Jake Erickson

Sofia Calabrese was one piece in a massive Battle Mountain team effort that just managed to overcome Palisade for the WSL 4A crown. Colorado Track XC file photo by Alan Versaw.

We begin the preseason rankings with Class 4A.

Gordon Gianniny has been running well this fall, but he's also had a lot of support from some other guys in red. All told, it makes Durango a very tough team to beat. Colorado Track XC file photo by Alan Versaw.

While the field strung out behind them, Ben Espinola and Joshua Joseph did a little measuring of each other. Photo by Ron Eberhard.

You can find the eventual champion here in the early stages of the boys race at the Anna Banana Memorial, but you have to know who you're looking for. Photo by Michele Bisbee.

Jenna McCaffrey leaves the field in her wake at the RE-1J meet. Photo by Renee Haip.

Kaleb Simington, already well-established in the ranks of 4A, is joined by younger brother Logan this year to help give Thompson Valley one of its strongest boys teams ever. Colorado Track XC file photo by Paul Jaeger.

Josh Braun is one of several returning runners for Battle Mountain that make them a team of no small concern this fall. Colorado Track XC file photo by Paul Jaeger.

If you guessed this young man as the 5A returning runner with the best 3200 time, you are an astute student of Colorado distance. Photo by Paul Jaeger.

Liam Meirow, Senior, Summit High School - 4A Boys Runner of the Year. Photo by Jeff McCoy.

If you're looking for a team to create havoc at the state meet that you might not have been thinking about, this would be your crew. Photo by Alan Versaw.

You can probably pick out Joshua Joseph, Cerake Geberkidane, and Connor Lockwood at the front of 5A Region 1's start from Thursday, but how many more of the harriers present can you put a name to? Photo by Cliff Jurgens.

Led by Gordon Gianniny and Nicholas Turco, Durango will be seeking to advance to state on the strength of a regional title. Colorado Track XC file photos.

Jake Erickson and Lauren Gregory earned athlete of the week honors with big wins at two of Colorado's most competitive invitationals this past weekend. Photos by Michele Bisbee and Alan Versaw.

Jake Erickson leads Grand Junction's Greg Eccher and Telluride's Jack Plantz through early stages of the Anna Banana boys varsity race. Photo by Michele Bisbee.

Carson Hume and Eric Hamer went quickly to the front of the Joe Vigil high school boys race--and stayed there. Photo by Eric Flores.

This will be the fall that 2A must figure out how to deal with SkyView Academy and Ben Butler. Colorado Track XC file photo.

Jack Plantz was the "other" freshman in 2A last fall, making a name for himself on the western side of the Continental Divide. Photo by Paul Jaeger.

Elise Cranny completes her record-setting 1600 with nobody in sight. Photo by Ashley Green.

Evergreen's Jackson Sayler was very close at the finish of last year's 4A state 800. "Very close" has a way of eating at you clear through the winter. Photo by Jeff McCoy.

Last spring, Yuma's Michael Howell was chasing the leaders in the 2A 400. It might be a different story this spring. Photo by Paul Jaeger.