It has been more than 18 months in the making, but Class 2A programs will start participating in cross country beginning today. And already there’s a state champion in the mix.
Of the 31 small schools, included is the Rocky Ford boys’ team that won the state 3A championship last fall.
While 2A lacks history, it doesn’t in opportunities. Rocky Ford coach Ron Shepherd called it “wide open. All that it’s going to take is one or two runners. It will be interesting to see what happens.”
Participation may be one advantage that Rocky Ford will have over the competition. Shepherd has 20 runners this season, while he suspects that other programs may have only four or five runners, at most.
The number of runners aren’t an issue at the upper levels. In 4A, Wheat Ridge’s boys, the defending 5A champions, return its top three runners, led by senior Dart Schwarderer and junior Scott Fauble, from last year’s championship team.
As for the 5A girls, defending champion Dakota Ridge returns four of its top five runners — all of whom finished in the top 14 at state in ’07. Although the Eagles lost last year’s top runner Alexa Rogers, they bring back Kaitie Vanatta and Natosha Rogers, who finished second and fourth, respectively, at state.
The 4A girls appears to have a logjam at the top the field. Greeley West won the state meet last year and brings it top three runners back, led by junior Erica Hinchcliffe and senior Ashlee Smalley, who finished first and second, respectively, at state.
But Thompson Valley, which returns its top seven runners, and Greeley Central, who has sophomores Janelle Martinez and Allie Parks back, should contend.
Battle Mountain’s boys will need to find some depth after the defending 4A champion lost its top four runners to graduation.
The Classical Academy, meanwhile, returns its top five from last year’s state 3A girls championship team. All of finished in the top 23 — three in the top seven — led by junior Kaitlin Hanenburg and sophomore Emily Husted.
Lyons and The Classical Academy boys have those same goals, and one of them could reap the benefits with Rocky Ford now in 2A. Lyons and The Classical Academy finished a close second and third to Rocky Ford last season. But with the Meloneers gone, it’s now probably a two-team race.
“We certainly feel like we have a chance,” said Versaw, who coaches both the boys and girls teams at TCA. “But we try to not to waste our energy thinking about it right now. The guys are excited and working hard. We think we’re in the mix.”
Cross country
Regular-season: Begins today and runs through Oct. 11
Postseason: Regionals, Oct. 18; State, Oct. 25, Fossil Ridge High School, Fort Collins
Class 3A
Boys
Top 10 teams: Lyons, The Classical Academy, Bayfield, La Junta, Erie, Roosevelt, Basalt, Pagosa Springs, University, Colorado Academy
Top returning runners: Andrew Roberts, Lyons, Jr.; Sam Feldotto, The Classical Academy, Sr.; Joseph DeMoor, Buena Vista, Sr.; Jackson Walsh, Pagosa Springs, Sr.; Aaron Alarcon, Roosevelt, Sr.; Steven Stoot, Fountain Valley, Sr.; Tanner Phelps, Bayfield, Sr.; Marshall Cornelius, Erie, Sr.; Dylan Donohoe, Lyons, Jr.; Santino Apodaca, Rocky Ford, Sr.; Scott Lacy, Aspen, Sr.; Jon Burrows, La Junta, Sr.; Melake Getabecha, Colorado Academy, Sr.; Jacob Mueller, The Classical Academy, Jr.
Girls
Top 10 teams: The Classical Academy, Roosevelt, Peak to Peak, Pagosa Springs, St. Mary’s, Crested Butte, Brush, Gunnison, Lyons, Middle Park
Top returning runners: Kaitlin Hanenburg, The Classical Academy, Jr.; Sam Berggren, Middle Park, Soph.; Emily Husted, Classical Academy, Soph.; Annette Stenstadvold, Basalt, Soph.; Chiara Del Piccolo, Basalt, Jr.; Kassie Mazzocco, Classical Academy, Sr.; Heidi Lee, Roosevelt, Sr.; Jacie Harms, Pagosa Springs, Sr.; Melissa Roberts, Lyons, Soph.; Jhenya Nahreini, Peak to Peak, Sr.; Hilary Haase, Platte Canyon, Jr.; Beth Jones, Eaton, Jr.; Julia Adams, Pagosa Springs, Jr.; Kelsey Brown, Classical Academy, Sr.; Brooke Wells, Roosevelt, Jr.
Class 4A
Boys
Top 10 teams: Wheat Ridge, Battle Mountain, Liberty, Niwot, D’Evelyn, Rock Canyon, Woodland Park, Denver North, Cherokee Trail, Alamosa, Greeley West
Top returning runners: Dart Schwarderer, Wheat Ridge, Sr.; Scott Fauble, Wheat Ridge, Jr.; Henry Cowhick, Wheat Ridge, Sr.; Neil Bishop, Liberty, Jr.; Kevin Harris, Niwot, Jr.; Joe Kappes, Rock Canyon, Sr.; Shawn Dubbs, Woodland Park, Jr.; Joseph Manilafasha, Denver North, Sr.; Tom Owens, Alamosa, Sr.; Kody Leach, Greeley West, Jr.; Ryan Haebe, Evergreen, Sr.; Mario Gonzalez, Battle Mountain, Jr.; Alex Paul, Niwot, Jr.; David Perry, Niwot, Jr.; Alex Dillenbeck, Cherokee Trail, Jr.; Sean Beal, Thompson Valley, Sr.; Eldon Hall, Windsor, Sr.; Seth Bott, Windsor, Sr.
Girls
Top 10 teams: Greeley West, Thompson Valley, Greeley Central, Summit, Cheyenne Mountain, Mullen, Alamosa, Evergreen, Moffat County, Battle Mountain
Top returning runners: Erica Hinchcliffe, Greeley West, Jr.,; Ashlee Smalley, Greeley West, Sr.; Becky Schmitt, Thompson Valley, Jr.; Alicia Nelson, Moffat County, Sr.; Samantha Thompson, Sierra, Sr.; Janelle Martinez, Greeley Central, Soph.; Allie Parks, Greeley Central, Soph.; Kellyn Craig, Denver South, Soph.; Laura Tremblay, Thompson Valley, Sr.; Kelsey Whetsell, Castle View, Jr.; Sarah Swenson, Greeley West, Jr.; Lindsey Sowards, Alamosa, Sr.; Maddy Jourgensen, Moffat County, Soph.; Julie Bishop, Summit, Soph.; Alicia Randall, Thompson Valley, Soph.
Class 5A
Boys
Top 10 teams: Cherry Creek, Arapahoe, Regis Jesuit, Fairview, Rampart, Fort Collins, Smoky Hill, Pomona, Palmer
Top returning runners: Evan Appel, Dakota Ridge, Sr.; Walter Schafer, Cherry Creek, Jr.; Bobby Nicolls, Regis Jesuit, Sr.; Clif Campbell, Fort Collins, Sr.; Alex Balsiger, Chaparral, Sr.; Garrett Wilson, Highlands Ranch, Sr.; Mason Mitchell, Loveland, Sr.; Danny Nicolls, Regis Jesuit, Jr.; Alex Weinheimer, Fairview, Sr.; Kyle Lyons, Arapahoe, Sr.; Collin Munoz, Poudre, Sr.; Brian King, Cherry Creek, Sr.
Girls
Top 10 teams: Dakota Ridge, Fort Collins, Palmer, Cherry Creek, Rocky Mountain, Chaparral, Air Academy, Highlands Ranch, Arapahoe, Green Mountain
Top returning runners: Kaitie Vanatta, Dakota Ridge, Sr.; Natosha Rogers, Dakota Ridge, Sr.; Vicky VanAlstine-Tauer, Dakota Ridge, Jr.; Paige Lillo, Dakota Ridge, Jr.; Lisa Reyna, Fort Collins, Jr.; Miranda Benzel, Fort Collins, Sr.; Meg Rudy, Palmer, Jr.; Clare Gallagher, Cherry Creek, Jr.; Caroline Hine, Chaparral, So.; Rachel McGee, Rocky Mountain, Jr.; Allie McLaughlin, Air Academy, Sr.; Eleanor Fulton, Highlands Ranch, Soph.; Lynnea Sjoerdsma, Doherty, Sr.; Camille Logan, Littleton, Sr.; Jamie Anderson, Grandview, Jr.
