The trilogy of matches between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier netted two of the greatest fights of all-time. They became so familiar with each other that even routine shadow boxing took the face of their nemesis.
In the world of collegiate cross country, that rivalry belongs to Adams State and Western State, two stalwarts among harriers in the mountains of Colorado.
When the Grizzlies and Mountaineers men’s and women’s teams take to the Missouri Southern Cross Country Course in Joplin, Mo., on Saturday for the NCAA Division II national championships, the teams will bring with them a combined 42 national titles.
ASC owns 31 championships. The men have won 17 times since 1967. The ASC women – four-time defending national champs – have 14 titles, including 12 of the past 15 NCAA crowns, along with two NAIA titles.
Western State, the other half of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference rivalry, has 11 titles – the women have won three times, the men eight, including an NAIA title and seven championships since 1995.
Whether the capital of D-II cross country is in Alamosa or Gunnison is a wasted argument. The Western State men, after edging Adams State in a regional race two weeks ago, are ranked No. 1 by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Adams State is No. 2. But the Adams State women own the top ranking heading into the final race, followed by Western State. Both teams on each side swapped spots throughout the season.
“It’s always nice to be ranked No. 1,” Western State coach Jen Michel in a press release. “We know that we have to put all the pieces together, everyone is going to be gunning for us.”
As for individual titles, look out for Western’s Kim Hogarth, a two-time men’s All-American; Adams’ Reu- ben Chebon-Mwei, the men’s regional runner-up; and Adams’ Tanya Gaurmer, a regional runner of the year, and Brittany Somers, a four-time all-region pick.
The women’s 6,000-meter race starts Saturday at 10:30 a.m. The men’s 10,000 meters follows at 11:30 a.m. You can spot the Grizzlies and Mountaineers easily – they’re in green and red, running in each other’s shadows.
AROUND THE STATE
A visit by the Vikings. Jerry Glanville last coached in Colorado in 1987, when his Houston Oilers trounced the Broncos 40-10. The man in black, now helming Portland State, returns to the Front Range on Saturday in a Big Sky Conference season-ending game against Northern Colorado. UNC (1-10) has come on strong as of late, upsetting then No. 11-ranked Montana State on Oct. 27, then losing a gut-wrencher Saturday on Sacramento State’s last-second tipped Hail Mary pass for a touchdown. The Bears, though, could double their win total from the previous season with a victory over Glanville’s Vikings (2-8). The noon game, at Nottingham Field in Greeley, will be Portland State’s first trip to town since 1979, when quarterback Neil Lomax completed 44-of-77 passes for 499 yards in a 21-20 loss to UNC.
Saturday: Portland State vs. Northern Colorado, noon, at Nottingham Field in Greeley.
STAY ON THE COUCH
Time to get defensive. Mark this in red ink: The Nuggets this season will live and die by defense. Not the fast break. Not A.I.’s range. Not Camby’s health. If the Nugs can D-up, like they did in a thumping of LeBron James and the Cavaliers on Monday, then a run through the West is certainly possible. If the Nugs “Olé” their way through the defensive end, like they did in a bad loss in New York on Nov. 6, it could be a long season. Compare that game to Saturday’s rematch with the Knicks at the Pepsi Center. The game airs on Altitude at 7 p.m.
GET OFF THE COUCH
Strap on those boards. Winter Park opened Wednesday for its 69th season as the self-proclaimed oldest continually operated ski resort in Colorado. But that’s just the start. Ten mountains will be opening by Thanksgiving Day, including Aspen, Beaver Creek, Crested Butte, Eldora, Monarch, Snowmass, Telluride and Vail. Six other resorts are already open. And nine are soon to be running. In other words, now’s the time to get cranking with skis and boards. Check for snow reports and opening dates.
This week’s ski openings:
Tentative: Low snow amounts may delay openings. Check before you go!
Aspen Mountain: Thursday
Beaver Creek: Wednesday
Crested Butte: Saturday
Echo Mountain: Wednesday
Eldora: Thursday
Monarch Mountain: Wednesday
Ski Cooper: Thursday
Snowmass: Thursday
Telluride: Thursday
Vail: Wednesday
WHAT WE’D LIKE TO SEE
MLS Cup has promise. Major League Soccer has fallen off the map some locally, after the Rapids faded from view late in the season. But an intriguing matchup between the New England Revolution and Houston Dynamo should make for a watchable MLS Cup game Sunday on ABC (KMGH-7) at 10 a.m. The Revs have a top-three regular-season goal scorer in Taylor Twellman. But the Dynamo has the best goalkeeper in Pat Onstad.
WEAK IN REVIEW
Clueless in Seattle. Major League Soccer’s announcement this week that Seattle will field an expansion team to begin play in 2009 illustrates one major frustration: Why does the NBA seem so eager to move the SuperSonics? The Sonics are currently trying to strong-arm the city into some kickback of an arena deal while threatening to move to Oklahoma City. If they ditch Seattle, it would be the worst mistake since the Browns left Cleveland for Baltimore.
