The entire Durango High School cross country season has been building to this.
DHS will send two full teams to the CHSAA Class 4A Boys and Girls Cross Country State Championships next weekend after winning the boys Class 4A Region 6 meet Friday at Confluence Park in Delta and finishing second on the girls side.
The Demons’ boys squad edged out Battle Mountain for the team title with 38 points. The Huskies had 50.
“Battle Mountain put up a heck of a good fight,” DHS assistant coach Brett Wilson said. “Our boys weren’t in first place at the mile or even the 2-mile but had half of the top 18 places.”
Benjamin Lachelt took fifth place in the 3.1-mile race in 16 minutes, 13 seconds to lead the DHS pack.
His teammate Seamus Millett was right behind him in sixth, also in 16:13.
Gordon Gianinny took ninth in 16:22, Nicholas Turco was 10th in 16:29, David Moening finished 14th in a career best 16:51, Harry Steinberg was 16th in 16:54, River Weiss took 17th in 17:09, and Jordan Helms finished 18th in 17:10 for the Demons.
Ian Meek of Montrose won the boys race in 15:40.
“We’ve been preparing all season for this weekend and next weekend. To have some kids coming back run faster here at Delta than they did in Phoenix is pretty huge,” said Wilson, referring to the Demons’ excellent showing two weeks ago in the big meet in Phoenix. “They ran a tactically smart race all across the board. Each race we have has given us affirmation that we put the blocks in place to build a castle.”
Durango’s girls team qualified for state after finishing runner-up to Battle Mountain.
“All the coaches, we were a little worried they were gonna be top-four (Friday),” DHS assistant coach Laura Knapp said. “They executed the plan like we told them to. They ran beautifully.”
Shannon Maloney took fourth place to lead the Demons in 19:58.
“You could tell she was hurting out there,” Knapp said. “She didn’t give up, and she had a good kick at the end.”
Sarah Smagacz finished 14th in 19:58, Emily Edwards-Colsman followed in 16th at 20:07, Marlee Weaver-Gabel took 16th at 20:32, Aubree Lorenzen was 29th at 20:50, Marit May finished 38th in 21:14, Maggie Wigton took 42nd at 21:33, and Elli Trussel was 66th at 23:13 for the Demons.
“They’re realizing how important their pack was, trying to be as close together as possible to pull each other along,” Knapp said. “They were battling.”
Bayfield High School also competed Friday at Confluence Park in Delta in the Class 3A Region 1 meet; Trevor Gabbard qualified for the state meet.
State is Oct. 25 at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs.
heraldsports@ durangoherald.com
