Warning Shots Have Been Fired


For the boys, there was at least an exchange of the lead at some point after the first 200 meters of the race. That made the watching a bit more intriguing, though the same difficulties of trying to follow what was happening, simultaneously, in 2A and 3A presented themselves.

For a while, 3A had control of the lead with Ft. Lupton's Antonio Marquez looking rather comfortable in front. What few people realized, however, was that Ellicott's Jodzuel Juarez was simply measuring Marquez. Marquez still held the lead at the midway point, but when Juarez went by it was quickly a case of game over. 

Before the finish, Rocky Ford's Noel Lopez also went by, giving 2A the top two places in the race at 16:49 and 16:51. Lopez closed considerably on Juarez in later stages of the race but was never quite able to work his way past the Ellicott sophomore.

Marquez won the 3A title in 17:06, followed by Lamar's Branden Davis at 17:13.

As it was with the girls, so it was with the boys. You could shake a stick a few times and point at several teams that were running at less than full strength today. We'll have to wait a little longer to make informed guesses at what's ahead for those teams.

We have, however, all the information we need to start making informed guesses about University. As in Who let the (Bull)dogs out?

Though University wasn't camping out in the very top individual places, it didn't take long for their presence to become a factor at the finish line. Joseph Price finished third in the 3A race at 17:34. Burke Ewing was fifth and 17:48. Nick Thomas was seventh at 17:55. Joaquin Venzor was ninth at 18:13. It took a bit longer, but Dylan Thomas closed the scoring at 18:42. 

University's 44 points easily outdistanced Alamosa's 111. In fairness, Alamosa was one of the teams running short-handed, but it's doubtful they were that short-handed.

University came, at least in part, for some respect. They got it.

The 2A race, as it turned out, had Rocky Ford defeating Peyton, 18-34. The Meloneers beat the Panthers at every scoring position. And though Rocky Ford is a hill-challenged place, they did it on a hilly course. The Meloneers may be a bit better than they were given credit for being coming into the race.


RESULTS
   |   PHOTOS   |   RACE VIDEOS