Ella Hagen let a subtle smile paint across her face as she coasted over the finish line.
The Summit senior had every reason to be a little happy.
She had finished second at the Liberty Bell Invitational as a sophomore. Second as a junior. But now she finally had the taste of victory.
And it tasted good.
"I've been second here two years in a row," she admitted. "So it's pretty nice to finally make my mark."
Hagen picked up her second consecutive win - her first at the Liberty Bell Invitational in Littleton, Colorado, which sits just under 5,400-feet of elevation - over a stellar field, clocking 16:54.
And when I write "stellar field" - the field was indeed the best of the best, save for a few who didn't toe the line here.
Photo by Jen Jardeleza
"Every time you line up in Colorado, you know it's going to be a race," Hagen said. "You don't get off easy racing all the girls around here. These girls are some of the best in the nation. So being able to come out and compete against them gives me a lot of joy. It definitely boosts the confidence going into the rest of the season."
Personal bests were plentiful on this crisp Colorado morning.
Eaton sophomore Delaney Reuter once again proved that she is the real deal - she finished second here in a personal best of 16:59. On the topic of running a PR, Cherry Creek's Emily Cohen had a great race herself, clocking 17:04. Likewise, Heritage's Emry Schwalm dipped under 17:10, running 17:08.
The team race featured two of the top squads in the country - Air Academy and Mountain Vista.
The team race was decided by thirty-points with Coaches Poll No. 1 Mountain Vista taking the win with 73 points. Air Academy took second with 103 points, which was just ahead of Chaparral's 106.
What made Mountain Vista's victory all the more impressive was the fact that they put seven runners in front of everyone else's five.
Likewise, Chaparral's finish was revealing, as they proved that they belong in the conversation of who the best in the state - and the country - is.
Editor's Note: Given how competitive Colorado is, being among the best in Colorado means you're among the best in the country. Just look at last year's Nike Cross Nationals results...
The boy's race was just as loaded - a staggering eight broke the coveted 15-minute mark.
Leading the train was Benjamin Anderson, who defended his Liberty Bell title, clocking 14:48.
The performance backed up his victory at last week's Cherry Creek Steve Lohman Invitational, where he ran 15:04, and it marked his third-consecutive win this season.
"I didn't know what to expect coming into this race," Anderson shared. "I've been sick for the past couple of weeks."
Hot on his heels was New Mexico's Jeron Wisner, who took second in 14:49, while Mountain Vista's Benjamin Adams took third in 14:51.
The team race went well into the triple-digits, four of the top-five ranked Colorado squads battling here.
Rock Canyon took the title with 126 points. Valor Christian was second with 144, while Castle View was third with 184.
If anything, the team race told us that we've got another tight battle brewing in Colorado Sprints come November.