For most schools, this is the final week of the invitational season. One last chance for many athletes to make or break their spots on the varsity roster for the championship season.
The New Balance/Centerra meet ranks as the premier meet of the week. The list of teams converging on Loveland this weekend is as follows:
Large School Division I: Broomfield, Coronado, Dakota Ridge, Denver North, Fort Collins, George Washington, Greeley Central, Littleton, Longmont, Loveland, Mountain Vista, Poudre, Rocky Mountain, Thompson Valley, ThunderRidge, Campbell County (WY), Cheyenne East (WY), Kelly Walsh (WY), Natrona County (WY).
Small School Division II: Alamosa, Berthoud, Brighton, Denver South, Fossil Ridge, Fort Morgan, Fredrick, Horizon, Moffat County, Mountain View, Niwot, Northridge, Prairie View, Resurrection Christian, Roosevelt, Silver Creek, Steamboat Springs, Windsor, Douglas (WY), Pine Bluffs (WY).
Although most schools will sit out athletes with any nagging little injuries at this point in the season, potential for great matchups abound. Fort Collins vs. Thompson Valley, round two, in the Division I girls, only this time we throw Dakota Ridge into the mix. Hard to say who will be running and who will be resting, but the potential for this matchup is huge. The boys matchups are more interesting on the individual level as we could see Appel vs. Manilafasha vs. Bell vs. Campbell. Loveland and Dakota Ridge does make for an intriging team matchup as well. Dvision II is labeled as the small school division, but these are hardly small schools by conventional standards. Several interesting races should develop. Alamosa, in particular, could be looking for a breakout meet from their girls. Roosevelt will be looking to continue their rise to power within the 4A ranks.
Aside from Centerra (which falls on Saturday), there are three big meets taking place on Friday. Working south to north, Doherty hosts a meet on a fairly hilly course in Colorado Springs' Bear Creek Park, the Pat Amato Classic goes off in the north Denver metro area, and the Andy Myers Invitational runs through the parks and streets of Greeley. That Centerra can draw the kind of field it does with these three meets taking place on the same weekend speaks highly of the organization and reputation Centerra has established in just a few years. Hats off to Kyle Chandler, Mark Barbour, and Kevin Clark for a job well done.
Meanwhile, Yuma will be siphoning off many of the 2A and 3A programs from the northeast quadrant of the state for their invitational.
On Saturday, Cortez, Aspen, and Custer County will each be hosting meets west of the Front Range. Most schools in attendance at these meets will be schools from smaller classifications, though the Chris Severy Invitational in Aspen routinely draws a handful of 4A and 5A schools to match wits and strength against Chris Keleher's mildly sadistic tastes in courses.
Outside of Centerra, Saturday's largest meet is likely to be the TCA Invitational held in Fountain.
Colorado Track XC will be on site at the TCA Invitational, but we hope to be receiving photos from several of this weekend's competitions.