Covenant wins 11th straight title

A 61-point margin of victory defined the Dallas Covenant boys cross country team's performance at the TAPPS state meet. The Knights claimed their 11th consecutive team championship in the 4A division, a streak that dates back to 2016.

The program's dominance has been consistent since head coach Michael Golden took over. Over the last decade, Golden's teams have adapted to classification changes, capturing four boys titles in 3A and seven in 4A. The girls program has also thrived under his guidance, winning four team championships in 2017, 2018, 2024, and 2026, alongside two silvers and three bronzes.

At the state meet held in October, Covenant posted 63 points to finish first. Lubbock Trinity Christian placed second with 124 points. Senior Noah Verdin anchored the scoring with a time of 16:21.8, earning silver for the second year in a row after winning gold in 2024. The top five runners for the Knights all placed within the top 26 individually. Henry Moore finished seventh, Bennett Walker 13th, Carter Smith 21st, and Zach McLaney 26th.

Verdin attributed the team's consistency to internal accountability. "Every runner is accountable. We push each other to be the best for the team," Verdin said. Golden echoed this sentiment, noting that the roster's trust in one another forms the core of their winning strategy.

The Covenant girls team mirrored the boys' success, finishing with 46 points to claim gold. San Antonio School at Castle Hills came in second with 119 points. Chloe Thomas ran 12:42.5 to take bronze, while Lily Koerner placed ninth and Margaret Graham 11th. Freshman Stella Stimson finished 12th, and senior Everly Coley was 25th. Annie Martin and Eleanor Breed rounded out the scoring with finishes of 26th and 29th, respectively. Martin finished just 0.1 seconds behind Coley.

Thomas described the team's performance as amazing, noting that all runners set a strong pace. "It's an awesome feeling, especially for the seniors to go out this way," Thomas said. Verdin, Moore, Thomas, and Koerner all earned all-state honors as the top ten individual finishers in their respective divisions.

Golden has coached the program through its entire championship run. He emphasized that the standards set by the runners are maintained by the entire roster. "They have set the standards and maintain those standards," Golden said. The coach described the experience of claiming the 11th boys title and fourth girls title as something that never gets old.

In the 6A girls division, 17-time state champion Ursuline placed fifth with 148 points. Jenna Priest ran 12:15.0 to finish fifth individually, earning all-state recognition. Blake Durham of Parish Episcopal placed eighth in the same division and also earned all-state honors.