3A
Things were a little more dramatic in 3A.
Anna Ponzio of Colorado Academy blistered the field, essentially from the first bend of the course to the finish line. Only Alamosa's Lilly Lavier managed to stay close enough to be heard--and that only by shouting (which Lavier wasn't inclined to do).
While Ponzio was busy carting off individual accolades, though, a serious team battle was brewing behind her. The maroon of Alamosa and the purple of Holy Family were engaged in a serious battle for early season bragging rights. For a while, the red of Colorado Academy found a place in that tussle as well.
Eventually, though, the reddish colors receded while the purple advanced in later stages of the race. By the time it came to the finish line, Holy Family had a reasonably convincing 39 - 59 edge over the Mean Moose. Perhaps the Moose will be Meaner longer later in the season.
Anyone who was expecting the Faith Christian boys to fade into the scenery with the departure of Cole Sprout, is guilty of 1) making a hasty judgment, and 2) not knowing Steve Urban's history as a coach very well. Evidently, Faith Christian has been logging the miles (that, for sure, is an Urbanism) and it showed on Friday. Both Macklin Brockmeyer and Campbell McDonough logged top-10 finishes.
Over the final mile, while others were falling of the pace like flies, Faith kept pounding it out. Eventually, their winning margin over defending state champions Alamosa would grow to 59 - 99. And, meanwhile, Lamar slipped into second with 97. Truth be told, Lamar might have benefitted from the heat a bit. Or, perhaps more accurately, Lamar may have been a bit more acclimated to the heat. In any case, the Savages ran well.
And, that heat acclimation may have played a role in Blake Davis overtaking Gunnison's Colton Stice in the final stages of the race for the individual title. By the finish line, Frontier Academy's Levi Chambers had very nearly reeled in Stice as well.
There will be other opportunities for Stice. It's a long season, and it is vastly premature to be dismissing his hopes at this point.
And, for Gunnison, the start to the season was not auspicious. The Cowboys go back home and regroup. Conditions figure to be more in their favor later in the season.