Even in what became essentially a cross-country dual, the 2024 Ignatius Invitational’s conclusion was just as competitive as one might see at any larger meet. As he approached the finish line Friday morning, James Martin knew he wasn’t alone … and didn’t even need fans’ cheers to indicate the pursuers’ proximity.
He could sense his lead decreasing and knew Ignacio teammate Trace Crane was gaining ground.
“I could feel him breathing down my neck the whole time,” Martin said. “I could hear his footsteps and that’s what really kept me going.”
Despite the previous days’ rains ultimately necessitating race-day alterations to the difficult Jack-a-lope Acres course, the two Bobcats not only managed to break 20 minutes but finished within two seconds of each other – a sight definitely pleasing to new head coach Kent Gillin, given predecessor Karri McCarter’s reins.
Completing a more or less wire-to-wire run, Martin – now essentially IHS’ No. 1 with 2023 standout Cayson Burcham giving football a try – clocked a winning time of 19 minutes, 22.40 seconds. Fellow junior Crane finished in 19:23.99, while sophomores Thunder Windy Boy (21:20.83) and Judah Ashley (21:30.07) placed fifth and sixth. And in the Invitational’s score-4 system, IHS’ meet-low 14 points bettered Montezuma-Cortez’s 22.
“It’s a great opportunity,” said Crane, asked about what Burcham’s decision means for Ignacio’s returning runners this fall. “But I was in a weird mindset … getting used to one course, then changing the morning of. It was pretty hot out today … but it was alright.”
Sophomore Cruz Plewe paced M-CHS with his third place 19:50.98 and senior Corbin Myers took fourth in 21:19.81. Senior William Blair finished seventh in 22:37.42, junior Roberto Sauzameda was eighth in 25:52.35 and junior Kenai Cotonuts ninth in 27:48.60.
The Bobcats and Panthers are scheduled to run Saturday in the Durango Invitational.
BAYFIELD STARTS IN SILVERTON
Also slated to compete in Durango, Bayfield cross country traveled Saturday to the less-formal Ouray/Ridgway/Silverton-hosted Silverton Scramble to begin finding their collective legs.
Destroying his 2023 time at the event by nearly five minutes, senior Sawyer Flinders posted the BHS boys’ top time with his 20:24.6 effort. Junior Porter Sutherlin posted a 21:29, comparable to his 20:31 in ’23, and senior Will Kennedy-Jones improved from 24:01 to 22:32. Freshman Travis Taylor clocked 22:38, junior Parker Perkerewicz 22:56 and freshman Carter Lamb 22:57.
Sophomore Abigail Robertson paced the Bayfield girls with her 24:37, while junior Wrenalee Moore posted a 28:29. Junior Mila Feely finished in 29:46 and junior Kamala Smith in 31:42.
