Picking up where we left off (only without the assorted allusions to things political)...
Fort Collins dominated the girls side of the Front Range Conference Championships, but not without Boulder nabbing second and third places in the individual tally. Things were much, much closer on the boys side with Loveland emerging victorious by a slim point over Fairview. Poudre's Collin Munoz and Miranda Benzel of Ft. Collins won the individual titles.
Also on Friday, the Continental League Championships were settled at the Renaissance Festival grounds adjacent to the bustling metropolis of Larkspur. Like the brothers Appel at the Centennial League meet, the brothers Nicolls went 1-2 at this one. Bobby did, however, put a full 30 seconds on Danny, lest anyone imagine that a changing of the guard is imminent. Meanwhile, Regis Jesuit turned back Chaparral for the team title. On the girls side, Highlands Ranch also had a 1-2 finish en route to a team title. This time it was Eleanor Fulton and Kristen Kientz.
Going back a day to Thursday, the Alamosa girls and Pueblo West boys won the South-Central League meet in Pueblo. Both schools won by putting a bunch of their own runners in the top five. Fascinating, however, was the fact that Alamosa's Tommy Owen and Pueblo West's Anna Marshall took home the individual titles, thus reversing the dominance of the team contests.
Down in Monte Vista, the Eric Wolff Invitational (named after the late Sargent HS coach who helped Cruz Zarco to national notoriety as a distance runner nearly 20 years ago), which doubles as the Intermountain League Meet, was held in wind and spitting rain. Apparently, that makes for close contests as Bayfield nipped Pagosa Springs by a field goal for the boys title and Gunnison did the same to Pagosa Springs for the girls title. Pagosa exacted some revenge by virtue of taking home both individual titles courtesy of Jackson Walsh and Jacie Harms.
The Frontier League Meet probably wins the distinction of being the league meet held on the toughest course. Nick McHargue of Lake County, no stranger to high altitude, won the boys race in 20:01. The girls title went to Sam Berggren of Middle Park in 21:16, more than two-and-a-half minutes ahead of second place. Team titles? That would be Clear Creek (boys) and Middle Park (girls). Not a good place for a flatlander school, it would appear.
Still within the 3A ranks, the Patriot League meet went off at Lyons High School. Andrew Roberts and Amos Bowen staged a memorable contest for first with Roberts coming away the winner. Roberts also led his Lyons team to the league championship. Keeping it in the family, Melissa Roberts stayed ahead of Eaton's Beth Jones for the girls individual title, but nobody had an answer to the team strength of Estes Park, who prevailed for the team title.
Two meets were held on the western slope earlier in the week, neither quite exactly a league championship. Fruita-Monument retained their cross country master over in-district rivals Grand Junction and Grand Junction Central in what amounted to a tri-meet. Palisade, another District 51 school, opted instead to run at the Rifle Invitational. Unfortunately, results are a little scant from that meet at this point, but team titles apparently went to Coal Ridge on the boys side and the Glenwood JV on the girls side. Also on the western slope, rumor has it that Grand Valley's Austin Germiller and Brandi Krieg were the winning co-ed team at the Montrose Relays. I'll post results if I get 'em!
Still waiting word on the results from the invitational held in Wiggins--this one could be one of the most informative set of results from the entire weekend.
Picking up where we left off (only without the assorted allusions to things political)...
Fort Collins dominated the girls side of the Front Range Conference Championships, but not without Boulder nabbing second and third places in the individual tally. Things were much, much closer on the boys side with Loveland emerging victorious by a slim point over Fairview. Poudre's Collin Munoz and Miranda Benzel of Ft. Collins won the individual titles.
Also on Friday, the Continental League Championships were settled at the Renaissance Festival grounds adjacent to the bustling metropolis of Larkspur. Like the brothers Appel at the Centennial League meet, the brothers Nicolls went 1-2 at this one. Bobby did, however, put a full 30 seconds on Danny, lest anyone imagine that a changing of the guard is imminent. Meanwhile, Regis Jesuit turned back Chaparral for the team title. On the girls side, Highlands Ranch also had a 1-2 finish en route to a team title. This time it was Eleanor Fulton and Kristen Kientz.