Six Coloradans from three classifications will have chances to compete for a national title after earning top-10 finishes Saturday in Kenosha, Wis., in Midwest Regional qualifying for the Foot Locker Cross County Championships.
In the boys competition, Angel Tolev of Thornton, Evan Appel of Dakota Ridge, Joseph Manilafasha of South and Richard Medina of Grand Junction finished in the top 10.
Among the girls, Kaitie Vanatta of Ralston Valley and Kristen McGlynn of Platte Canyon were in the top five.
Tolev, second in the Colorado Class 5A meet last month, finished second by five seconds. He was timed in 15 minutes, 10 seconds, trailing Hassan Mead of Minneapolis.
Appel, who was third in 5A, finished fifth Saturday in 15:12, and Manilafasha, the 4A Colorado champion, was sixth in 15:13.
Medina, the 5A champion, tied for eighth in 15:18.
Arvada’s Steven Weeks was among other Coloradans who didn’t qualify. Weeks, the 5A champion from 2004-05, finished 48th (15:59).
Vanatta, who has won 4A Colorado championships in her first two seasons, finished second by three seconds to Emily Sisson of Omaha, finishing in 17:16.
McGlynn, a senior and two-time state champion in 3A, was fifth (17:50).
The national championships will be Dec. 9 at San Diego’s Balboa Park.
