Miguel Baltazar

Caleb Berlinger aims at his, and Alamosa's third straight state title this fall. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Jefferson Academy will likely be one of this fall's most improved teams. How high can the Jaguars go? Photo by Alan Versaw.

Oscar Martinez helps to make Alamosa one of 3A's five preseason top teams. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Ben Butler ran away with his second straight 3A Boys state title. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Plotting Devilish deeds. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Miguel Baltazar exemplified an Alamosa effort that kept both feet beneath them until the job was done. Photo by Jeff McCoy.

Ben Butler claimed his second straight 3A boys state title with a 15:50.5. Photo by Jeff McCoy.

Move right this way, folks, to see a few of our favorite images from this week. Photo by Ashley Green.

Elizabeth Reyes and Cora Cannedy had the lead entirely to themselves from a very early stage of the Joe Vigil high school girls race. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Look both ways before leading. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Caleb Palmer didn't grab as many headlines as a couple of his teammates last fall, but was still a very big part of the reason that Alamosa claimed a state title. Photo by Ashley Green.

Nick Hutcherson (right) leads the pack of Pirates into 2015. Photo by Ashley Green.

The 2014 All Valley team was named last week at Sargent High School. Photo by Eric Flores.

If Alamosa is to repeat as 3A boys champions again next fall, guys like Caleb Palmer and Miguel Baltazar are likely to have important roles in making it happen. Photos by Ashley Green.

Ryan Currie's last competition of the season was the UNM Lobo Invitational, but he was a motivating factor for Mountain Vista nevertheless. Colorado Track XC file photo by Alan Versaw.

When you win twin state titles, lots of athletes have come up big for you, but maybe none came up bigger for Alamosa than Tara Sowards. Photo by Alan Versaw.

3A Region 3 left us with a lot of questions left to be answered at state. Photo by Renee Haip.

Caleb Palmer is one of a large group sophomores who are making big things happen this fall on the Alamosa boys varsity. Colorado Track XC file photo by Alan Versaw.

In a region unusually deep in talent, Jericho Ulibarri and Jake Rogers are two of the best. Colorado Track XC file photos by Paul Jaeger.

Jericho Ulibarri figures to be the ranking senior on what should be the best Alamosa team in a long, long time. Photo by Paul Jaeger.

This one may surprise you a little. No, I take that back. Nothing about Mountain Vista surprises us much any more. Joshua Romine holds the top freshman time on the top freshman team in the state. And that kind of brings tears to our eyes. Colorado Track XC file photo.