Gavin Daniels Wins Class 6 State Cross Country

The Gainesville junior claimed the boys title at Oatlands, following his older brother Trent's win in 2025.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Running

Gavin Daniels Wins Class 6 State Cross Country

Gainesville High School junior Gavin Daniels won the Class 6 state boys cross country championship at Oatlands in Leesburg, finishing in 15:44.68. Lake Braddock won the team title with 41 points, while Patriot finished fourth with 119 points.

Why it matters

Daniels' victory extends a strong run for Prince William County runners, as he is the eighth male from a county high school to win a state cross country title. It also marks a family milestone, since his older brother Trent won the same state title in 2025.

Daniels won in 15:44.68, finishing ahead of runner-up Preston Spangler of Patriot, who ran 15:53.48. Lake Braddock took the team title with 41 points, and Patriot placed fourth with 119 points.

The players

Gavin Daniels

A junior at Gainesville High School who won the Class 6 state boys cross country title at Oatlands, following a third-place finish last season and a 10th-place finish as a freshman.

Trent Daniels

Gavin Daniels' older brother, who won the same Class 6 state title in 2025 and is now a freshman runner at the University of Virginia.

Preston Spangler

A runner from Patriot High School who finished second at the Class 6 state meet in 15:53.48.

The details

Daniels took the lead a mile and a half into the race and never gave it up, using the hilly terrain of the Oatlands course to his advantage. The win caps a steady climb for Daniels, who finished 10th at the state meet as a freshman and third last season.

Saturday (Nov. 7, 2026): Daniels won the Class 6 state boys cross country title at Oatlands.
2025: Trent Daniels won the same Class 6 state title.

Season Trajectory

Gavin Daniels' title follows his older brother Trent's identical Class 6 win in 2025, making the Daniels family the latest local pair to dominate the state championship. The result adds another Prince William County name to a state cross country history that now includes eight county male champions.

Daniels' win puts the Gainesville junior in position to be a headline name in Virginia distance running heading into the next season. For fans following high school running, the Daniels brothers' back-to-back state titles offer a clear benchmark for Prince William County programs.

The takeaway

Consistent development over four years turned a 10th-place freshman finish into a state title for Gavin Daniels. Runners aiming for similar progress can focus on steady year-over-year improvement rather than a single breakthrough race.