Everything the boys race lacked in team drama, the girls race made up for. It was 70 minutes later and several more degrees of temperature, but none of that took anything away from the suspense that would follow.
And the lead pack was a microcosm of the race as a whole.
In the earliest stages of the race, even almost up to the mile point, there was a group of six girls in a clear lead pack. That group, however, quickly reduced itself to three as Thompson Valley's Sisters Krueger and TCA's Kaylee Thompson (it was a Thompson kind of day), sustained a pace that the other three simply couldn't match.
Things stayed that way, well past the two mile point. Some random order of Kenadi Krueger, Olivia Krueger, and Kaylee Thompson at the front.
First to drop was Olivia Krueger. This race would not go to the freshman; it would be left to be sorted out between the wiley veterans.
Only there wasn't much of wileyness involved in the end. The pace clearly picked up over the last quarter mile. Both Krueger and Thompson knew what they had to do. The questions resolved to one: Who could muster the most speed over the final 300 meters?
It turns out the answer to that question was Kaylee Thompson. Her 19:06 gave her four seconds of margin in one of the better races you're likely to see this year. Olivia Krueger held down third with a 19:33.
Behind them, the team issue was anything but settled. There were waves of cardinal-and-navy and black-and-gold singlets clogging up the places 20-or-so deep behind the lead trio.
Sarah Burroughs of TCA claimed fifth. Jayda Nix of TV answered in 6th. Becca Thompson and Kennedy McDonald went 8-11 for TCA. Tori Kavvadas answered in 12th. Mickey Curl and Sophia Valentine went 16-17 for TCA. Madzie Boyles went 18 for TV.
Quickly now, do the arithmetic!
Yup, TCA - 41, Thompson Valley - 41. The decider? Well, that would be Sophia Valentine. Her 17th put TCA's 6th ahead of TV's. A first place won on a tie breaker.
Almost as much fun as having a tie breaker for first was seeing the spirited performance of Pagosa Springs in third. The Pirates 123 points weren't a threat to overtake TCA or TV, but they were well ahead of 3A rivals Alamosa, Salida, and Woodland Park.
Another great race for the 3A crowd.