2017 Pat Patten Invitational: Mountain Vista Claims Battle of Boulder

Mountain Vista Dominates, Perry Runs Away


Blue and red colors littered the front of the pack as the boy's field of 139 runners stormed up the first hill. Centaurus was out quick in hopes of an upset, but there was still plenty of racing ahead.

A trio of Centaurus runners led a massive pack of nearly 20 runners through the opening mile, which they reached just over 5:10. It appeared to be anyone's race through the mile, but Monarch senior Charlie Perry had other plans.

"I don't really like to lead race early on," Perry explained. "I wanted to wait until later in the race before I made any moves."

Perry hovered behind the leaders while Rocky Canyon sophomore Easton Allred shadowed him. Noticeably absent from Rocky Canyon's squad was state-leader Chris Theadore, who did not race.

Through the first mile it appeared that Centaurus and Monarch would battle it out for the team title, though, like Perry, Mountain Vista was biding their time.

Perry used the long gradual uphill that sat so prominently at the halfway marker of the race to throw a hard surge down. His attack stretched the field wide open, and the only contender who could handle his hot pace was Allred.

"I've been doing a lot of hill work, so I wanted to push it there," Perry said.

The field dropped like flies following Perry's powerful surge, and Mountain Vista came storming back, eating up flailing runners.

Heading into the final mile the race was down to Perry and his pursuer, Allred, who trailed by 10 meters. The duo telescoped away from the pack as the pace began to heat up nearing the finish. Behind them the team race was brewing, as Mountain Vista's late charge was turning the team table around.

Perry pumped his arms and powered up the final hill, stretching his thin lead to one that would be secure. As he turned the final corner and sprinted down the hill to the finish, his smooth, yet confident stride was proof that the race was his.

"Easton's a really fast guy," Perry said. "So, I was a little nervous he'd catch me. But I didn't know how much I had on him, so I kicked as hard as I could."

Perry crossed the finish line in 15:45, six seconds ahead of Allred, who finished in 15:51, and over a minute faster than he ran here last year.

Behind them, the Dakota Ridge duo of Conner Ohlson and Austin Vancil sprinted in 16:02 and 16:03, giving Dakota Ridge an early advantage, but it wouldn't hold.

Mountain Vista's Carter Dillon was the first of his team to finish, crossing in sixth in 16:05. His finish would lead a wave of Golden Eagles across the line. Shayan Zarrin finished 10th, while the trio of Caden Foster, Ethan Rouse, and Jack O'Sullivan went 12-13-14. 

The late surge helped Mountain Vista win the team title with 55 points. Behind them, Dakota Ridge finished second with 97 points, while Monarch finished one agonizing point behind, with 98 points.