Southlake Carroll Dragon XC Competes at Ray Braswell Invitational With Junior Varsity Squads

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 17, 2026

Junior Varsity Teams Display Depth of Talent as Boys Win With 36 Points; Lady Dragons Place 6th With 165 at North Lakes Park; Sophomore Aadi Ghanchi Leads the Way

Denton, TX – The Southlake Carroll Dragon Cross Country program split forces this week as the Junior Varsity squad traveled to North Lakes Park in Denton for the annual Ray Braswell Invitational, while the Varsity team departed for Irvine, California to take on the best programs in the nation at the historic Woodbridge Invitational. Led by junior Kai Gutierrez, ranked top 20 nationally, and supported by a front pack that has propelled the Dragons to a #2 national team ranking, the Varsity group will face elite competition on one of the fastest courses in the country. The Lady Dragons, ranked top five in Texas in UIL 6A, also look to gain valuable experience at the national meet.

With the Varsity group competing out of state, the Braswell Invitational offered a prime opportunity for Carroll’s emerging athletes to showcase the depth that continues to define the program. The Dragons were dominant, winning the boys’ team title with 36 points against a field of 34 varsity teams, while the Lady Dragons earned a strong 6th‑place finish with 165 points. To beat any Varsity level competition is tremendous, but to win an invitational with almost 3 dozen local teams is unprecedented.

Thursday’s race highlighted the rising talent within the program, as sophomore Aadi Ghanchi, freshman Gia‑Bao To, and sophomore Nolan Nelson led a group of underclassmen who continue to stack impressive 5K personal bests. On the girls’ side, multiple athletes delivered season‑best marks, including several breaking the 20‑minute barrier.

“I could not be prouder of the way our runners competed today. Winning a varsity-level invitational against 34 teams with our junior varsity boys speaks volumes about the depth of our program and the work these athletes put in every day. Our girls also competed extremely well, with several personal and season-best performances. This meet gave our younger runners an opportunity to step forward, and they proved that the future of Carroll Cross Country is very bright,” said Head Coach Justin Leonard.

Boys’ Varsity 5K — Dragons Dominate a 34‑Team Field

The Dragons delivered one of the most commanding Junior Varsity victories in recent program history, overwhelming a field of 34 teams with a 36‑point performance. Carroll’s front pack surged to the lead early and never relinquished control, producing a 2–3–8–10–13 scoring spread that no other program could match. The group’s 16:11 team average and tight 21‑second spread underscored both the discipline and depth that continue to define the Dragons’ developmental tiers. At the mile mark well under 5 minutes, Dargons held 3 of the top 6 spots and never let the field back into contention.

Sophomore Aadi Ghanchi set the tone with a powerful runner‑up finish in 16:01 missing the win by a mere 3 seconds, followed closely by freshman Gia‑Bao To in 3rd at 16:04. Sophomore Nolan Nelson added a top‑10 finish in 16:15, while junior Ryan Kovach and senior Nathan Calvert locked down the scoring positions with 11th‑ and 14th‑place efforts. Many of these marks place the boys in the top 50 all time at Carroll for their grade level and give hope that the tradition will be protected in the years to come.

Senior Jack Swadish placed in a valiant 22nd place with a strong showing as the team’s sixth man, while his brother, sophomore Cole Swadish, was part of a pack of four runners in the JV section to break 18 minutes. They dominated the JV field with a low score of 34. Joining him in the sub‑18 group were sophomore Ashwin Sathy, junior Pritam Kunreddy, and sophomore Nolan Chitwood, further demonstrating the depth and momentum building within the program.

Girls’ Varsity 5K — Emerging Talent Steps Forward

The Lady Dragons’ Varsity squad delivered a competitive showing against a deep field, placing 6th overall with 165 points. Sophomore Kiley Craven led the team with a strong 19th‑place finish in 19:53, followed closely by junior Megan Saban in 21st at 19:54. Senior Gwendolyn Asher continued her steady progression, placing 27th in 20:19, while freshman Lauren Batten added a 43rd‑place finish in 20:54. Sophomore Sophie Mahendra completed the scoring five in 54th with a time of 21:25. Carroll’s depth was further demonstrated by sophomore Lucy Soto and freshman Layla Stark, who finished 62nd and 64th, respectively, helping secure a team average of 20:29 and a tight 1:32 spread.

Next Up

The Dragon varsity team competes on Saturday night at Woodbridge, and the full program reunites next week at the Byron Nelson Invitational on Saturday, September 26^th: Byron Nelson Invitational 2026 - Meet Information. Both squads will continue sharpening race rhythm and building toward the championship phase of the season in October.

Southlake Carroll – Braswell Invitational Individual Results:

Top Boys Finishers (Varsity 5K)

Top Girls Finishers (Varsity 5K)