Transition.
That seemed to be the theme of the past week.
We're transitioning into Championship Season. A ton of squads sat this one out, and a ton of squads used it to prep for the big weeks ahead.
Let's get into it, here are the highlights of the highlights.
We'll start on the Western Slope, because the Warrior Lincoln Park Classic (SWL Championships) was a real burner.
Jadyn Heil picked up her second win of the season, and a new personal best - a 17:27 clocking for the win. And she wasn't the only one with a big run - Tristian Spence took second in a PR of 17:46. On the boy's side of the competition it was a Durango 1-2, with Land Lambert taking the win in 15:17, while teammate Damian Frausto was 10-seconds back in 15:27.
In Colorado Springs at the PPAC League Meet Air Academy's Tessa Walter picked up the first win of her season, running 18:41. Emma Wilhelm also dipped under 19 minutes, running 18:59 top finish second. Meanwhile Jake Bach was the runaway winner in the boy's race, running 16:06, while Benjamin Townsend finished second in 16:27.
The NCAC LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP played host to the most exciting of finishes - a sprint between Connor McCormick, Max Heins, and Andreas O'Malley. McCormick utilized that 800 speed and kicked for the win in 16:15. Heins and O'Malley were separated by two-tenths of a second, with Heins taking the runner-up spot in 16:18.4, to O'Malley's 16:18.6.Nolan Hoffman was eight-seconds back in 16:26 for fourth.
Samantha Blair made a statement at the Windjammer Invitational. The Eagle Valley senior torched the competition and dropped the second-fastest time ever on the course, running 18:13. Meanwhile, Jake Drever made it an Eagle Valley sweep of the individual races, running 16:15 to claim the boy's race.
Allison Pippert was the big highlight coming out of the 3A Metro League Championship. The Stargate sophomore picked up her fifth-consecutive victory (and sixth on the season), running 18:42. (Of additional note - she's never finished outside the top-three this season.)
The Tri Peaks/Black Forest Championships was another hotly contested meet. There was a big clash between the favorites to claim the 2A state title in a few weeks. Nadhia Campos and Zaila Smith went head-to-head, and on this day Campos was the victor, running 18:52 to Smith's 19:04. On the boy's side of the competition Henry Ilyasova his fifth consecutive victory, running 15:44. Branden Davis took the runner-up finish just over 16 minutes, running 16:00.33, while Jodzuel Juarez was third in 16:07.
Across the country at the Loyola Academy Flight Night in Illinois Sierra Parks represented Colorado with a solid runner-up finish, running the three-mile course in 17:54.
Back in Colorado it was all Isabel Allori and Logan Gullett at the Patriot League Meet. Allori took the girl's title in 18:50, while Gullett to the boy's title in 16:19.
In Pueblo at the Hornet Cross Country Dam Run Andres Cura starred with a 16:10 victory - his first of the season.