Boys Cross Country: The Woodlands HS Wins College Park Invitational

Elton Martin’s personal record leads Highlanders in 4K opener

Saturday, August 30, 2025 — 7:15 a.m.

Athletics

The Woodlands, Texas – The Woodlands boys cross country team opened its season with a team victory at the 21st Annual College Park Invitational on Saturday morning at College Park High School. Woodlands HS Junior Elton Martin set a new personal record, winning the 4K race in 12 minutes, 16 seconds to lead the Highlanders.

The Woodlands scored 56 points for first place, with five runners in the top 21. College Park finished second with 89 points, while Houston Strake Jesuit took third with 107.

The College Park course, a mix of soccer fields, tree-lined trails, and a finish on the 400-meter track, is considered a fan favorite. The layout gives spectators plenty of opportunities to watch the race without having to walk far between vantage points. Host coach Michael Gibson, head coach of the Cavaliers, said he was excited about the turnout and noted the school will also host the District Championship on Thursday, October 9, 2025.

Martin’s personal-best run highlighted a strong team effort for The Woodlands, supported by Christian Greyling (8th, 12:56), William Bishop (11th, 12:59), Sebastian Calderon-Espinosa (15th, 13:09), and Ethan Geiger (21st, 13:24).

Woodlands HS Junior Elton Martin

After the race, Martin said he was pleased with how the season began.

“I felt good about my time today,” Martin said. “I was really focused on hitting my splits, and it all came together.”

He also reflected on the benefits of opening the year with a shorter race. “Starting the season with a 4K is the perfect way to build into the 5K,” Martin said. “Running a personal record this early gives me confidence to keep improving and peak at the right time later in the season.”

For College Park, Camden Gibson showed resilience. After falling near the 600-meter mark, he recovered and surged back through the field to finish third overall in 12:33. Teammates Jackson Bailey (16th), Andrew Fry (17th), Praneel Ajjan (20th), and Reagan Smith (33rd) rounded out the Cavaliers’ scoring

Head coach Michael Gibson praised his team’s effort.

“I’m proud of how our guys handled today,” Gibson said. For us, this meet is about learning how to race. The team has been training for months, but racing is different — The experience they gained today will make us stronger as the season goes on.”

The invitational drew a deep field including Friendswood, Atascocita, Strake Jesuit, Conroe, Oak Ridge, Summer Creek, Magnolia West, Montgomery, Kingwood, Klein Collins, and Brownsville Hanna.

Opening the season with a 4K race gave teams a valuable transition into competition. While the official UIL high school cross country distance is 5K, the shorter opener helped runners sharpen their pacing and build toward longer races later in the year.

Top Boys Finishers by School

• The Woodlands – Elton Martin, 1st place, 12:16 (PR)

• College Park – Camden Gibson, 3rd place, 12:33

• Friendswood – Aiden Fitzgerald, 2nd place, 12:28

• Summer Creek – Da’Juan Allison, 4th place, 12:37

• Atascocita – Eli Mugambi, 5th place, 12:42

• Conroe High – Mathew Medina, 10th place, 12:57

• Oak Ridge – Cole Williams, 22nd place, 13:25

• Montgomery – Ty McCoy, 23rd place, 13:25

• Klein Collins – Dylan Yarbrough, 9th place, 12:56

• Magnolia West – Angel Grimaldo, 39th place, 13:51

• Kingwood – Broderick Rosello, 13th place, 13:03

• Kingwood Park – Jennings Barndt, 43rd place, 13:54

• Brownsville Hanna – Brian Zavala, 59th place, 14:17

The Woodlands’ depth and Martin’s record-setting performance provided a strong start to the season, while College Park showed promise as it looks ahead to hosting the district championship on October 9.