FORT COLLINS — Considering where Joseph Manilafasha began, it should be no surprise where he finished.
The North senior, who hails from the war-torn African nation of Burundi, capped a brilliant prep career with his second Class 4A title Saturday at Fossil Ridge, winning in a time of 15 minutes, 8.2 seconds.
“I wanted my mom (Genereuse) to be here today, but she couldn’t make it,” said Manilafasha, who is one of eight children his mother brought to the United States after escaping Burundi. “It means a lot to me, and I know it means a lot to my mother.”
The game plan was simple for Manilafasha: “Make’ em hurt,” he said.
He went out fast and maintained it. It was up to Falcon’s Wes Rickman to try and haul in the 2006 champion, but a determined Manilafasha kick was just too much for Rickman, Falcon teammate Kevin Johnson and Wheat Ridge’s Dart Schwaderer to match.
“The original plan was to try and reel him in after the second mile, but he held a really consistent pace and ran a heck of a race,” said Rickman, who also finished second last season. “I was trying to counter his strategy, which is to go out fast and dare people to go with him, but today I just tried to stay consistent, hit the same time he hit and be there at the end.”
All was not lost for Rickman and the rest of the Falcon Falcons. Spurred by the 2-3 finishes of Rickman and Johnson, the Falcons (130 points) claimed their first team title in a sport outside of cheerleading. Wheat Ridge finished second at 182.
“Wow,” Falcon coach Cameron Magnall said. “It means a lot. Falcon has had no success in anything. . . . We knew we had a good chance with the kids we had coming back, and they put in the work.”
On the girls side, we should have seen this coming.
Moffat County senior Alicia Nelson finished seventh as a sophomore, improved to fourth last season and on Saturday jumped up three more spots, this time to claim the title.
Nelson, who finished in a time of 18 minutes, 13.70 seconds, met little resistance down the stretch and pulled away from Thompson Valley’s Laura Tremblay and defending champion Erica Hinchcliffe of Greeley West.
“I just worked harder and became more confident,” said Nelson, who pulled away from Tremblay over the final 800 meters. “I just went, and if she came with me, she came with me.”
Tremblay finished 14 seconds behind and knew what she was up against in Nelson, who was the only person to beat her this season — on the same course.
Tremblay’s highly touted Thompson Valley teammates finished the deal, winning their second title in three years. The Eagles (133) bested Cheyenne Mountain (159) and Alamosa (168).
CLASS 4A
BOYS
Team scores — Falcon 130, Wheat Ridge 182, Niwot 228, Castle View 242, Greeley West 250, Battle Mountain 274, Thompson Valley 338, Cheyenne Mountain 343, Alamosa 368, Pueblo West 372, D’Evelyn 387, Fossil Ridge 388, Rock Canyon 390, Evergreen 400, Roosevelt 421, Widefield 443, Moffat County 448, Lewis-Palmer 509, Greeley Central 516, Fort Morgan 540, Steamboat Springs 594, Cañon City 606, Mullen 640, Summit 687, Conifer 712.
Individuals — Joseph Manilafasha, North, 15 minutes, 8.2 seconds; Wes Rickman, Falcon, 15:29.5; Kevin Johnson, Falcon, 15:32.7; Dart Schwaderer, Wheat Ridge, 15:39.7; Scott Fauble, Wheat Ridge, 15:40.0; Andrew Berbick, Mullen, 15:44.5; Ryan Haebe, Evergreen, 15:51.7; Aaron Friedland, Castle View, 15:59.3; Henry Cowhick, Wheat Ridge, 16:03.1; Aaron Alarcon, Roosevelt, 16:07.4; Kody Leach, Greeley West, 16:07.9; Tom Owen, Alamosa, 16:17.6; Joe Kappes, Rock Canyon, 16:18.5; Sean Beal, Thompson Valley, 16:19.9; David Perry, Niwot, 16:22.0; Mario Gonzalez-Martinez, Eagle Valley, 16:22.2; Tabor Stevens, Cañon City, 16:22.9; Shawn Dubbs, Woodland Park, 16:23.3; Alex Paul, Niwot, 16:29.8; Lance Knight, Cheyenne Mountain, 16:35.3.
GIRLS
Team scores — Thompson Valley 133, Cheyenne Mountain 159, Alamosa 168, Greeley Central 174, Mullen 225, Niwot 240, Greeley West 270, Roosevelt 276, Evergreen 305, Summit 332, Rock Canyon 367, Regis 382, Battle Mountain 393, Broomfield 401, Woodland Park 406, Moffat County 416, Vista Ridge 430, Golden 437, Centaurus 497, Castle View 540, Pueblo Centennial 586, Glenwood Springs 638, Pueblo South 669.
Individuals — Alicia Nelson, Moffat County, 18 minutes, 13.70 seconds; Laura Tremblay, Thompson Valley, 18:27.85; Erica Hinchcliffe, Greeley West, 18:48.65; Allie Parks, Greeley Central, 18:50.60; Dani Grossman, Cheyenne Mountain, 18:53.00; Maddy Jourgensen, Moffat County, 19:04.00; Samantha Thompson, Sierra, 19:05.05; Lindsey Sowards, Alamosa, 19:07.60; Janelle Martinez, Greeley Central, 19:17.20; Rikka Labere, Fossil Ridge, 19:18.05; Jennifer Desouchet, Alamosa, 19:21.30; Ana Marshall, Pueblo West, 19:22.90; Morgan Mosby, Mullen, 19:23.85; Sarah Swenson, Greeley West, 19:24.20; Nicole Desouchet, Alamosa, 19:29.40; Casey Powell, Cheyenne Mountain, 19:32.05; Jessica Linder, Battle Mountain, 19:36.90; Ali Will, Rock Canyon, 19:37.85; Cali Greksa, Summit, 19:38.75; Liz Tremblay, Thompson Valley, 19:39.85.
