Valor Christian’s Cole Sprout sets 5-kilometer course record at Norris Penrose Events Center to win 5A boys title, with Dakota Ridge securing team crown; Mountain Vista girls repeat as 5A champions

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

History will confirm that it was, in fact, The Classical Academy junior Mason Norman and not Valor Christian junior Cole Sprout who was the first to break the 5-kilometer course record Saturday at the Colorado High School Activities Association state meet at Norris Penrose Events Center in Colorado Springs.

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However, for Norman, while the thrill of repeating as boys 3A champion by running 15 minutes, 33.4 seconds – eclipsing the 2015 mark of 15:33.7 set by Lyons standout Paul Roberts in the 2A final – was significant, his distinction as the fastest runner in meet history lasted less than two hours, thanks to Sprout.

The Valor Christian star followed his 4A title last year by elevating the record into a rarefied air that perhaps only he can reach in the future, running 15:16.1 to capture the 5A championship, becoming the first male athlete to win consecutive titles in different classifications since Tanner Norman, Mason’s older brother, achieved the feat in 4A and 3A in 2015-16.

A day after Paul Roberts won the Mountain West Conference title for Wyoming in San Diego, Calif., he was in attendance Saturday to support younger brother Isaac Roberts, who helped Lyons place second in the boys 2A final.

But he also witnessed the future of Colorado distance running, as Mason Norman, Sprout and 4A boys winner Cruz Culpepper of Niwot are all juniors. Culpepper prevailed in 15:48.6, followed by teammate Ares Reading in 15:58.4, as seven athletes overall broke 16 minutes, including Cherry Creek sophomore Parker Wolfe finishing fourth in the 5A final in 15:56.9.

Following dominant performances by Air Academy’s Katie Rainsberger and Grandview’s Brie Oakley in 2015 and 2016, for the second year in a row, no female runner eclipsed the 18-minute mark, but there were plenty of impressive individual efforts in the girls finals.

Mountain Vista junior Jenna Fitzsimmons repeated as 5A champion, running the fastest female time of the meet at 18:12.3 and contributing to back-to-back team titles with a 44-88 victory over Cherry Creek.

Layla Roebke became the first Niwot runner since Elise Cranny in 2013 to capture an individual championship, leading the Cougars to their first 4A team title with a 47-59 victory over Battle Mountain. Roebke clocked 18:29.3 and sophomore teammate Taylor James took second in 18:35.4 for Niwot.

The Classical Academy senior Kaylee Thompson inspired an impressive performance from the Titans, winning the 3A individual crown in a classification record 18:19.2 and leading four scorers in the top 10 to knock off defending-champion Peak to Peak by a 34-97 margin.

It was the first team title since 2012 and 10th overall for The Classical Academy.

Peak to Peak was in contention with Quinn McConnell, Anna Shults and Tianna Bradfield all in the top five at the 2-mile mark. But Bradfield collapsed in the final kilometer and didn’t finish the race, resulting in a 50-point shift for Peak to Peak.

Peak to Peak coach Kim McConnell confirmed that Bradfield was treated by the on-site medical staff and was responsive after the race.

Peak to Peak, led by junior William Ledden placing third in 16:23.9, did secure its first boys 3A title, holding off Salida by a 76-80 margin.

Centaurus, sparked by senior Cooper Brown finishing fifth in 16:11.6, captured its first boys championship since 2011, prevailing 63-99 in the 4A final over Palmer Ridge.

Dakota Ridge relied on the fast pace established by Sprout in the 5A final to have junior Connor Ohlson (15:40.6) and senior Austin Vancil (15:42.1) secure second and third, helping the Eagles secure a 47-76 victory over Mountain Vista and their third team title overall, including the first since 2008.

With only three of a team’s six runners scoring in the 2A finals, Lyons relied on its athletes sweeping the top two spots to capture the girls championship, with Heritage Christian placing a pair in the top four to secure its first boys crown.

Junior Katie Fankhouser (19:24.5) and freshman Quin Gregg (19:36.7) led the way for Lyons, which had sophomore Hannah Thomas (21:09) finish 12th to produce a 15-43 victory over Platte Canyon, capturing the team’s first title since 2014.

Seniors Seth Bruxvoort (16:09.3) and Levi Killian (16:55.8) finished first and fourth for Heritage Christian, which had fellow senior Keaton Case (17:41.7) place 13th to punctuate a 12-38 victory over Lyons, earning a measure of revenge for a seven-point setback in last year’s finals.

Team champions

5A Boys – Dakota Ridge 47 points
5A Girls – Mountain Vista 44 points
4A Boys – Centaurus 63 points
4A Girls – Niwot 47 points
3A Boys – Peak to Peak 76 points
3A Girls – The Classical Academy 34 points
2A Boys – Heritage Christian 12 points (3 athletes score)
2A Girls – Lyons 15 points (3 athletes score)