Mia Mraz had a big run at the Broomfield Battle.
Each week we're seeing something new from the course, and this week the list of runners finding their stride increased. And speaking of increase, there were a ton of meets across the state this past week.
We've got a long list of performances to recap, so grab a cup of coffee or two, maybe three... Here are the highlights of the highlights...
We'll start with that top-heavy Vista Nation XC 2 Mile Invite.
We caught out first glimpse of Valor Christian, Mountain Vista, and Dakota Ridge, and by the looks of it, there's a lot to be excited about... (both course records fell!)
Taylor Whitfield came out of the gates firing on all eight cylinders. The Valor Christian senior won the race in a new course record of 11:27. Pomona sophomore Emma Stutzman finished second just 10 seconds back in 11:37, which was just ahead of the Valor pack of Jocelyn Millican, Lanie Szuch, and freshman Suvina Heidt, who ran 11:39, 11:40, and 11:41. Mountain Vista's Shayda Zarrin broke up the Valor party, finishing sixth in 11:42, but it started back up one second later with Brooke Wilson.
In other words - Valor went 1-3-4-5-7. And they ran between 11:27 and 11:43... Obviously they took the team title - tallying 20 points.
On the boy's side of the race Harrison Witt did something that only two others have done on this course, and that's break 10 minutes.
And when you add that the only other two to do it were Cole Sprout and Cruz Culpepper, it's insanely impressive.
Add that Witt gets to claim something no one has yet to claim - he broke Sprout's course record of 9:53. He torched it, in fact.
The Mountain Vista senior ran 9:34 - a 26-second victory.
Call it a statement.
Dakota Ridge's Jacob White took second in 10:00, which was just ahead of Broomfield's James Thomas, who ran 10:03.
Talk about a revealing meet...
Just outside of Colorado Springs there was another battle among some of the best in the state - at the Peyton XC Invitational.
Air Academy freshman Bethany Michalak went head-to-head with two of the best in 5A - Ava Mitchell and Ava Escorcia - and she came out ahead.
Michalak ran away from the gun with a 18:56 clocking over a tough, tough course. (Between the side-swiping rain and wind, it was tough to keep my camera dry...)
Read more of the meet here: Bethany Michalak Shines Under The Lights At Peyton XC Invite
The Arapahoe girls came away with the team title here, putting their entire top-five into the top-10.
Colby Schultz took the boy's race with a 17:09 clocking, just ahead of Cheyenne Mountain's Knox Exton, who made The Jump.
In a few weeks we might be referring to that as "getting your crouton" (as in: getting a PR, or a big win, or making a big leap.) Sure that makes no sense now, but it will eventually.
Moving along...
Ryan Montera is now 2-0. The Legacy senior dominated the Broomfield Battle, running 16:02. Mia Mraz made it a Legacy sweep on the girl's side, making The Jump herself.
Jackson Shorten may have had the Performance of the Week at the NoCo XC Challenge in Johnston. The Mountain View junior now officially owns the fastest time in the state with a 15:32 clocking.
Not only was that a massive PR for Shorten, but that was the first time he's cracked 16 in Colorado.
On the girl's side of the competition The Classical Academy's Sawyer Wilson opened her 2020 season with a win, and a sub-19 clocking. The TCA sophomore ran 18:44 FTW. Teammate Kennedy McDonald was just 16 seconds back at 19:00, which was just six seconds ahead of Kiera Shorten.
Across the state in Grand Junction Jadyn Heil confirmed that she is in fact the real deal. The Fruita-Monument junior claimed her first win following last week's 17:39 clocking, running 18:13 at the Connected Lakes Championships.
Likewise, teammate McGinley Zastrow took the boy's race in 16:18.
Back on the front range, the Chatfield freshmen-duo of Reese Tucker and Aspen Webb went 1-2 at the D'Evelyn Dash. Tucker took the W in a stellar 18:28 clocking, while Webb finished second in 19:10.
Longmont's Connor McCormick took the boy's race in 16:26.
Heritage definitely threw down at the Thursday Night Throwdown.
Lila Crowley ran away with the girl's race in 12:14, while Michael Beck made it a Heritage sweep, winning the boy's race in 9:59.
The Heritage boys swept the top three spots - Jason Becker and Connor Kennedy went 2-3, running 10:04, and 10:09.
At the Bruins 5k Cameron McConnell rallied from her first meet, hard. The Cherokee Trail junior dropped the fifth-fastest time in the state, running 17:41.
Editor's Note: writing "fifth-fastest time in the state, running 17:41" before the calendar turns to September feels a little weird... Weird as in, wow, everyone has come out of the gates swinging...
Cherokee Trail teammate Mckenna Mazeski found her stride this week as well, running 18:35 to finish second.
Caden Smith made it a Cherokee Trail sweep, winning the boy's race by turning the tables on Peter Fox. When these two met a week ago Fox took the W, here it was Smith who ran a big PR of 15:44. Fox was two seconds back in 15:46, while his Grandview teammate Jake Sheykhet was third in 15:50.
Back on the western slope there was a great battle at the Basalt Longhorn Invitational.
The Glenwood Springs duo of Ella Johnson and Sophia Connerton-Nevin achieved the rare feat of beating Sierra Bower to the finish line.
Johnson took the victory in 18:04, just ahead of her Connerton-Nevin, who ran 18:07. Bower was just six seconds back in 18:13. Bower's teammate Katelyn Maley opened her season with a big PR of her own, finishing fourth here in 18:33.
Speaking of finding their stride, cue Loveland's Elena Torres.
The Loveland freshman picked up the first win of her high school career at the Fort Collins XC Invitational. She ran 18:31 to run away from Fort Collins sophomore Ella Johns, who finished second in 18:44.
Dalton Kaines took the boy's race in 16:24.
At the PPAC Race Series #2 Lewis-Palmer freshman Jade Allen joined the Sub-19 club, running 18:55 to claim her first high school victory. Her teammate Aubrey Surage was just nine seconds back in second.
Grahm Tuohy-Gaydos quietly made some noise - unofficially - this past week. The Green Mountain senior ran 15:25 at the Rams Time Trial #2.
Is it September yet?
Meets
Vista Nation XC 2-Mile Invitational
Elite Performances
Girls (12) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2Mile | F11st | 11:27.00 | Taylor Whitfield | Valor Christian High School | |
2Mile | F12nd | 11:37.00 | Emma Stutzman | Pomona High School | |
2Mile | F13rd | 11:39.00 | Jocelyn Millican | Valor Christian High School | |
2Mile | F14th | 11:40.00 | Lanie Szuch | Valor Christian High School | |
2Mile | F15th | 11:41.00 | Suvina Heidt | Valor Christian High School | |
2Mile | F16th | 11:42.00 | Shayda Zarrin | Mountain Vista High School | |
2Mile | F17th | 11:43.00 | Brooke Wilson | Valor Christian High School | |
2Mile | F18th | 11:56.00 | Maelynn Higgins | Broomfield High School | |
2Mile | F19th | 11:59.00 | Annie Romalia | Mountain Vista High School | |
2Mile | F110th | 11:59.00 | Shantell Hafner | Mountain Vista High School | |
2Mile | F111th | 12:03.00 | Taylor Rorick | Valor Christian High School | |
2Mile | F112th | 12:05.00 | Leah Christians | Mountain Vista High School | |
Boys (11) | |||||
2Mile | F11st | 9:34.00 | Harrison Witt | Mountain Vista High School | |
2Mile | F12nd | 10:00.00 | Jacob White | Dakota Ridge High School | |
2Mile | F13rd | 10:03.00 | James Thomas | Broomfield High School | |
2Mile | F14th | 10:06.00 | Jayden Nats | Mountain Vista High School | |
2Mile | F15th | 10:06.00 | George Maldonado III | Chaparral High School | |
2Mile | F16th | 10:07.00 | Brennan Draper | Chaparral High School | |
2Mile | F17th | 10:12.00 | Robert Scott | Rock Canyon High School | |
2Mile | F18th | 10:16.00 | Owen Nolan | Mountain Vista High School | |
2Mile | F19th | 10:19.00 | Ty Garrett | Valor Christian High School | |
2Mile | F110th | 10:19.00 | Ethan Straub | Dakota Ridge High School | |
2Mile | F111th | 10:20.00 | Thomas Alley | Chaparral High School |
Peyton XC Invitational
Photo Albums (1)
Videos (1)
Articles (2)
- Bethany Michalak Shines Under The Lights At Peyton XC Invite
- Through The Lens: Peyton XC Invitational Photos
Elite Performances
Girls (2) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
5000m | F11st | 18:56.20 | Bethany Michalak | Air Academy High School | |
5000m | F12nd | 19:16.00 | Ava Mitchell | Arapahoe High School |
Broomfield Battle
Photo Albums (1)
Videos (2)
Articles (2)
- Ryan Montera And Legacy Storm Away At The Broomfield Battle
- Through The Lens: Broomfield Battle Photos
Elite Performances
Boys (1) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
5000m | F11st | 16:02.70 | Ryan Montera | Legacy High School |
NoCo XC Challenge #1 (Varsity Version)
Photo Albums (1)
Articles (2)
Elite Performances
Girls (3) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
5000m | F11st | 18:44.10 | Sawyer Wilson | The Classical Academy | |
5000m | F12nd | 19:00.90 | Kennedy McDonald | The Classical Academy | |
5000m | F13rd | 19:06.40 | Kiera Shorten | Mountain View High School | |
Boys (1) | |||||
5000m | F11st | 15:32.50 | Jackson Shorten | Mountain View High School |
Connected Lakes Championships
Elite Performances
Girls (1) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
5000m | F11st | 18:13.20 | Jadyn Heil | Fruita Monument High School | |
Boys (1) | |||||
5000m | F11st | 16:18.60 | McGinley Zastrow | Fruita Monument High School |
D'Evelyn Dash
Elite Performances
Girls (2) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
5000m | F11st | 18:28.40 | Reese Tucker | Chatfield High School | |
5000m | F12nd | 19:10.40 | Aspen Webb | Chatfield High School | |
Boys (1) | |||||
5000m | F11st | 16:26.00 | Connor McCormick | Longmont High School |
Thursday Night Throwdown
Elite Performances
Girls (1) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2Mile | F11st | 12:14.30 | Lila Crowley | Heritage High School | |
Boys (6) | |||||
2Mile | F11st | 9:59.40 | Michael Beck | Heritage High School | |
2Mile | F12nd | 10:04.70 | Jason Becker | Heritage High School | |
2Mile | F13rd | 10:09.90 | Connor Kennedy | Heritage High School | |
2Mile | F14th | 10:13.60 | Justin Quammen | Frontier Academy | |
2Mile | F15th | 10:14.10 | Sebastian Groom | Frontier Academy | |
2Mile | F16th | 10:17.20 | Sylas Chambers | Frontier Academy |
Bruins 5k
Elite Performances
Girls (3) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
5000m | F11st | 17:41.00 | Cameron McConnell | Cherokee Trail High School | |
5000m | F12nd | 18:35.00 | Mckenna Mazeski | Cherokee Trail High School | |
5000m | F13rd | 19:15.00 | Claire Semerod | Cherry Creek High School | |
Boys (3) | |||||
5000m | F11st | 15:44.00 | Caden Smith | Cherokee Trail High School | |
5000m | F12nd | 15:46.00 | Peter Fox | Grandview High School | |
5000m | F13rd | 15:50.00 | Jake Sheykhet | Grandview High School |
Basalt Longhorn Cross Country Invitational
Elite Performances
Girls (4) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
5000m | F11st | 18:04.00 | Ella Johnson | Glenwood Springs High School | |
5000m | F12nd | 18:07.00 | Sophia Connerton-Nevin | Glenwood Springs High School | |
5000m | F13rd | 18:13.00 | Sierra Bower | Basalt High School | |
5000m | F14th | 18:32.00 | Katelyn Maley | Basalt High School |
Fort Collins XC Invitational
Elite Performances
Girls (2) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
5000m | F11st | 18:31.00 | Elena Torres | Loveland High School | |
5000m | F12nd | 18:44.00 | Ella Johns | Fort Collins High School | |
Boys (1) | |||||
5000m | F11st | 16:24.00 | Dalton Kaines | Rocky Mountain High School |
PPAC Race Series #2
Elite Performances
Girls (2) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
5000m | F11st | 18:55.40 | Jade Allen | Lewis-Palmer High School | |
5000m | F12nd | 19:04.60 | Aubrey Surage | Lewis-Palmer High School |
Arvada Bulldog Invite
Elite Performances
Peyton XC Invitational (Small Schools)
Elite Performances
Mesa Ridge Invitational
Elite Performances
Andy Myers Invitational
Elite Performances
Montezuma-Cortez XC Invitational
Elite Performances
Summit Soggy Shoe JV Triangular
Elite Performances
Husky Invitational Varsity Meet
Elite Performances
Castle View/Douglas County Dual
Elite Performances
Boys (1) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
5000m | F11st | 16:27.00 | William Merrick | Castle View High School |
Prowling Panther JV 2 Mile
Elite Performances
City of Thornton Meet
Elite Performances
King of the Mountain Dual
Elite Performances
Girls (1) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
5000m | F11st | 19:09.00 | Sarah Allen | Evergreen High School | |
Boys (1) | |||||
5000m | F11st | 16:08.00 | Isaac VanWestrienen | Conifer High School |
Jefferson Academy @ Legacy JV Dual Meet
Elite Performances
NoCo XC Challenge #1 (Open Version)
Elite Performances
City of Thornton JV Meet
Elite Performances
King of the Mountain JV
Elite Performances
Adams City-Rangeview-Westminster
Elite Performances
Husky Invitational Junior Varsity Meet
Elite Performances
ATB Churchyard Pole Vault Meet #8
Elite Performances
Girls (2) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
PV | F12nd | 11-3 | Sophie Pierce | Above the Bar Track Club | |
PV | F11st | 11-9 | Megan Kelleghan | Above the Bar Track Club |