptegy.
Logan Kelly
cell: 903-821-8399
LHS Girls XC — Updates
It was a big week of training, and we are definitely getting stronger. CLICK HERE for today's threshold results. For many it was our first 4-mile of the season, and we were very solid!
We attended the WSMS time trial on Thursday, and those little girls get so excited to see their Big Sis. We had a parent email after the fact and she stated that her daughter had been apprehensive and nervous, but "her big sis had good words of encouragement for her." That shows how simply showing up can help someone! I'm proud of the girls!
We have Marcus (which is typically a fast course and a good chance to run great times) next Saturday. I will get the entries and details out early next week. Note ... it is an early one!
My Birthday Bouquet made by a few of the girls. I told them now when I'm 80 years old I'll always remember their faces! 😊
Great picture taken by Lily Sanders on our run Thursday!
STRONGER. FASTER. TOUGHER.
CHAMPION MINDSET.
TAKIN' OUR TITLE BACK!!
Carly Littlefield
LHS Girls XC — Runners of the Week
This week we have a freshman, sophomore, junior and senior ... all from the sprint group! Each of them really stood out at the Rock Hill meet. Each of them is at practice EVERY DAY — year round. Even though they are 3 hurdlers and a 400/800 girl ... they are all in on being the best they can be. They have a different training schedule than the distance crew ... and their competitive side shows up big on race day!
- Zoe Manley — The growth of this young woman over the past year has been amazing to watch. First things first about Zoe ... she is a fierce competitor who HATES TO GET BEAT! She has been this way since I've known her in 7th grade track. Last year she was very nervous about Cross Country races ... and when we got down to the bottom of it ... it was really because she just doesn't like to lose. A year later, and she has gotten so much stronger both mentally and physically. She had an absolutely amazing race at Rock Hill and definitely showcased her competitive and tough nature!
- Michaela Martin is now a junior — which is so hard for me to believe! She is one of our top hurdlers, and she is a worker! Michaela brings such a joy to our team. She is fun and funny and always keeps us all on our toes! She is also responsible, generous and thoughtful. She encompasses all the attributes of a Lovejoy Track and Cross Country athlete. Even though Cross is not her favorite time of year ... she makes it a priority for the team, and she shows up with a great attitude and does whatever is asked with a smile (sometimes maybe only a half smile depending on the workout) on her face! She continues to grow as an athlete, and I am looking forward to seeing her hit the oval in the spring!
- Chloe Long is one of our fearless senior leaders who makes the team tick. She has been a huge asset to our track and cross country team and to me as a coach. She is a great communicator and has a strong voice. She cares for others when needed, and she also holds people accountable when needed. She is so reliable when it comes to practices and meets; she can be counted on to be consistent in her attitude and effort at all times. She is also a great cheerleader for the team — another person who thinks ahead and is thoughtful toward her team. I have loved watching her growth the past 3 years!
- Camryn Barney is just a freshman, but she has a strong presence about her already! She will be one to watch for the next 3 years. Camryn is a competitor. She is tough. She is feisty. Cross Country is completely new to her this year, but I foresee greatness in her future. She is all-in with XCTF, and I am excited to see her thrive over this year!
STRONGER. FASTER. TOUGHER.
CHAMPION MINDSET.
TAKIN' OUR TITLE BACK!!
Carly Littlefield
LHS XC Boys — Rock Hill Recap
This past weekend our boys team competed very well at the Rock Hill XC Opener. The majority of our runners ran a new personal best time at the meet for 3200M. This is a great start, but we still have a lot of work to do! Our next race and first official 5K race of the season will be at the Coach T Marcus Invitational on 8.30.25.
CLICK HERE for Rock Hill XC Opener Results.
Logan Kelly
cell: 903-821-8399
LHS Girls XC — Rock Hill Recap
Friday was a great season opener for the Leopards!! We took commanding wins in all 3 divisions! We had 2 FRESHMEN win their first high school race as individuals! Emily Armstrong (elite division) and Lily Stabile (JV division) both got out fast and strong and never looked back! All 3 teams looked great and ran hard. We will continue to work!
STRONGER. FASTER. TOUGHER.
CHAMPION MINDSET.
TAKIN' OUR TITLE BACK!!
Carly Littlefield
LHS XC — Meet Rules
Thank you to all who attended the meeting last night! CLICK HERE for the slides so you may view.
A few very important details we'd like to highlight as we go into our first meet on Friday. We will also cover this in our team meetings on Thursday.
Athletes
- Athletes are to wear uniform and team shirt or team issued equipment with black pants. We always look uniform and unified. No college sweatshirts, etc.
- Athletes are here to compete. They are expected to be prepared.
- Athletes bring their own water, pre and post race snacks and any other items needed on race day. (spikes, rain gear if needed, etc.)
- Athletes will warm-up and cool down with the team they race with that day. Once athletes have competed, they are expected to be out on the course cheering for their teammates in other divisions.
- Athletes will ride the bus to and from the meet. If an extenuating circumstance occurs, I need to know at least 48 hours in advance.
- Keep track of all issued gear — any lost items will need to be replaced/paid for. Put items in a safe place or with a trusted teammate!
Parents
- Please refrain from being at the team tent. We think of this as our "locker room" area where kids can rest and prepare for their race (or relax after).
- The starting line and starting area is for athletes and coaches only.
- Please refrain from being in the chute (finish line) area. You may see parents from other teams congregating there, and this is done at the middle school level as well. Top-tier meets will have this area roped off so that it isn't even an option for spectators/parents to be in this area. Some smaller meets may not though. The finish area is for the runners, coaches, and workers. The girls team will ALL meet near the finish line to wait for the last runner on the team and debrief. They are NOT to leave their team until released by coach or team leader. After that, runners will have some time to visit parents and fans before they do their cool down. **In the case that your runner goes down on the course or at the finish line (rare — but it happens) please feel free to assist your runner.**
- Be careful of crossing the course — always watch for runners (like crossing the street).
- Have fun and enjoy the racing! Your kids have worked HARD, and it takes a lot of courage and strength to get out there and run! This is such a great sport with great camaraderie for both our kids and parents. We pride our program in having the most respectful, hard-working kids around ... you will see that on display at meets!
Carly Littlefield
Logan Kelly
LHS Girls XC — Updates
Thankful for all of our awesome athletes and especially our XCTF kids who showed up early Monday morning to greet the staff on their first day back!!! Shoutout to Michaela, Natalia, Talia, Anna A, Chloe L, Kate R, Claire, Ella S, and Tatum!!!!!
PINK team were the winners from the time trial. An especially sassy crew! :)
WORKING TOGETHER AS ONE! Coach Kelly and I have grouped up boys and girls to try to benefit the kids, and while it's in the growth stages, I think it helped a lot of kids this morning for mile repeats.
STRONGER. FASTER. TOUGHER.
CHAMPION MINDSET.
TAKIN' OUR TITLE BACK!!
Carly Littlefield
LLI Golf Tournament
The 17th annual LLI Golf Tournament is being held Monday, September 22nd at The Heritage Ranch Golf & Country Club. There's a 1:30 pm shotgun start (check-in starts at 12:00 pm).
This is a big fundraiser for Lovejoy athletics in part benefiting the XC/Track booster club. Please consider participating in the tournament, and sign up your golfing friends.
CLICK HERE for the tournament information and registration/sponsorship links.
Lots of sponsorship opportunities are available ranging from $500 to $3,000.
LHS Girls XC — Runners of the Week
- LILY FOGLE!!!! — This young lady just continues to get better each year. She had a breakout sophomore year with some big races in both Cross Country and track. At the 2-mile time trial last Saturday she finished in the #5 slot on our team and ran 61 seconds faster than last year!! She earned a spot in the Elite Varsity division for the first meet, and I know she has big goals this season. She may be quiet ... but when she comes ready to compete — she is fierce, aggressive, and impressive.
- Margaret Meehlhause — This incoming Senior is new to us, and we are so glad to have her! She is a leader and a high achiever, and she has showed up ALL SUMMER long! She's that girl who — if she's going to do something — she is going to be the best she can and give 100%. She joined Track for the first time this past year and is already high jumping and pole vaulting! Saturday ... she almost broke 15 minutes in her first 2 mile ... just showing what a competitor she is! I am excited to watch her continue to improve, and see the positivity she will bring to the team.
- Ella Snyder — This junior has been another amazing addition to our team this year! She reached out to me during track season asking how she could join Cross country, and I got her started with a running plan. She has shown up every day this summer. She ALWAYS has a positive attitude. She never complains. She just gets out there and runs. These attributes have resulted in her going from a 20 minute 2 mile at the beginning of the summer to a 16:41 2 mile time trial. With her work ethic, attitude, and attendance ... I believe she will become a great runner over the course of this season. She is also looking to be a great leader — volunteering for the leadership committee and to help serve at convocation.
STRONGER. FASTER. TOUGHER.
CHAMPION MINDSET.
TAKIN' OUR TITLE BACK!!
Carly Littlefield
Time Trial Starts Leopards XC Competition Season
Lovejoy harriers kicked off their competition season with the annual Time Trial at Celebration Park this morning in near perfect running conditions (for August in North Texas). This year the coaches divided the runners into teams which competed for bragging rights.
Lots and lots of parents came out along with a significant alumni showing. And the largest ever WSMS turnout — 9 Willow Springers mixing up with the LHS harriers.
In recent years Lovejoy XC has enjoyed a very deep team (both boys and girls). But with the recent graduations of some of the team's best runners in its history, that depth is being challenged. Last fall Coach Logan needed all of the boys' depth to win State. And Coach Littlefield's girls earned 2nd place at State. Both the boys and girls have a solid set of top-4 runners this fall, but it will once again come down to the 5-6-7 runners to decide how well Lovejoy succeeds. And who will those runners be? Stay tuned.
At last night's XC reunion (first one ever), the boys amazing record of 18 consecutive District Championships was celebrated. For the first time in many years that record will be seriously challenged this fall. McKinney North is the biggest threat, but don't forget about Walnut Grove. The girls are looking to retake the State Championship, but have little room for setbacks. Both boys and girls need to stay focussed and healthy. That said, this is shaping up to be another great season for Lovejoy XC.
The girls top-5 runners averaged 5.5 seconds faster than the top-5 from last August (the girls earned 2nd at State last fall), but were 11.2 seconds slower than the top-5 from 2 years ago (those girls handily won State). The girls' top-10 finishers today were a top-heavy mix of 5 seniors, 2 juniors, 1 sophomore, and 2 freshmen. Experience helps at State.
For the four girls teams (orange, pink, blue, and purple) it was the
orange
pink team that prevailed. Overall the results were quite competitive.
For the boys last August, 11 of the top 14 finishers were seniors and the top-5 runners averaged 9:48.8. Today the top-5 average was 10:04.8. The difference of 16.0 seconds for a 2-mile race compares with the 5K State Championship where Lovejoy's 1st place top-5 averaged 16 seconds better than 2nd place Boerne, 20 seconds faster than 3rd place Wakeland, and 21 seconds faster than 4th place Grapevine. To get back on the podium this fall the Lovejoy guys will have to pick up the pace.
The younger Lovejoy boys turned in impressive times: 12 of the top 18 times belonged to 7 freshmen and 5 sophomores. The future continues to look bright.
Of the boys 4 teams, the red team won out.
CLICK HERE for the online photo album.
LHS Girls XC — Time Trial Results
GREAT MORNING!!! Thank you all for such a GIANT turnout! I think that was the most parents we've EVER HAD AT A TIME TRIAL!! Jim McGuinness who has been here since inception agreed! The Lady Leopards DID NOT DISAPPOINT! We had a great day and look as good/fast as we ever have in 4 years this morning. Veterans led the way with smooth consistency and race knowledge, and the young ones are improving rapidly. This promises to be another exciting season as we aim to TAKE OUR TITLE BACK!
CLICK HERE for the girls results.
Huge shoutout to Jennifer Simpson and all of the Booster Club for hosting an awesome gathering with great food this morning at Seis Lagos.
Again ... thank you all for your support — it was very cool to see such a great crowd. I'm officially PUMPED for the 1st meet!!
NOTE: The parent meeting has been moved to August 11th at 6:00 PM via zoom. We will get a link out prior to the meeting.
STRONGER. FASTER. TOUGHER.
CHAMPION MINDSET.
TAKIN' OUR TITLE BACK!!
Carly Littlefield
LHS XC — Fundraiser
The Lovejoy Cross Country and Track Team will be kicking off our Up Tempo Fundraising campaign!
- Date: Tuesday, August 5th
- Time: 4:30 pm
- Location: LHS Lecture Hall
This is a campaign that allows our athletes to receive donations from their families and friends. To assist our fundraising efforts, we are asking you to help your son/daughter obtain permission for and gather 20 email addresses and phone numbers of his/her closest supporters.
Family and friends will then receive an email directing them to the athlete’s personal web page providing an easy way for them to donate.
Up-Tempo Email Campaign Facts:
- Safe and Protected — Up Tempo utilizes a safe and secure online donation system. All data is private and never redistributed. Personal information displayed is less detailed than what is given on a team online roster or your school’s annual yearbook, with no personal information other than name and optional picture/selfie. Your contacts are strictly private and protected, never sold or shared.
- Online donation system — Up Tempo is an online donation platform inviting potential donors via email and social media to visit the webpage where they can easily donate and support your program. All supporters will receive an emailed receipt for their tax-deductible gift. Reminder emails and texts will be sent throughout the campaign with the option to unsubscribe.
We are asking you to assist your son/daughter by obtaining permission for and gathering 20 emails and phone numbers of people closest to him/her who may be potential donors. Your athlete will need to bring these saved in their phone notes by Tuesday, August 5th and we will help set up his/her profile and host our “Live Kickoff” for the athletes to reach out to the people on their list. Thank You!
If you have specific questions regarding Up Tempo Fundraising, please contact Mindy Purcell at mindypurcell@uptempofundraising.com.
Carly Littlefield
LHS XC Boys — Updates
We are one week closer to the season! With school starting soon, please make sure your runner is making adjustments to their sleep schedules (getting to bed earlier) and prepping for full days ahead. Once the stress of studies enters the picture, it becomes imperative that we are managing time wisely and prioritizing sleep and nutrition in our daily routine.
This SATURDAY is our annual 2-mile trial. This is an important day to see how our summer training has paid off and get some racing back into our legs before the first meet. We encourage parents to grab your coffee and come out and cheer the team on! We will start the race at 7:00 am — athletes must arrive by 6:30 for warm-up.
Attendance Going Forward
Please make sure your runner is at practice each day going forward. Runners who miss practice starting August 1st or not at the time trial will not compete in the first meet of the season. Please support your runner in making sure they are at practice each day! We have a long storied tradition of success and the biggest component to that success is consistency and showing up to put in the work that is required.
Logan Kelly
cell: 903-821-8399
LHS Girls XC — Updates, Kennedie Hummel
We are one week closer to the season! With school starting soon, please make sure your runner is making adjustments to her sleep schedules (getting to bed earlier) and prepping for full days ahead. Once the stress of studies enters the picture, it becomes imperative that we are managing time wisely and prioritizing sleep and nutrition in our daily routine. We will have a few big team meetings the first week of school to revisit some of the topics covered at camp so we ensure a successful school year and season.
Next SATURDAY is our annual 2 mile trial. This is an important day to see how our summer training has paid off and get some racing back into our legs before the first meet. We encourage parents to grab your coffee and come out and cheer the team on! We will start the race at 7:00 AM — athletes must arrive by 6:30 for warm-up. Athletes are divided into 4 teams, and the top 7 on each team will score points!
Congrats to one of our runners, Kennedie Hummel, for her fourth place finish in Diving at the AAU National Championships!
STRONGER. FASTER. TOUGHER.
CHAMPION MINDSET.
Carly Littlefield
LHS Girls XC — Updates, Camryn Benson
HELP! As we enter the end of summer and start heading into the new school year ... (did anyone else's summer fly by??) ... I need your help with ensuring that our girls are getting the sleep they need to rest and recover their bodies and brains. We have discussed at great length the importance of nutrition and sleep ... but the action must happen. I need them getting a minimum of 8 hours of sleep each night — although 9 is preferred. Anything less is asking for injury. As school ramps up and homework and other activities arise, time management becomes imperative. I will teach and preach on my end, and I would greatly appreciate you giving some reminders at home as well.
NICE MILESPLIT ARTICLE ON CAMRYN if you want to check it out!
STRONGER. FASTER. TOUGHER.
CHAMPION MINDSET.
Carly Littlefield
Physicals and Athletic Paperwork
All runners will need to get a physical over the summer and have this turned in by August 1st. A doctor of your choosing will need to complete the UIL Physical form. You can scan and email a copy to our athletic trainer andrew_smith@lovejoyisd.net.
Athletic Paperwork: All runners and parents will need to complete all of the LISD athletic paperwork.
- CLICK HERE to access the UIL Physical form
- CLICK HERE to access the LISD athletic paperwork
Lovejoy XCTF Program Seeking Sponsors for 2025-26 Seasons
The generosity of program sponsors allows the Lovejoy Cross Country/Track & Field teams to meet their financial obligations by supporting the high school and middle school teams during competition season. As a business or family, you can support the program in a way that is visible within Lovejoy ISD and surrounding communities.
Sponsorships help the Lovejoy Cross Country/Track & Field teams with uniforms, equipment, travel, meet hospitality for coaches and trainers, spirit-wear, and team participation at community events including Leopard Friday. It also supports team banners, trophy displays, award recognitions, season celebrations, senior scholarships, and senior yearbook ads. Lovejoy is proud to have one of the largest and most successful Cross Country programs in the State of Texas. The Track & Field program continues to have state qualifiers every year!
Four sponsorship levels are available for companies and sponsors:
- Olympic $1000
- Gold $500
- Silver $250
- Bronze $100
The deadline for becoming a sponsor is August 6th.
CLICK HERE for sponsorship information.
Join/Re-join the XCTF Booster Club
Please join our Booster Club for the 2025-26 school year. The form and dues payment are available online at Cheddar Up.
Your booster club membership supports both the XC and Track & Field programs. Our goal is 100% family participation!
Different membership levels are available. Membership is per family. If you have athletes at both LHS and WSMS, you only need to join once at the High School level. Booster club members should be prepared to volunteer at one fall event and 3-6 hours in the spring. We need you.
Membership dues and donations enable the club to provide season celebrations for Willow Spings and LHS runners, senior scholarships, uniforms, meet equipment, meet hospitality and more.
Join in for simple steps:
- Click +ADD to indicate the type of membership you'll be purchasing.
- Indicate if you'd like to make an additional donation to the Club. All donations benefit the XC & TF teams.
- Complete the membership form.
- Check out (a small processing fee will be included).
Please contact the 2025-2026 VP of Memberships, Bridgette Muaina, if you have any questions.
XCTF Booster Club Board
Here is 2025-2026 Lovejoy XCTF Booster Club Board ...
| officers | |
| President: | Jennifer Simpson (leopardxctf@gmail.com) |
| 1st VP: | Ted Chapman |
| VP Membership: | Bridget Muaina |
| VP Programs: | Jennifer Orshalik |
| Treasurer: | Stacy Jaynes |
| Secretary: | Austin Ewing |
| chairpersons | |
| Banquet Coordinator: | Heather Horinek Pam Arceneau |
| Senior Gifts & Ads: | Courtney Reid Cicily Newhouse |
| Concessions: | Holly Dominguez Keren Martin |
| Hospitality: | Kristy Jackson Kelly Clinton |
| Spirit Wear: | Heather Horinek |
| Scholarships: | Terri Reinhard |
| Middle School Liaison: | Matt DuBois |
Fall 2025 UIL 5A XC Alignments
Lovejoy's Region and District alignment for fall 2025 has not changed.
McKinney North, Prosper Walnut Grove, and Melissa will provide the most serious competition again this fall.
- Anna
- Denison
- Greenville
- Lovejoy
- McKinney North
- Melissa
- Prosper Walnut Grove
- Sherman
Click HERE to see the official UIL Conference 5A district alignments.
LHS XC Boys — Angel Fire Camp Recap
We had a great week in Angel Fire this past week! This was one of our best camps in terms or how it was structured this year and the amount of opportunities our teams were able to interact with each other. Thanks to Coach Littlefield for the idea of putting our runners on teams for the camp for competition and activities. Thanks to coach Müller for helping me organize the team challenges and leading those challenges. It was a great addition to our camp this year!
The homerun message that I talked about with our runners this week was Consistency is Key. To get the most out of your running, be consistent!
CLICK HERE for the Mountain Challenge results.
CLICK HERE for the camp photos taken by Coach Müller.
Logan Kelly
cell: 903-821-8399
LHS Girls XC — Camp of Champs Recap
We had a great week at camp! We had some great team meetings and lectures, and the team has set some big goals and are ready for an amazing season ahead!
CLICK HERE for the camp photos.
STRONGER. FASTER. TOUGHER.
CHAMPION MINDSET.
Carly Littlefield
LHS XC Boys — 2025 Boys Summer Running Camp
Here's the early info on the annual summer running camp for Lovejoy Boys XC. This camp is for incoming freshmen and returning LHS runners. Runners are highly encouraged to attend if they plan to run for LHS next school year. See below for details!
RSVP
CLICK HERE to let me know if you plan to attend or not — you can select yes or no on the google form. Please RSVP by November 30th, 2024. This form is for me only and not shared with the camp organizers.
Current 8th Graders
I highly encourage the incoming freshman to attend this camp if they plan to run in high school. It is a great way to get to know their teammates and the program. I spoke to the boys about this at the team breakfast the other morning. Coach Mueller will be continuing practices two times per week this winter and he will be working with our runners again in track season. We are super excited about having his help at WSMS. Let's keep their success from the XC season going! Our high school program just qualified for the State Championship for the 17th year in a row and won their 9th Regional Championship in a row. We are looking forward to adding this talented and hard working 8th grade class to the High School program next year!
Details
| dates: | June 23-28, 2025 (a Monday thru a Saturday) |
| location: | Angel Fire, NM |
| cost: | $700/runner (includes travel, lodging, food at camp, etc.) CLICK HERE to pay/register |
| purpose: | team bonding; learn about LHS XC |
| travel: | via vans covered by camp cost |
| lodging: | Wheeler Peak Lodge |
| camp website: | CLICK HERE |
| details: | CLICK HERE for a sample outline (from 2024) |
Let me know if you have any questions.
Logan Kelly
cell: 903-821-8399