I've copied the text of last weeks "10 Questions" article below and bolded the questions. As best as I understood the messages from State, the answers were as shown:
It's become a tradition around here to pose 10 questions for State to answer. Here's this season's edition of 10 Questions.
1. With low temps and nice barometric pressure readings forecasted to show up for the first time under the new configuration of the State course, will we see a rash of new top course times? That would seem to be the indication, but it's never reality until the times are recorded.
Call this one a definite yes. In 2015, there were four boys, all classifications, under 16 minutes. In 2016, there were four again. This year, there were 14. Girls? In 2015, there were 11 girls under 19 minutes. In 2016, that number was down to 10. This year, there were 37. Conditions most definitely make a difference. We could argue over what have been the top performances over these last three years, but not over whether cooler conditions, cloud cover, and higher barometric pressure produce better times.
2. The first couple of races could be particularly chilly. How will the teams and athletes respond?
As it turns out, conditions weren't nearly as chilly to start the day as the forecast was saying even as close as two days out. There was no ice at the edges of the creek. In short, there wasn't anything adverse to respond to.
3. How chafed is Mountain Vista after getting beaten for both 5A team titles last year?
Evidently, quite chafed. Mountain Vista gave a convincing performance in both the 5A Boys and 5A Girls races. The next question for this team is if they can join the elite group of schools who have sent both a girls team and a boys team to NXN in the same year. Trivia Question: What is the only Colorado school in that group so far?
4. 4A Boys is a complete mystery going in. Which team will emerge on top?
What a great race that was--and an especially great race for Palmer Ridge. Palmer Ridge has no shortage of great performances to look back on in the school's still short history, but that one is a candidate for the school's best ever.
5. Another complete mystery is 2A Girls. Which team will stand tall there?
Nederland found a way. Paonia and Lyons made it interesting, but Nederland had the right answers to the right questions.
6. Can anyone beat Cole Sprout for the top boys time on the course Saturday? If it matters, Sprout does get to run last.
Say hello to Charlie Perry! Hopefully, we get to see Cole Sprout vs. Charlie Perry in Arizona.
7. Can anyone threaten the heavily favored Battle Mountain and Peak to Peak girls?
Well, Steamboat Springs seriously threatened Peak to Peak for a little over two miles, but in the end, both Battle Mountain and Peak to Peak were fairly convincing. And, in Battle Mountain's case, that's a serious case of understatement.
8. Where will the top freshman times on the course emerge from?
Isabella Prosceno's 18:17 was the top time among the freshman girls (by a lot). Ben Conlin's 16:31 was well ahead of the rest of the freshman boys. It looks like El Paso County wins the freshman class sweepstakes this year. I'll be doing rankings articles on the top times by class at State here soon so that you can see more depth and more than just freshmen.
9. Air Academy has a three-year stranglehold on the 4A Girls individual title. The Kadets have a couple of girls potentially in the running for this year's individual title as well. Can the Kadets make it four in a row?
It was just a tiny bit of a reach going in, and no. Elizabeth Constien was first to put an end to the string, though Paige Embaugh and Tatum Miller did manage a 4 and a 6.
10. With balmy conditions prevailing for the last few years of State, team camps have migrated progressively outside. Will this year's weather tend to bring things back indoors?
To my eyes, almost everyone was just fine with being outside for temps in the 40s and 50s. I saw a few teams slipping into the indoor arena, but the teams outside looked like they were having more fun.