5A Region 3: Movers And Shakers












Denver East's Will Daley made the field work for it.

A pack that saw no separation between front middle and back stampeded through the opening mile. Had the race been two miles shorter we would've seen the most insane kick to the finish, but fortunately there was a lot of real estate ahead. 

While the first mile saw no brave souls willing to put their neck out in the line, the second mile is where Denver East's Will Daley attacked in a Tour de France-style assault that saw him go from running with the pack, to running clear of it.

Daley pressed hard until there were no negotiable shadows. At one point he nearly held an 80 meter lead over his chasers, which included Fairview's Henry Murphy, and Boulder's Lukas Haug

Heading into the final mile the race looked over, with Daley running with loose arms, and his gaze set firmly in front of him. 

But the race wasn't over just yet. 

Murphy and Haug were working in tandem and closing the gap down - fast. Daley still held a comfortable lead heading into the final half mile that leads him downhill and towards the finish, but Murphy wasn't content with a runner-up finish. 

With the finish line in sight Daley pumped hard, his arms now tight and focused, like his gaze, but Murphy was closing and closing and closing with each stride. The only question that remained was if he waited too late.

And the answer was yes. 

Daley held on for a 16:31 victory, just ahead of the late-charing Murphy, who finished second in 16:33. Haug cruised in for a third-place finish in 16:41. 

Boulder secured the team title by pumping their top five into the top 20.

Haug's finish led the ninth-ranked Boulder squad to a team title, as the boys in purple put all five scoring runners into the top-20 to tally 53 points. Behind them Fairview and Monarch were only separated by two points, finishing second and third with 72 and 74 points, while the final qualifying spot went to Ralston Valley, who tallied 127 points.