Oakley faster than Rainsberger or Cranny at state

By Brent New for DyeStat

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Grandview senior Brie Oakley hasn’t been running long enough to appreciate the slimming times she’s been posting of late.

Leave it to a three-time state champion to provide some clarity.

“She’s incredible,” Fort Collins senior Lauren Gregory said. “I’m just blessed to be behind her.”

The California-Berkeley commit dethroned Gregory in her four-for-four bid Saturday at Norris-Penrose Event Center, and won the Class 5A meet by 85 seconds in 17:07.

Gregory settled for a runner-up spot in 18:32.

“I think that really opened my eyes,” said Oakley, who won her regional meet by 69 seconds the week before. “To be able to run that fast when I don’t feel like I’m running that fast, it felt good.”

Oakley, who jumped out to the No. 4 female runner in the nation, per DyeStat, in just her second full season of XC, broke out of the pack early and continuously built her lead against an overmatched field.

Effortlessly treading up steep hills and through creeks, the senior made the 90-degree turn into the final straightaway at Norris-Penrose.

A double take was needed at the finish.

“Coming into the stadium I couldn’t exactly tell, I thought it said 18 minutes and I was like ‘Oh my gosh I’m running a lot slower than I usually do,’” Oakley said. “But then I got closer and it was like 16:55, and I was like ‘Oh my gosh.’”

Her 17:07 eclipsed former Air Academy runner Katie Rainsberger’s 2015 course record time of 17:39.

No. 13 Palmer Ridge trips but does not fall

Heading to the awards podium after his race, senior Drew Lester simply popped his shoulder back in place and threw it in a sling.

He insists the pain could’ve been worse.

Lester didn’t give away his spot at Norris-Penrose Event Center despite a violent tumble that dislocated his shoulder with 300 meters to go, and the Bears made good as the 4A darling with a 54-point team title in the boys race.

Lester finished sixth in 16:18, a spot behind teammate Jeremy Meadows (16:15). Palmer Ridge had five scoring runners within 28 seconds in the top 20.

“You never know, you never know, because last year we lost by two points,” said Lester, referring to his team’s second-place finish to Durango at the 2015 meet. “Every point counts.”

The Bears, who are ranked No. 13 in the nation, head to the Nike Cross Southwest Regionals in three weeks with two automatic bids and two more possible at-large bids on the line for nationals.

Top-ranked American Fork (Utah), as well as five other clubs in the national top 25 will accompany them in the region.

“We’re going for that 2, if not 1 spot,” Lester said. “If American Fork makes a mistake, trips up, we’re ready to take that victory from them. We’re ready to go.”

Lester caught his foot coming out of a creek bank and landed on his right elbow just before the three-mile mark Saturday. Still searing from the prior year, he picked himself up, draped his right arm over his left shoulder, and ran into the finish.

Close calls

The final 100 meters provided plenty of excitement and heartbreak Saturday.

- In the 4A boys race, Air Academy’s Ethan Powell surged just ahead of Montrose’s Ian Meek and held on to win the state title by .10 seconds in 15:55.7.

“Seeing he was still there was one of the scariest feelings I’ve ever had,” he said. “Pretty much the most base-animal terror you can have was right there. Just seeing him right there and being like, ‘this is everything’. I don’t want to grow up and tell my kids I got second at state one year.”

- In 3A girls, Denver North’s Kayla Young and defending champ Quinn McConnell had one of the strangest state finishes in recent history.

McConnell looked to have the win intact when a surging Young tripped 50 meters from the finish. Moments later, though, McConnell's legs gave out and she could not regain her balance in time.

Young hobbled to the win in 18:36. McConnell settled for second in 18:47.

“I am happy I won but I just feel terrible for her,” Young said. 

TCA’s Tanner Norman takes best overall time in 15:44

The 3A winning time beat out 5A winner Isaac Green of Monarch (15:57.2) and 4A winner Ethan Powell of Air Academy (15:55.7).

“I was definitely looking at their mile splits at their one and two mile marks and saw their finishing times,” said Norman, who won the 4A title in 2015. “I was definitely mentally processing that throughout the race to try and keep one step ahead of that.”