Colorado Year In Review: Wilson Runs Into History Books

When Wilson turned left into Penrose the crowd erupted. 

Then - all eyes darted back and forth between Wilson, and the clock that ticked on. 

Because the Valor Christian senior wasn't just racing the field in the 5A Colorado State Championships, she was racing history. 

She was racing against the shadow of Brie Oakley's 17:07 course record.

But with each stride closer to the finish line, it became evident that Wilson was in front of Oakley's shadow.

As the Valor senior neared the line and the clocking still ticking within 16-minutes she raised her arms and head upwards to the sky in victory. 

Wilson stopped the clock before it ticked over into a new minute.

16:59.20.

History was made.

Wilson became the first runner ever to break 17 minutes on the (new) Penrose course. And as impressive as her performance was alone, she wasn't the only one making history - a historic five girls broke 18 minutes on a course that had only seen it done five times ever prior to 2022. 

And when I write "a historic five girls broke 18 minutes" - that's just the girl's 5A race from Saturday...

Add that Wilson's win seemingly was a rebound after getting out-kicked at the 5A Region 5 Championships.

Wilson's performance capped a stellar career that seemed to always hint of this ending - she finished third as a freshman, seventh as a sophomore, and second as a senior. 

And if we rewind back to her freshman year when she finished third - she was three-seconds in front of Pomona's Emma Stutzman. 

As history would have it, these two made up for a battle of the titans Saturday morning as seniors. 

While Wilson did have Penrose all to herself in the final strides of the race, it was quite the battle through the early stages of the race, where Wilson, Stutzman and Bethany Michalak went stride-for-stride. 

This trio of titans blew the race open early, insuring that it'd be a real burner - just as the clock later solidified. 

By two miles it was down to two - Wilson and Stutzman. 

It was last year's top returner - Wilson - verses Stutzman, who had been undefeated this season, and the fastest runner in Colorado.

In the end, there would be no out-kicking Wilson this time. The Valor senior capped her senior season with perfection - the 5A state title, and the course record.

That hot pace set up the field for a laundry list of stellar times, as Stutzman hung on to a runner-up finish, crossing the line in an impressive 17:24 - that's the fifth-fastest time on the course.

For Wilson's record-breaking efforts, she's run herself into one of the Top Storylines of 2022.

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