COLORADO STATE MEET

Wilson eclipses 2016 mark by Oakley to become first sub-17 female performer at Norris Penrose, highlighting big day for Valor Christian, which also captures boys 5A team title; Air Academy girls triumph in 5A debut, with Liberty Common’s Allori and Vanguard School's Campos also setting records

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

When Isabel Allori of Liberty Common eclipsed the Class 3A girls record by nearly 50 seconds in the first race of the morning at the Colorado High School Activities Association state championship meet, it was a strong indication that it could be a memorable day at Norris Penrose Events Center.

It turned out to be one of the most remarkable showcases in state finals history.

INTERVIEWS

Allori only began the record-setting onslaught on the 5-kilometer layout, highlighted by Valor Christian senior Brooke Wilson producing the all-time state meet performance by securing the program’s first Class 5A girls individual title in 16 minutes, 59.17 seconds.

Wilson took down the 2016 standard of 17:07.8 achieved by Brie Oakley of Grandview High, who went on to win Nike Cross Nationals that year.

The Wake Forest commit, who ran 17:47.9 to place second last year, also became the first four-time all-state honoree in program history, taking third in 2019 and seventh in 2020.

Nadhia Campos of The Vanguard School was not only the lone athlete to repeat as state individual champion in any classification, but the sophomore lowered her own Class 2A record to 18:37.1 after clocking 18:47.5 in her championship debut last year.

Allori, who finished fifth last season in the Class 3A final, ran 17:10.23 to smash the 2019 standard of 18:00.1 achieved by Sierra Bower of Basalt, capturing the first state championship in program history. Katelyn Maley of Basalt, winner of the past two Class 3A crowns, finished second in 18:15.2.

Ella Hagan of Summit improved from seventh place last year in the Class 4A final to capture the title in 17:48.9, one of eight female athletes to produce sub-18 efforts. Hagan became the first Summit female to secure a championship since Whitney Anderson in 2004.

The success wasn’t just limited to the individual performances, with the Niwot girls capturing their fifth consecutive Class 4A title by matching their all-time low score with 20 points after placing five scorers in the top six and all seven athletes among the first 14 finishers to prevail against Battle Mountain at 122 points.

The Cougars also improved on their team record by clocking 91:44, lowering the mark from 92:31 last year.

Freshman Addison Ritzenhein placed second in 17:56.5, Mia Prok took third in 18:18.1, Bella Nelson finished fourth in 18:24.1 and Madison Shults was fifth in 18:29.3 to become a member of four state team championship lineups in her career.

Lex Bullen, who was 25th in 2020 and didn’t compete at last year’s state meet because of an injury, returned to secure sixth for the Cougars in 18:35.8. Anna Prok, a ninth-grader, earned eighth in 18:45.2 and Olivia Alessandrini placed 14th in 19:10.4 for Niwot, the only program in state history to win five in a row in Class 4A.

Air Academy, which finished fourth in the Class 4A final last year, made a significant impact in its Class 5A debut, capturing the program’s first girls team championship since 2015 by dominating the deepest classification in the country.

The Eagles had five scorers in the top 30 to triumph with 63 points, ahead of Mountain Vista at 126 points. Valor Christian edged Cherry Creek on a sixth-runner tiebreaker after both teams accumulated 133 points, with Arapahoe – winner of Class 5A championships in 2019 and 2021 – finishing fifth with 138 points.

Air Academy also posted one of the top team performances in classification history, clocking 92:37, just behind Cherry Creek at 92:34 in 2020 and Arapahoe at 92:35 last year.

Tessa Walter finished fifth in 17:50.3 and Bethany Michalak secured sixth in 18:02.1 for the Kadets, who also had Jordan Banta take 15th in 18:44, Emily Beers earn 17th in 18:47.8 and Lauren Myers place 29th in 19:12.5.

Emma Stutzman of Pomona placed second in Class 5A in 17:23.6 to place in the top 10 for the fourth straight year, Valor Christian sophomore Keeghan Edwards took third in 17:32.5 and Arapahoe senior Ava Mitchell became the first four-time all-state honoree in program history by finishing fourth in 17:42.1.

There were several exceptional efforts achieved by male athletes and boys programs as well, with Valor Christian finally enjoying a breakthrough in Class 5A to capture its first team title with 155 points after enduring a two-point setback last year to Mountain Vista.

Drew Costelow, a senior, was second in 15:23.3, junior Dane Eike finished fourth in 15:40.8 and sophomore Kaden Dendorfer placed ninth in 15:50.9 for the Eagles, who rallied from third at the 2-mile mark to emerge victorious.

Centaurus was second with 170 points, Fairview took third with 184 points, Mountain Vista finished fourth at 187 points, Rock Canyon placed fifth at 189 points and Cherokee Trail secured sixth at 195 points.

Christian Groendyk of Fort Collins became the first boys state individual winner for the Lambkins since Josh Lybarger in 1995, achieving the fastest performance of the meet at 15:13.5 after elevating from a ninth-place finish in the Class 5A final last year.

Cheyenne Mountain, which showcased one of the deepest teams in state history to capture the Class 4A championship last year, still had enough left despite graduating six athletes to secure back-to-back titles by holding off Niwot by a 76-92 margin.

Kaden Levings, a senior, was sixth in 15:56.6 and sophomore Brogan Collins took ninth in 16:01.4 for Cheyenne Mountain, which had five scorers in the top 35 to earn the program’s fourth championship.

Nolan Hoffman of Mead edged Porter Middaugh of Battle Mountain in the closest final of the day by a 15:31.35 to 15:31.67 margin to earn the program’s first Class 4A title. Hoffman rebounded following a 44th-place finish last season.

The Classical Academy also repeated as Class 3A boys champions with a 47-112 victory against Frontier Academy, placing six athletes in the top 25 to earn the program’s eighth overall title.

Chandler Wilburn led the Titans by winning the individual crown in 15:46.3, with teammate Matthew Edwards taking third one year after winning in 15:34.5. Wilburn improved from fourth place last season.

Jack Nauman of Heritage Christian also ascended from fourth last year in Class 2A to capture the program’s first individual championship since Seth Bruxvoort in 2018, clocking 15:55.1.

St. Mary’s of Colorado Springs prevented Heritage Christian from winning a third straight title and fourth in five seasons, capturing the first championship in program history by a 73-82 margin.

Lyndon Gotelaere finished fourth in 16:39.0 and fellow senior Jackson Neppl placed seventh in 16:49.5 for St. Mary’s, which had four scorers in the top 55 overall.

Alamosa snapped a four-year title streak for The Classical Academy in the Class 3A girls final with a 57-88 victory, denying the Titans a 14th team crown.

It marked the first championship since 2014 for Alamosa, which had juniors Sarah De La Cerda (18:43.5) and Madeline Castillo (18:45.7) place fifth and seventh, highlighting five scorers in the top 25. 

Lake County achieved back-to-back Class 2A girls titles by a 34-48 margin against Heritage Christian, winning the 11th team championship in program history.

Adele Horning, a senior, led Lake County by placing seventh in 20:28.6, with the Panthers producing four scorers in the top 15.

Team Champions

Class 5A - Valor Christian boys 155 points; Air Academy girls 63 points – RESULTS

Class 4A - Cheyenne Mountain boys 76 points; Niwot girls 20 points – RESULTS

Class 3A - The Classical Academy boys 47 points; Alamosa girls 57 points – RESULTS

Class 2A - St. Mary's/Colorado Springs 73 points; Lake County girls 34 points – RESULTS