Brownwood Girls Take Sixth at State Meet
The Lady Lions cross country team posted a program-best state finish at the UIL Class 4A Cross Country State Championships.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Track & Field
The Brownwood Lady Lions cross country team placed sixth at the UIL Class 4A Cross Country State Championships, a program-best state meet performance. Freshman Alexus Gutierrez set a school record of 11:45.6 and placed 17th.
Why it matters
The finish marks the program's best showing at state, improving on its seventh-place finish in 2024. The team's coach said the squad will aim for a medal-stand finish next year.
Gutierrez ran 11:45.6 for 17th place while Jordan Johnson placed 25th in 11:57.0, and the team totaled 186 points for sixth overall. Canyon won the state title with 44 points, Salado finished second with 74, and Bangs' Adalynne Stephens ran 13:27.0 to finish 66th in the Class 2A girls race.
The players
Alexus Gutierrez
A freshman runner for the Brownwood Lady Lions who set a school record time of 11:45.6 at the state meet.
Jordan Johnson
A Brownwood Lady Lions runner who placed 25th at the state meet with a time of 11:57.0.
Adalynne Stephens
A Bangs High School runner who finished 66th in the Class 2A girls race at the state championships with a time of 13:27.0.
The details
The Lady Lions qualified for state by placing fourth at the Region I-4A meet in Lubbock on Oct. 26, then competed at the state championships at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock. Their sixth-place finish was determined by the placings of seven runners, with team points totaled from the top finishers.
Timeline
Oct. 26: Brownwood placed fourth at the Region I-4A meet in Lubbock, qualifying for state.
Friday: The Lady Lions placed sixth at the UIL Class 4A state meet in Round Rock.
Saturday: Zephyr, Rising Star, and Blanket runners compete in Class A at 9:30 a.m.
Season Trajectory
The sixth-place result is a step up from the Lady Lions' seventh-place finish at the 2024 state meet and sets a higher bar for the program. Coach expectations for a medal-stand finish next year frame this result as a stepping stone in the team's upward trajectory.
The team's sixth-place finish is a program-best state result, and Gutierrez's 11:45.6 school record now sets a benchmark for future Brownwood runners. Readers following Texas high school cross country can track how the Lady Lions build toward the medal stand the coach has targeted for next season.
The takeaway
Sustained top-tier cross country results often come from steady progression, as the Lady Lions' move from seventh in 2024 to sixth this year illustrates. Following a program's season-to-season gains offers a clearer picture of its development than any single race.
Further reading
Explore more Track & Field coverage from Brownwood and across Texas.
