Columbine's Will Kincaid posted Colorado's top finish at FLMW. Photo courtesy of Paul Everett (https://mo.milesplit.com).
While the quantity of Colorado's representation at Foot Locker Midwest was down sharply this year, the quality was not. In fact, it was more or less business as usual for Colorado on the leader board.
By any reckoning, three qualifiers for Colorado out of a 13-state region is a decent result.
Will Kincaid got things going for Colorado with a 4th-place finish that surprised the prognosticators. Kincaid's times from the CHSAA season weren't supposed to be good enough to get him into a national-qualifying finish. Kincaid proved the doubters wrong. High altitude training, resilience on the hills, and an all-around exceptional effort punched his ticket to San Diego.
On the girls' side, there weren't so many doubters. In fact, it was more or less widely accepted that Kelsey Lakowske and Eleanor Fulton would advance. And advance they did with a 17:29 and 17:33, respectively, for 5th and 7th places. Those places erase when the field of 40 toes the line in San Diego in two weeks. If last year is any indication, Lakowske and Fulton should have an excellent opportunity at a relatively better placing at Foot Locker Nationals.
Other high finishes for the Colorado representatives included Legacy's Melanie Nun at 27th in the girls' championship race at 18:35 and Dakota Ridge's Austin Appel at 32nd in the boys' championship race in 15:40.
The Colorado high school cross country season is now over for all but the following: Fort Collins boys and girls team (NXN), Monarch girls team (NXN), Eleanor Fulton, Kelsey Lakowske, and Will Kincaid (FLN), and Danny Carney, Spencer Wenck, Hannah Everson, Kailie Hartman, and Kristen Kientz (NXN). Depending on the outcome of today's at-large team bids for NXN, Sydney Scott may also advance to NXN as an individual.
Colorado's top four female finishers (l to r): Eleanor Fulton, Kelsey Lakowske, Melanie Nun, and Heather Bates. Photo contributed by Steve Lakowske.