Top Moment of the Meet (1)
Will Swenson, who cut his cross country teeth in Durango, advances to state for Colorado Rocky Mountain School.
Battle to the Finish
Soroco's Ben Kelley, Meeker's Austin Russell and Rangely's Patrick Scoggins started the 2A Region 4 boys race with the same goal; to take home the individual title. From the get-go the three kept each other close company. Mid-way through the race the threesome had broken well away from the other racers with Scoggins and Russell running neck-to-neck and Kelley trailing just two strides behind. A mile later, Kelley had traded places with Russell as he moved to Scoggins shoulder. It was quickly becoming apparent that the race would be very close. On this day, Scoggins' 200m and 400m track chops came in handy as he pulled away over the last 100m to claim victory with a PR effort, 16:04. Kelley came in a second later and Russell another two seconds back.
With the individual honors out of the way, the team challenge was just beginning... and ending. Mancos made quick work of the team title, taking the next three team slots with Simon Kearns, Jake McKie and Teslin Stecher locking in the title with 15 points. Colorado Rocky Mountain School's Will Swenson did sneak between McKie and Stetcher to earn himself a berth to Colorado Springs next weekend.
Hotchkiss, Ouray and Telluride also advanced to race another day as did Paonia's Caden Meilner and Dolores' Phillip Hufman. Meilner was scheduled for double duty as he was expected to be suited up in a football uniform in Meeker that evening.