Beating the first predicted overnight hard freeze in the San Luis Valley, Bayfield High’s cross country runners helped heat up Alamosa’s 2025 Larry Zaragoza Invitational Friday morning.
With the meet utilizing the grounds of both Cole Park and Blanca Vista Park and doubling as the 3A Intermountain League Championships, BHS managed two individual top 15s and returned home with nearly-identical fifth-place team finishes.
Led by junior Abigail Robertson’s eighth-place time of 22 minutes, 25.22 seconds, and freshman Ashlynn Bravo’s 35th-place 26:40.96, the Wolverines ended up accumulating an adjusted score-5 count of 123 points while the boys, paced by senior Porter Sutherlin’s 12th-place 19:35.85, tallied 125.
Powered by the 1-2-3 showing of sophomore Ethan Merrick (16:34.32), senior Jeremiah De la Cerda (17:15.74) and junior Brody Artaechevarria (17:28.27), the hosting Mean Moose won the boys team title, as well as the IML crown, with a 20-point low. Del Norte finished second with 71 points and Pagosa Springs came in third with 86.
On the girls side, AHS tallied 34 points and emerged victorious over Centauri (48) and DNHS (69). Alamosa freshman Hannah De la Cerda paced the IML champs with her runner-up 20:53.09, while Monte Vista freshman Shae Romero was tops individually with her 20:46.28.
Senior Mila Feely (45th, 29:05.76), sophomore Bridgette Ireland (47th, 29:41.81) and junior Kamryn Fleener (51st, 31:59.88) rounded out the Wolverines’ effort by finishing just six places apart, while head coach Josh Walton’s gents completing BHS’ scoring quintet were also separated by just six spots.
Sophomore Travis Taylor clocked a 20:44.43 and ended up 27th, senior Parker Perkerewicz ran 21:12.51 and placed 29th with junior Ryan Kurtz (21:15.18) right behind in 30th and sophomore Carter Lamb (21:33.46) 33rd.
Bayfield will compete on Saturday at Mancos’ Chicken Creek Challenge, then travel to Monte Vista on Oct. 17, for the Sargent-hosted Eric Wolff Invitational.
