CROSS COUNTRY: The Woodlands boys finish eighth at Nike Cross Nationals

The Highlanders, running under the Club name The Woodlands XC, finished eighth out of 22 competing teams after qualifying for the event with an at-large bid. The Highlanders, running under the Club name The Woodlands XC, finished eighth out of 22 competing teams after qualifying for the event with an at-large bid. Photo: Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle Photo: Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close CROSS COUNTRY: The Woodlands boys finish eighth at Nike Cross Nationals 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

After winning the UIL Class 6A state championship back in November, The Woodlands boys cross country team proved to be one of the top squads in the country at the Nike Cross Nationals event in Portland, Ore., Saturday.

The Highlanders, running under the Club name The Woodlands XC, finished eighth out of 22 competing teams after qualifying for the event with an at-large bid.

The Woodlands earned a score of 236, just one point behind seventh-place Lincroft (N.J.). Bozeman (Mont.) won the event with a score of 105. Southlake Carroll, the state runner-up, finished 11th with a score of 297, and College Park was 21st at 423.

Senior William Hunsdale led the way for the Highlanders, finishing 48th with a time of 16:25.10. Junior Gavin Hoffpauir (54th, 16:27.80), senior Noah Wells (78th, 16:41.30), junior Daniel Baker (92nd, 16:49.80) and junior Michael Childree (148th, 17:25.90) rounded out The Woodlands' top five.

College Park was led by senior Bryce Quigley, who finished 27th with a time of 16:09.30. Senior Alessandro Topini (85th, 16:44.70), junior Rob Kraus (154th, 17:35.00), junior Zackery Williams (171st, 17:51.30) and sophomore Brian Swartley (173rd, 17:53.90).

Casey Clinger of American Fork (Utah) won the individual boys title at 15:28.4

In the girls' race, Montgomery's Halena Rahmaan finished 133rd, clocking in with a time of 19:55.20. Manlius (N.Y.) won the girls team title, and Brie Oakley, and individual competitor out of the Southwest Region took the individual title at 17:10.10.