Under the iconic shadow of Pikes Peak, dotted with fluorescent team tents and throngs of spectators, and under picturesque fall flora of decades-old cottonwoods, central Colorado Springs’ Monument Valley Park serves as host for Coronado’s boy’s and girl’s cross country teams’ only home meet of the 2016-2017 season, the Cougar Classic. Attracting more than 1500 runners from 35 different Colorado high schools, the event holds the title of Coronado’s largest fall event.

Coach Hugill, tasked with organizing the massive undertaking says, “you know, bringing together some of the best talent in the area, probably including two state championship teams, means a lot to the Coronado community.”

Coronado’s boys varsity runners finished third of 18 competing teams edged out only by Air Academy and D11 competitor Palmer in the Division I race for the larger schools. First in for the Cougars, in 11th place, was junior Conor Strizich, just shy of breaking 17 minutes with a finishing time of 17:01; trailing Strizich by just seven seconds was senior Clay Rahaman, at 17:08 and 15th place. Crossing the line in 21st and 22nd places were Cougars Andrew Burton, 11, and Ben Swanson, 10.  Underclassmen Noah Enoch, 10, Eric White, 9, and Charlie Schroeder, 9, finished the 3.1 mile course next, within twelve seconds of each other at 22nd, 37th, and 45th places respectively, and  18:13, 18:19, and 18:25. At 51st and 56th were Coronado runners Nate Stafford, 10, and Burke Babeu, 12.

“Well, these guys are really stepping up. The young guys are doing more than I could ask for and the older guys are really showing some great leadership,” said Coach Hugill.

As ever, Coronado girls cross country’s pack mentality shone through in the Cougar Classic. Though outgunned by Salida’s front two runners, the Cougars tight grouping secured their second place team finish, behind Air Academy’s devastating 1-5 punch.  Coronado leader Taylor Dutton, 11, crossed the finish line first for the Cougars, in seventh place, just shy of 20 minutes at 19:56, and was followed by sophomore duo Madeline Morland and Faith Roth, at 20:04 and 20:06 respectively, and in 10th and 11th places.

Selected as the Cougar athlete of the meet by the Coronado coaching staff, Dutton says, “Our boys did really well.  I’m actually really proud of them.  The girls were great and I’m especially proud of Faith [Roth] because she has been having some breathing issues and she ran through that and broke that barrier.”

In 16th at 20:25 was the team’s only freshman, Grace Abernethy, followed by junior Chloe Cassens in 21st at 20:38.  This race was Cassens’ first in weeks after dealing with a bug, and she lead the team pack for the first mile before her time off caught up with her. The Cougars Layla Roebke, 10, and Hannah Besse, 11, crossed the finish line within five seconds of each other, in 28th and 29th. Becca Beida, 11, and Shauna Mackay, 10, concluded the Coronado lineup in 38th and 65th places. The women’s team took second overall among 19 teams, with a total of 61 points, pushed out of first by Air Academy’s impressive 39 pts., but staving off third place finisher Salida by 25 pts.

Coronado’s women fared well in the open races as well, Coronado senior Jackie Godec taking second in the open race at a time of 23:07, and hard-charging Coronado freshman Allison Ambuul taking third in the open race at 23:10.

Coronado cross country is just two weeks away from the post season, taking on the Salida High School Invitational then the Doherty Spartan Invitational in their final regular season meets, before returning to Monument Valley Park for the Colorado Springs Metro League Championships on October 13.