The Bayfield boys cross-country team is sending two of its runners to the Colorado High School Activities Association’s Class 3A state meet next week after the Wolverines finished fifth overall at the Class 3A Region 1 meet Friday afternoon at Aspen Golf Course in Aspen.
The Wolverines just missed out at a place at the state meet as a team, as they finished with 143 points, while Pagosa Springs grabbed the final team spot with 130. Gunnison won the overall meet with 50 points, and had four of its top five runners finish in the top 15. Moffat County High School and Aspen grabbed second and third place, finishing with 86 and 118 points, respectively. In the girls race, Pagosa took the team title with 43 points. Montezuma-Cortez took 10th overall with 270 points, while Bayfield did not place in the top 12 as a team.
Wolverines head coach Josh Walton thought that the boys performed well.
“I thought both teams had a great day of racing,” Walton said. “Jonas came out a little fast, but finished exactly where he was ranked heading into the meet, and Elco also finished right around where he was ranked. This is their first time qualifying for the state meet in cross-country, so I was super excited for them. They ran smart and knew what they needed to do to get to state and they did just that.”
Junior Jonas Nanaeto took sixth overall with a time of 17 minutes, 44.20 seconds, while fellow junior Elco Garcia was not far behind and got 12th overall, with a time of 18:14.60. Both runners attend Ignacio High School, but since the Bobcats did not field a boys team this season, they ran for Bayfield.
Sophomore Zeb Shields finished with a time of 18:37.00, which was 21st overall, while junior Rylan Ross took 53rd with a time of 20:06.30. Colton Stice, a senior from Gunnison, won the race with a time of 16:40.80.
Walton said the conditions were difficult and they received snow the evening before.
“The weather had a little bit of an effect, and we got a dusting of snow last night, so their feet sank into the ground every time they took a step,” Walton said. “The course was soft but the boys still ran well despite the conditions.”
Aspen was the surprise team of the race as they were projected to finish sixth, but took third. As a result, Bayfield narrowly missed out.
“The boys were a little disappointed that we didn’t qualify, but I still think we’re going to be even stronger for next season,” Walton said. “We don’t have a single senior on this year’s team so they will all be returning and we should be strong for next year, and I’m really excited for the future.”
On the girls side, senior Olivia Keitz was Bayfield’s highest finisher and took 55th with a time of 24:42.70. Sierra Bower, a sophomore from Basalt High School, won the girls race with a time of 20:03.50.
Nanaeto and Garcia will compete at the boys 3A state meet, which will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 27 at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs.
The Ignacio High School girls cross-country team will also be represented at the state meet, as Jonas Nanaeto’s sister, Avaleena, was the last runner to qualify at the CHSAA Class 2A Region 4 meet Friday afternoon held at Confluence Park in Delta.
Nanaeto took 15th overall with a time of 21 minutes, 44.55 seconds and beat out the 16th-place finisher, Katie Woodman of Ouray High School, as she finished with a time of 21:47.07. The Bobcats had two other runners who finished in the top 50. Brianna Henderson finished with a time of 23:43.89 for 39th, while Jayden Brunson finished 41st with a time of 24:05.06.
Chloe Veilleux of Soroco High School won the race with a time of 18:53.87.
Nanaeto will race at the girls 2A meet, which will begin at 12:20 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27 at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs.
The Durango High School volleyball team were swept Friday night and fell in 5A/4A Southwestern League play to Fruita Monument. The Wildcats won in straight sets with scores of 25-17, 26-24 and 25-11.
Junior outside hitter Millie O’Ketter led the way with seven kills, while senior outside hitter Lily Chick had four digs and sophomore setter Paige Ammerman ended the night with 10 assists. After falling in the first set 25-17, Durango (7-10, 3-4 SWL) fought to get the second set to 24-25 before the Wildcats won the set 26-24. That would be the momentum Fruita needed to easily win the third set 25-11.
The Wildcats (15-2, 8-0 SWL) were led by senior Campbell Atkins, who finished with eight kills and Morgan Laing, who finished with 22 digs.
Durango will continue its weekend road trip when they take on Montrose at 11 a.m. Saturday at Montrose High School.
The Ignacio High School volleyball team won in a five-set thriller before the football team took the field Friday night at Ignacio, as the Bobcats defeated Dove Creek in five sets 20-25, 25-20, 21-25, 27-25 and 15-12.
The Bobcats (6-12, 5-7 Class 2A/1A San Juan Basin League) upset the top-ranked team in the conference by coming back down two sets. The Bulldogs (16-2, 9-1 SJBL) were leading in the fourth set when the Bobcats stormed back to win 27-25. In the final set, Ignacio used a late push to earn the 15-12 set victory.
The Bobcats will host senior day against Norwood at 12 p.m. Saturday at Ignacio High School.
bploen@durangoherald.com
