Slow and muddy as the course may have been made by overnight thunderstorms, the 2025 Bayfield Cross Country Invitational’s high school runners at least could hope that the event’s middle-school races might pack down the ground and provide them with better footing.
Early-morning drizzle persisted to within 90 minutes of the meet’s initial 9 a.m. gun on Saturday morning. However, not only did the middle schoolers do their part, but Mother Nature actually cooperated as well and showered the Pine Valley Church/Dove Ranch route with much-needed, drying sunshine – making for pleasant weather and competitive racing overall.
With junior Abigail Robertson and senior Wrenalee Moore both placing top-10, the hosting Wolverines represented quite well but ended up totaling an adjusted score-5 120 points and placing seventh in the high school girls team standings. Gunnison (80 points), meanwhile, captured the title by just a point over both Del Norte (81) and Centauri (81), with Pagosa Springs (100) finishing fourth.
Del Norte freshman talent Scarlett Maxwell clocked 22 minutes, 36.18 seconds to take first individually, with GHS freshman Jordan Callahan (22:36.19) and sophomore Elora Jones (23:16.13) taking second and third. Robertson (24:14.99), meanwhile, came in eighth and Moore (24:25.94) 10th.
Freshman Ashlynn Bravo (29:17.01) was next to finish, but ended placing 40th with senior Kamala Smith (29:17.12) practically alongside in 41st. Sophomore Bridgette Ireland (31:53.82) filled out Bayfield’s contingent and finished 60th out of 75.
With five runners earning top-10 status, Farmington departed with the Invitational’s boys team title. Race champ Platte Lyman (18:35.79) and Blanding, Utah’s San Juan High School snagged second place with 52, and Del Norte was third with 87.
Bayfield (160 points) ranked eighth, with sophomore Travis Taylor (41st, 21:50.84) the first of head coach Josh Walton’s gents to cross the finish line. Junior Cameron Mars (47th, 22:20.06) was next, followed by senior Parker Perkerewicz (48th, 22:20.88), sophomore Carter Lamb (57th, 22:52.62) and junior Ryan Kurtz (59th, 22:58.49).
Also in attendance, Ignacio was represented by two entrants. Senior Trace Crane took 12th in 19:50.3 and senior James Martin placed 44th in 21:59.28.
