ALAN GALLARDO-LOPEZ, BENTONVILLE SET SEASON STANDARD IN TX

Texas may have hosted, but Arkansas stole the headlines this past weekend. Between Bentonville's stunning team victory at the Southlake Carroll 5K Invitational and Fayetteville's individual star Alan Gallardo-Lopez dominating at the McKinney Boyd Bronco Stampede, it was a weekend that underscored just how strong Arkansas distance running has become. At Southlake, the stage couldn't have been bigger. The Bentonville Tigers, winners of nine consecutive Arkansas 6A state titles, lined up against Southlake Carroll, the six-time defending Texas UIL 6A champions. Carroll, a perennial NXN podium team, has built a reputation as one of the best programs in the country, but Bentonville proved they're every bit as dangerous. Led by senior Brian Burns, who placed third overall in 15:02, the Tigers showed championship poise and depth. Sophomore Sean Burns wasn't far behind, placing seventh in 15:24, while senior Logan Hurley (15:26) and junior Alex Wagner (15:38) added critical top-25 finishes. Junior Vini Pimentel closed out scoring with a 15:44, giving Bentonville an eye-popping 15:27 team average and a razor-thin 42-second spread. Even freshman Remington Morland (15:45) and senior Miles Rush (15:49) cracked the top 50, highlighting the Tigers' depth. The result? Bentonville walked away with the team title, scoring 74 points to Carroll's 104. Not only did the Tigers hand Carroll a rare early-season defeat, but they also stamped themselves as one of the most balanced squads in the entire South Region. For a program that has already qualified for NXN once (2023), this was a statement win that suggests they're on track for another national berth-and possibly more. Meanwhile, just east in McKinney, Fayetteville's Alan Gallardo-Lopez was putting together a race of his own. The defending Arkansas 6A state champion and one of the top individual returners in the South Region, Gallardo-Lopez won the Elite Varsity Boys 5K at the Bronco Stampede in 15:22. Facing a field loaded with Texas and Louisiana talent, Lopez pulled away late to beat Brennan Robin of Parkway (15:34) and Liam Bengtsson of Northwest Nelson (15:54). It was another example of Lopez's consistency on Texas soil-he's made a habit of racing strong against the Lone Star State's best. Together, Bentonville's depth and Fayetteville's front-running show that Arkansas is far more than a "one-meet wonder." The state's top boys' programs are producing times and performances that match, and in some cases surpass, their Texas rivals. Bentonville is gunning for a 10th straight state championship and a return to NXN, while Gallardo-Lopez looks poised to defend his individual title and make noise on the national stage. The South Region is heating up, and thanks to weekends like this, Arkansas has firmly put itself in the conversation.

ALAN GALLARDO-LOPEZ, BENTONVILLE SET SEASON STANDARD IN TX

Photo Credit: Melissa Savage

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