Ben Lauzon ‘24 and David Carbajal ‘26 raced to top-10 results to propel Eagle Cross Country to an impressive third-place finish at the TAPPS 6A state championship meet at the Cottonwood Creek Golf Course in Waco.

Lauzon captured third overall in 16:27.6 and Carbajal ninth in 17:08.6 as a parade of St. Thomas whiz kids improved on last year’s fifth-place state result. Ryan Bordas ‘25 (17:57.9) added a top-20 time while Michael Kiefer ‘25 (18:00.1) and James Glenn ‘25 (18:11.6) contributed to the St. Thomas team total of 77 points.

Jonathon King ‘25 ran 19:09.5 and Pablo Ramirez ‘24 19.21.7 which means acclaimed head coach Nathan Labus will return an armada of talent in 2023 to attack a state championship pursuit.

The concluding performance wrapped an impressive season of strong showings routinely fronted by the terrific St. Thomas trio who posted top-five finishes to lead Eagle Cross Country to a runaway title at the GHCAA/Houston Area Championships at Spring Creek Park in Tomball. Carbajal (17:12.30), Lauzon (17:16.10), and Bordas (17:52.70) blitzed the 5,000 meters as St. Thomas easily outpaced The Village School, Tomball Concordia Lutheran, and St. Pius X with a team total of 28 points.

The St. Thomas threesome also led the Eagles to seventh at the 41st St. John’s Maverick Ramble with Lauzon clocking in at 16:38.70, Carbajal at 17:08.30, and Bordas at 17:38.70.

Lauzon blazed to a top-15 finish as Eagle Cross Country staked 11th at the Texas A&M High School Invitational. St. Thomas posted the top private school performance among 28 schools and 276 individual participants. Lauzon charged the 5,000 meters Watts Cross Country Course in College Station in 16:37.10. Carbajal (17:55.8) and Bordas (18:02.1) along with Glenn (18:15.2) and Ramirez (18:34.3) added to the decisive St. Thomas performance.

Lauzon, Carbajal, and Bordas launched the campaign with top-five tallies as St. Thomas successfully defended its title at the 13th annual IWA Invitational at Houston’s Willow Waterhole Greenway. Lauzon (10:16) and Carbajal (10:22) placed second and third over the 3,200-meter layout with Bordas (10:35) fifth. St. Thomas dominated the event for the second consecutive year with a team total of 29 points to decidedly outdistance Fulshear, The Woodlands Christian, St. John XXIII, and Bay Area Christian.

Eagle Fight Never Dies!