COLORADO SPRINGS – Overnight rains had certainly softened up the course here and there, but the prestigious Cheyenne Mountain Stampede was as challenging as ever under full sunshine Friday afternoon.
Competing in the spectacle’s Class 2A varsity boys and girls features, Ignacio’s harriers definitely found that out.
“I kind of didn’t like how wet it was; a couple spots I was definitely slipping, losing my footing,” said junior Eppie Quintana, the gents’ No. 1 runner with a 50th-place time of 20 minutes, 43.2 seconds. “And then the finish … that last 400 yards, you’re digging in and just slipping every time you dig in deep.”
“Every uphill was in the sun, and every downhill was in the shade,” he added. “It was rough.”
“It slowed me down a little bit,” agreed No. 3 finisher Camron Cooper, 77th overall in 22:16.6, “but I kind of caught up with some people … slow, then fast at the very end.”
“That was hard, a little bit … but it was good; I felt good today,” said Lady ’Cat senior Avaleena Nanaeto, ultra-familiar with the route as a three-time state qualifier there. “I was like, ‘Don’t go too fast, wait until you get to the big hill and then pick it up a little bit.’”
“After the week we had – the first week of school – where we had a 95-degree day on Monday, followed by a rainy Wednesday afternoon, and you know how the travel goes. … Just getting in the groove again is amazing,” head coach Daniel Holley said. “And look at this atmosphere! Beautiful weather, the mountains, and the runners … they’re all smiling and happy – though everyone’s probably super-exhausted in the best way possible.”
Despite lacking both Moriah and Zoey Ashley, the Ignacio girls accumulated 110 points, with its top four scoring, and snagged sixth place out of 11 scoring (and 17 programs overall, represented by 83 finishers) teams. Sophomore Maci Barnes paced the squad in a 14th-place (24:07.1). Nanaeto crossed next in a 32nd-place (25:32.5).
Lauren deKay was IHS’ No. 3 finisher, placing 39th in 26:01.1, with Laci Brunson (57th, 28:36.7), Harmony Reynolds (59th, 28:47.9), Alannah Gomez (61st, 28:57.8) and Darlyn Lechuga (73rd, 32:05.5) rounding out the collective effort.
IHS’ boys, meanwhile, tallied a score-4 of 225 points – helped by sophomore Phillip Quintana crossing in a 69th-place 21:26.0 and newcomer Dylan McCaw 94th in 25:17.8 – and earned 12th place out of 14 eligible teams (and 20 programs overall).
Ending up the Bobcats’ No. 5 at the meet, sophomore Corey Gomez took 96th in 25:18.2.
Sixth place at last season’s CHSAA Class 2A State Championships held on the same Norris-Penrose Event Center/Bear Creek Park course, Ellicott’s Jodzuel Juarez clocked a winning 16:35.6 while Fort Collins Heritage Christian Academy scored a meet-low 21 points to take the team title. Buena Vista’s Zaila Smith (20:14.4) won the girls’ race; Colorado Springs Christian (28 points) emerged as the top team.
Ignacio will next compete Sat., Sept. 11, in Alamosa at the Joe I. Vigil Invitational upon Cattails Golf Course’s grounds, then hit the Sept. 18 Bayfield Invitational.
“High altitudes, tough meets. … We’re going to get in shape and go for it!” exclaimed Holley.
Speaking of high altitude, the Bayfield Wolverines – also slated to attend the Vigil – breathed in about as much of it as their lungs could contain as they ran Saturday in Leadville at the Lake County Invitational.
With senior Royce Hinojosa placing 18th in 21:46.5 and sophomore Tristan Sager 29th in 24:11.9, BHS’ boys racked up a score-4 108 points and finished seventh out of 10 programs represented. 4A Lakewood Green Mountain won the team title with a race-low count of 21, but 2A LCHS’ own Jace Peters copped the individual title with an 18-minute, 29-second performance upon Colorado Mountain College’s trail system.
Bayfield senior Liam Smith finished 31st overall with his 24:41.4, and freshman Hunter Carroll (42nd, 29:56.2) was the No. 4. Freshmen Will Kennedy-Jones (45th, 39:07.0) and Jonas Gerritts (46th, 41:12.3) rounded out the varsity-race roster.
Senior Abby Tate paced the Lady Wolverines – who did not factor in the team scoring – with a 27th-place 26:56.9. Senior Eli Ion took 40th in 31:47.7, and sophomore Teagan Schleeter placed 45th in 36:55.6.
3A Englewood Kent Denver freshman Molly Zann recorded a winning 21:47 flat, beating LCHS junior Adele Horning by 28 seconds, and KD also earned the girls’ championship with a meet-low 17 points.
