It's State Week!
That means all the questions swirling around the 5A Colorado State Championships will finally be answered this Saturday!
We're rolling out previews of all classifications - team and individual races this week.
We'll start with 5A - girls, then boys.
Editor's Note: We'll be live-streaming the finish line: WATCH LIVE!
Individuals
The season has provided more questions than answers.
Since the graduation of three-time cross country state champion Riley Stewart the question of who would fill those spikes has been on everyone's mind.
The girl's race has no one favorite - it has favorites - emphasis on that S.
We'll start with Pomona's Emma Stutzman, because she's the only girl in the field who has gone undefeated this season.
She's won five consecutive races - against top-tier talent. Stutzman torched a 16:44 personal best at the Liberty Bell Cross Country Invitational, which at the time led the country.
The long list of stellar runners she's beaten includes Summit's Ella Hagen - who is a favorite in the 4A race, Cherry Creek's Addison Price, Valor's Brooke Wilson, and Arapahoe's Emily Lamontagne, and Ava Mitchell.
Basically, she's beaten everyone in the running for that individual state title - except for Air Academy's Bethany Michalak and Tessa Walter.
The only real cross-over here is that Wilson has raced Michalak and Walter.
Wilson and Michalak are 1-1 against each other, with Wilson winning Desert Twilight, and Michalak winning their most-recent battle - last week's Colorado 5A Region 5 Championships.
Add that Michalak's region performance was just two-seconds shy of Katie Rainsberger's course record of 17:05 - and that's the fastest Michalak has ever run on the course - and it's a course she's run on often. So, this tells us that she's in the best shape she's ever been in.
If we look at last year's 5A State Championship results for any hints, Wilson is the top-returner - she finished second.
Stutzman, Wilson, and Price have all broken 17 minutes this season, while Michalak's 17:07 from regionals is the fourth-fastest time.
To add to this already intense race build-up, keep in mind that Michalak is the 4A 2020 State Cross Country Champion - she's the only runner in the field with any state titles to her name (additionally she's the 2021 4A 1,600 state champion.)
Teams
Four of the top-20 nationally ranked teams are in 5A, per the usual. And while the national rankings a bit backwards compared to our Colorado Coaches Poll, one thing is for certain: we've got a battle on our hands
Cherry Creek has been dominant all season.
They've been consistent week in, and week out, and are coming in hot off their victory at the 5A Region 1 Championships - which they won without Price.
Cherry Creek has raced throughout the season with an emerging lineup of rising stars - two named Wolfe, and one Cohen. They've got five who have run under 19 minutes this season, and two who have run under 17:30.
Arapahoe has raced through much of the season at maybe 90% - maybe less.
Even so, they've had two under 17:30 this season, and five under 19:12. The difference between Cherry Creek and Arapahoe looks to be that 4-5, where Cherry Creek has the edge.
Over the past four years the state title has gone to either Cherry Creek or Arapahoe. So, if history is telling us anything, it's that there's a likelihood that it comes down to one of these two.
But -
Keep an eye on Air Academy. Sure, it's their first year in 5A, but they've come out of the gates swinging. They recently beat a solid Valor Christian squad at the 5A Region 5 Championships, so they've got momentum heading into this week's State meet. Air Academy has the fastest top-three runners of any 5A team - and Michalak and Walter did not run at Liberty Bell.
And -
You can never count out Valor. Their top-three are only second to Air Academy. Like the three squads already mentioned, they're always in the mix for a state title.
The only question that can answer who'll take the team title, is: Who will show up on Saturday?
This race is so close, every runner will count.
The girl's race is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.
Next Page: Boys Preview