The Southwest Sunset XC Classic at Hillcrest Golf Course in Durango last Friday had the atmosphere of a party.
But there was still a race to be run – amid the music, glow sticks and glow necklaces – and the Panthers ran well.
Sophomore Reid Littlefield and junior Josh Ramos led the boys’ team and finished neck-and-neck, with Littlefield coming in 25th (19:05) and Ramos 26th (19:08).
They were followed by Sonny Boren in 45th (20:28), Brenden Quinonez in 64th (22:51) and Ben Castillo-Calvillo in 66th (22:56).
Head coach Paul Koops was happy with the boys’ performances and noted that it was Ramos’ first cross-country race and that Boren had been battling illness for the previous few weeks.
The girls were led by sophomore Emma Thissen in 37th place (25:03), with Regina Schuster (25:55) and Corinne Damore (26:26) close behind in 41st and 45th.
Rachel Zetts (26:36) and Judy Ha (28:43) rounded out the girls’ team in 47th and 56th.
Koops said that a highlight of the event was that it was the first time this season that M-CHS was able to field full teams for both the boys’ and girls’ race.
He also said it was a privilege to watch elite teams like Durango and Alamosa, the two schools that claimed the first eight places in the boys’ race.
The Panthers head to Shiprock on Saturday for the Chieftain Invite at 9 a.m.