Mason Norman defended his state title, and ran a new 3A course record of 15:33.
Mason Norman took quick, business-like strides. His ran with a smooth, efficient cadence that oozed confidence. The Classical Academy junior was already running clear of the field, and he hadn't hit the mile marker yet.
It was evident early on that Norman had more than winning - or defending - a state title on his mind. He was out to put his stamp on the race in an all-out assault on his brother's 3A course record of 15:44.
He was in attack mode, even if he didn't have chasers shadowing him, he was racing his brother, Tanner Norman, and he was racing himself.
Norman blitzed the opening mile just under five minutes, and kept the up-tempo rhythm rolling despite the terrain.
Behind him a battle was brewing for second that would have implications in the team race. Salida's Camden Gillis and Peak to Peak's William Ledden were battling for position, knowing that the team competition could go down to just a few points.
But that was all behind a high-flying Norman, who had his sights set in front of him. The TCA junior entered Norris Penrose Center clear of the field, 45 seconds in fact. The crowd cheered on the Colorado Springs-local as he kicked in, his stride barely changing from the opening mile to the finish. He ran on with that efficient clip that no one could keep pace with.
While the clock ticked on it was clear that he would take down his brother's record. Norman cruised through the finishing shoot in 15:33.4 to defend his state title without competition.
The time was not only a 3A course record, but an all-classification record, surpassing the 15:33.7 that Paul Roberts ran just three years ago.
But unfortunately for Mason, he'd only hold the all-classification record for a mere two hours, as Cole Sprout would push the record down to 15:16 in the 5A race.
Regardless, Norman's time dominated the 3A field, and would be the second-fastest of the day among all classifications.
While Mason was busy in a title-defense, and record-setting run, the race for second was heating up.
Salida's Camden Gillis kicked hard to finish in the runner-up spot.
Gillis was having the best race of his season, and Salida would need it, but he was battling someone else - Ledden - who has having the race of their season, and their team would also need it.
Gillis and Ledden were battling through the final mile, though it would be Gillis who sprinted into the stadium ahead. It was clear that Gillis and Ledden knew the importance of their finish, because both runners went deep into the tank in the sprint to the finish.
Gillis was the surprise runner-up in 16:18, just ahead of Ledden, the surprise third-place finisher in 16:23. Behind them, Alamosa's Elijah DeLaCerda kicked in for a fourth-place finish in 16:28.
The race for fifth saw five runners kick within strides of each other. The 5-10 spots were only separated by just two seconds.
The kick for fifth saw five runners battle it out.
Jaden Davis kicked all the way through the line, which was the difference between finishing fifth, and 10th. David crossed the line in 16:36.0. Following him was the SkyView duo of Owen Nolan, and Tyler Scholl, who finished sixth, and seventh, in 16:36.3, and 16.36.4. Of additional note, Scholl was coming off an injury that sidelined him nearly the entire season. State was his first race, and he ran it off very minimal training.
Heading into the stadium Yasin Sado was in front of Davis, Nolan, and Scholl, but he was eaten up in that furious kick to the finish. The KIPP Denver junior held on for an eighth place finish, running 16:36.7.
On the other end of the kick was Moffat's Wyatt Mortenson, and TCA's Nathan Bone, who finished ninth, and 10th, in 16:37.7, and 16:38.7.
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