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Bayfield and Durango Just Do It

Local teams run to Nike regionals in Casa Grande

The cross country season didn’t end with the state meet for 15 local cross country runners.

Both Bayfield High School and Durango High School are sending athletes to the Nike Cross Southwest Regional on Saturday in Casa Grande, Arizona.

Nike has held the event since 2004 to showcase top high school running teams in a national postseason competition.

Foot Locker sponsors an individual postseason competition, as well, but Nike focuses on the team aspect.

There are eight regional races that feed into the national final in December in Portland. The top two regional teams and top five individuals automatically advance to nationals, and the third- and fourth-place teams are considered for at-large bids.

The teams technically are competing as club teams, because high schools won’t let the teams compete as high schools in the postseason. But all competitors on teams in the championship race must come from the same high school.

DHS essentially is entering its boys varsity team from the high school season that finished third at the CHSAA Class 4A Boys Cross Country State Championships late October in Colorado Springs.

“I thought we were in a position, at least, with the guys team,” DHS head coach David McMillan said Thursday in a phone interview with The Durango Herald. “We’re ranked well within the region. The rankings are not specifically based on time but who beats who.”

The Demons only finished behind Mountain Vista and Palmer Ridge in Colorado this season, so McMillan estimates his team will be the third-ranked team from Colorado.

The region also includes Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah.

DHS built its team for the regional largely from the team that finished third at the Desert Twilight Invitational in October on the same course.

William Chandler, Gordon Gianinny, Jordan Helms, Benjamin Lachelt and Seamus Millet return from that squad, and David Moenning will replace River Weiss, who is dealing with an injury. They are expected to toe the starting line with around 265 other runners.

DHS also is sending Aubree Lorenzen, Shannon Maloney and Marlee Weaver-Gabel to run as individuals.

There will be around 2,000 competitors at the regional showcase.

“I thought it would be great for our kids to go to the next level. They’ve raced on the course before in Desert Twilight,” McMillan said of the Grande Sports Academy trails. “For us, it’s all about learning. Can we extend our season another month? The kids looked great in practice.”

BHS will send Trevor Gabbard, much like the Wolverines did at the state meet. He’s on the redemption trail after a disappointing 41st-place finish at state when chest cramps hampered him near the start of the Class 3A race.

Gabbard and Gianinny are the only seniors running on the boys side, and Aubree Lorenzen will be back next year from the DHS girls going.

“Hopefully it leaves a positive experience in the kids’ minds,” McMillan said. “For my perspective, it feeds into the track season. We have a handful of kids who are really going to see some marked improvement in their mile- and two-mile times. It just broadens our experience.”

kgrabowski@durangoherald.com



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