The Ignacio High School Bobcats’ boys cross country team captured a coveted berth in the state championships after finishing third at the Class 2A-Region IV Championships held at Jack-a-lope Acres. The event took place under clear skies despite concerns about cattle impacting the racecourse with their hoofprints, which made some sections particularly challenging for the runners.
With a remarkable performance, senior Trace Crane finished fifth overall, clocking in at 18 minutes, 46 seconds. Junior Thunder Windy Boy closely followed, securing a time of 18:50. The Bobcats collectively achieved an adjusted score of 55 points, ensuring their place among the top four teams qualifying for the state final.
Head coach Kent Gillin expressed pride in his team’s achievement, stating, “Coming in third at our ‘home’ meet was really pretty phenomenal. I’m glad they could do that in front of the students, all the parents – it was just awesome for them to help show how Ignacio does a race!”
The competition was intense, with Windy Boy trailing behind Mason Stover from Custer County, who finished in 18:48, and J.D. Windle from Buena Vista, who clocked in at 18:49. The final spot before Windy Boy was claimed by Jacob Weeks of Custer County, also at 18:49.
Gillin noted that the team focused on elevation training in the days leading up to the meet, preparing specifically for the course’s challenging uphill finish. “We started doing elevation stuff this week because this course, like the last three-quarters of a mile, you’re climbing the whole time,” he explained, emphasizing their strategy following a previous flat race in Monte Vista.
Additional standout performances from Ignacio included senior James Martin, who placed 19th with a time of 19:45, and junior Judah Ashley, who finished 24th in 20:14. Freshmen Matthew Maestas and Kanoa Thompson rounded out the team, finishing 42nd in 22:37 and 63rd in 25:57, respectively. Gillin expressed optimism about Maestas’ future contributions, stating, “If he continues to develop at this pace, he will be one of our rocks starting next season.”
The individual champion of the boys’ race was Cody Pleak from Crested Butte Community School, who completed the course in 17:59. He was followed by Mads Kreutzer of Del Norte in second place and Joseph Padilla of Dolores in third, clocking 18:24. Dolores secured fourth place as a team with a score of 57 points, just missing out on a state berth by one point to Custer County.
The state championships for Class 2A boys will take place on March 11, 2025, at the Norris-Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs.
In contrast, the Bayfield High School team faced a challenging meet at the 3A-Region II competition held at Monument Valley Park where no runners advanced to state. Senior Porter Sutherlin led the team, finishing 31st with a time of 18:25. Other notable finishes included sophomore Travis Taylor (19:14.85), senior Parker Perkerewicz (19:26.71), and junior Cameron Mars (19:27.24), who finished 44th, 49th, and 50th, respectively.
The Bayfield girls also struggled, with junior Abigail Robertson achieving 23rd place in 20:50.07 and senior Wrenalee Moore finishing 36th in 22:07.54. The girls team scored 231 points, placing ninth out of ten teams.
The individual champions for the boys and girls were Ethan Merrick of Alamosa at 15:46.44 and Austin Cook of Telluride at 18:51.39, respectively. Manitou Springs won the girls’ team title with 37 points, while the boys’ title went to MSHS, who edged out Alamosa, both scoring 57 points but winning on a tiebreaker.
As the Ignacio team prepares for the upcoming state competition, they look forward to building on their recent successes, hoping to make a strong showing in Colorado Springs.
