Monday Morning Recap: Back On The Course!


Masks. Space. Staggered starts. 100 (total) runners. 

Yeah. 

Cross country sure looks a little different, but hey - we're back!

It became evident pretty early on when scanning the (many) results from the weekend that everyone is excited to be back on the course, because there were a ridiculous amount of incredible performances across the state. I'll try to highlight as best as I can, but just a heads up - you might need more than one cup of coffee to get through this recap...

Where to start?

We'll head west...

On the Western Slope the meet of the weekend had to be the Warrior Matchett Invitational in Grand Junction. The two-day meet provided the state with some of the fastest times of the weekend. 

Leading the way for the boys was McGinley Zastrow, who clearly made The Jump. Zastrow not only broke 16 for the first time, but he ran a 36-second personal best for a state-leading time of 15:40. The Fruita-Monument senior also won Saturday's race by 37-seconds. 

To add some context to this already impressive result - Zastrow hasn't ever qualified for the state cross country meet. Currently he's the fastest runner in 5A (and all-classifications.)

A day earlier Sullivan Middaugh ran 16:27 on the same course.

It should be noted that Friday's races were run in the heat of the evening, however, and Saturday's races were run early in the morning. When scanning all the races, it's clear that Saturday morning was fast.

In Friday's heat Battle Mountain's Elliot Pribramsky led Battle Mountain to a 1-2-3-4 finish, running 19:04 - a 41-second victory. 

The next morning Eagle Valley's Samantha Blair brought the fire to her season-opener, running the second-fastest time in the state. Blair torched the course in 17:20 - and she brought a few more under 18 with her.

Zastrow isn't the only runner from Fruita-Monument who made The Jump over the summer - Jadyn Heil dropped over a minute off her PR to finish second here in 17:39. A year ago she was 22nd at the 5A state championships. Today she's the third-fastest in 5A, and fourth in all-classifications.

And insert that Opra meme here, because PRs were plentiful Saturday morning - Ella Johnson dropped 10 seconds from her PR. The Glenwood Springs junior ran 17:48 to finish third.

Sticking with the theme of PRs, cue Ryan Montera.

The Legacy senior came out swinging on his senior year, running a 14-second Colorado PR of 15:41 to win the Northfield-Legacy Dual. The time is currently the second-fastest time in all-classifications. Ian Kleinschmidt took the runner-up position there, running 16:07 - that's currently the fastest time in 4A.

There looks to be a new star in 2A...

Kidus Begashaw has one race on his MileSplit resume, and that's his 15:59 season-opener from the Adams City Varsity Race #1 this past weekend - that's currently the third-fastest time in all-classifications. The Lotus School for Excellence senior torched the field with a 26-second victory. 

Emma Stutzman won the girl's side of the race by running away from the field. The Pomona sophomore opened her 2020 season with an 18:41 clocking for a 33-second victory over Peak to Peak's Allison Beasley. Beasley's 19:14 is currently the fastest time in 3A.

There was another real burner of a race this weekend, and that was at the Centennial League Mullen Invite. 

Grandview's Peter Fox made The Jump, running away with a dominating 16:02 victory. The time was nearly a half-minute Colorado PR. 


On the girl's side of the race it could sort of be considered Pre-State for 5A - four of last tear's top-eight finishers from the state meet toed the the line, and the top three teams from the state meet. 

Riley Stewart picked up where she left off, dropping a state-leading 17:18 runaway victory. Adding the - cherry - on top for the day was the fact that Cherry Creek turned the tables on last year's state champs - Arapahoe - beating them by six points, 30-36. 

You know what, if you want to read more into how all that fun played out, just read the recap: HERE.

As mentioned way, way up in this article, there was a ton of action, and all the words between then and now were just the highlights of the highlights.

Happy Monday!

Meets

Centennial League Mullen Invite

Mullen HS StadiumDenver, CO
Aug 22, 2020
93 Total Performances

Photo Albums (1)

Videos (1)

Articles (2)

Elite Performances

Girls (9)
5000mF11st17:18.10Riley StewartCherry Creek High School
5000mF12nd18:30.90Ava MitchellArapahoe High School
5000mF13rd18:35.50Addison PriceCherry Creek High School
5000mF14th18:44.10Ava EscorciaArapahoe High School
5000mF15th18:44.20Cameron McConnellCherokee Trail High School
5000mF16th18:44.60Emily LamontagneArapahoe High School
5000mF17th18:58.40Addison LaughlinCherry Creek High School
5000mF18th19:03.20Mckenna MazeskiCherokee Trail High School
5000mF19th19:19.40Shelby BaldingCherry Creek High School
Boys (2)
5000mF11st16:02.40Peter FoxGrandview High School
5000mF12nd16:23.20Caden SmithCherokee Trail High School

Warrior Matchett Park XC

The Trails at Matchett ParkGrand Junction, CO
Aug 21, 2020Aug 22, 2020
194 Total Performances

Elite Performances

Girls (5)
5000mF11st17:20.90Samantha BlairEagle Valley High School
5000mF12nd17:39.50Jadyn HeilFruita Monument High School
5000mF13rd17:48.20Ella JohnsonGlenwood Springs High School
5000mF14th18:03.20Sophia Connerton-NevinGlenwood Springs High School
5000mF11st19:04.00Elliot PribramskyBattle Mountain High School
Boys (5)
5000mF11st15:40.30McGinley ZastrowFruita Monument High School
5000mF12nd16:17.00Josh TrujilloCentral (Grand Junction) High School
5000mF13rd16:21.80Shiloh TrowbridgePalisade High School
5000mF11st16:27.50Sullivan MiddaughBattle Mountain High School
5000mF14th16:28.20Gage NielsenEagle Valley High School

Rocky Mountain Lobo Invitational

Spring Canyon ParkFort Collins, CO
Aug 21, 2020
92 Total Performances

Photo Albums (1)

Articles (2)

Elite Performances

No elite performances.

PPAC Race Series #1

Doherty High SchoolColorado Springs, CO
Aug 21, 2020
94 Total Performances

Elite Performances

Boys (1)
5000mF11st16:07.47Caleb MannLiberty High School

Conifer Climb

Conifer HS XC CourseConifer, CO
Aug 22, 2020
95 Total Performances

Elite Performances

No elite performances.

Adams City Varsity Race #1

Adams City HS Cross Country CourseCommerce City, CO
Aug 22, 2020
77 Total Performances

Elite Performances

Girls (2)
5000mF11st18:41.00Emma StutzmanPomona High School
5000mF12nd19:14.00Allison BeasleyPeak to Peak Charter School
Boys (1)
5000mF11st15:59.50Kidus BegashawLotus School for Excellence High School

Rampart Varsity Meet

Rampart HS XC Course Colorado Springs, CO
Aug 22, 2020
73 Total Performances

Elite Performances

Girls (1)
5000mF11st19:12.30Aubrey SurageLewis-Palmer High School
Boys (2)
5000mF11st16:14.60Ben ConlinRampart High School
5000mF12nd16:29.60Noah GandleyRampart High School

Northfield-Legacy Dual

Broomfield County Commons ParkBroomfield, CO
Aug 22, 2020
74 Total Performances

Elite Performances

Boys (2)
5000mF11st15:41.50Ryan MonteraLegacy High School
5000mF12nd16:07.10Ian KleinschmidtNorthfield High School

Elizabeth Challenge (High School Course)

Elizabeth High School CampusElizabeth, CO
Aug 22, 2020
81 Total Performances

Elite Performances

No elite performances.

Conifer Climb JV Meet

Conifer HS XC CourseConifer, CO
Aug 21, 2020
80 Total Performances

Elite Performances

No elite performances.

Masquerade XC 4K Kickoff

Johnstown ReservoirJohnstown, CO
Aug 21, 2020
79 Total Performances

Elite Performances

No elite performances.

Grand Mesa County Line Trails Meet

Grand Mesa County Line TrailsGrand Mesa, CO
Aug 21, 2020
79 Total Performances

Elite Performances

No elite performances.

Thornton High School Meet #1

Thornton HS XC CourseThornton, CO
Aug 21, 2020
74 Total Performances

Elite Performances

No elite performances.

Arvada West XC Meet #1

Arvada West HS XC CourseArvada, CO
Aug 22, 2020
73 Total Performances

Elite Performances

No elite performances.

Rocky Mountain Lobo JV Invite

Spring Canyon ParkFort Collins, CO
Aug 20, 2020
73 Total Performances

Elite Performances

No elite performances.

Boggy Draw Bear Chase

Boggy Draw TrailsDolores, CO
Aug 21, 2020
79 Total Performances (69 CO)

Elite Performances

No elite performances.

EMAC League Varsity Meet #1

Adams City HS Cross Country CourseCommerce City, CO
Aug 21, 2020
62 Total Performances

Elite Performances

No elite performances.

Thompson Valley - Liberty Common Dual

River's Edge ParkLoveland, CO
Aug 22, 2020
54 Total Performances

Elite Performances

No elite performances.

Rampart JV Meet

Rampart HS XC CourseColorado Springs, CO
Aug 21, 2020
50 Total Performances

Elite Performances

No elite performances.

Morgan County Tri-Hard

Riverside Park XC CourseFort Morgan, CO
Aug 22, 2020
49 Total Performances

Elite Performances

No elite performances.

Tumbleweed 32

Pueblo West High School StadiumPueblo West, CO
Aug 21, 2020
47 Total Performances

Elite Performances

No elite performances.

Elizabeth Challenge Friday

Elizabeth High School CampusElizabeth, CO
Aug 21, 2020
46 Total Performances

Elite Performances

No elite performances.

Summit Wildfire Dual

Frisco Peninsula Recreation AreaFrisco, CO
Aug 22, 2020
37 Total Performances

Elite Performances

No elite performances.

EMAC Varsity Jamboree #1

Arapahoe County FairgroundsAurora, CO
Aug 21, 2020

Elite Performances

No elite performances.

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Platte Canyon XC, CO
Aug 23, 2020

Elite Performances

No elite performances.

Liberty JV meet

District 20 Stadium, Liberty HSColorado Springs, CO
Aug 21, 2020

Elite Performances

No elite performances.

EMAC JV Meet #1

Adams City HS Cross Country CourseCommerce City, CO
Aug 20, 2020

Elite Performances

No elite performances.

Horizon-Mountain Range Dual

Adams County Regional Park XC CourseBrighton, CO
Aug 21, 2020