The Mancos High School cross-country team concluded its season at state Saturday.
MHS ran at the Colorado High School Activities Association 2A Cross-Country State Championships in Colorado Springs.
The boys team competed against 15 other 2A teams, which included 94 runners from across Colorado. Kristin Adams, the lone Mancos girl, competed against 77 other runners.
The Bluejays were led by Justin Burton, who finished the hilly state course in 18 minutes, 44 seconds, which was good for 19th-place. Ro Paschal was next across the line in 53rd-place with a time of 20:01. Senior Brandon McKie finished in 61st-place in 20:16. He was followed by Asa Kearns in 73rd-place in a time of 20:49 and Nic Archuleta came in 79th and a time of 21:17. The 2A individual champion was Paul Roberts from Lyons, who ran the course in 16:25. The Mancos boys team finished in 11th-place behind the team champions from Lyons.
It was a tough race today. I think our runners did a pretty good job, Mancos coach Brady Archer said. When you reach this point in the season, so many things can happen in this meet. Some runners let nerves get to them and some runners are able to overcome the nerves of being at the state championship, and just go out and run. Justin did a great job. He was shooting for top-20 and he made it. The beginning of the course narrows so quickly, that I think some of our runners got pushed back a bit and that is pretty tough to overcome with so many great runners on the course. All of the runners worked hard and it was great to see our young guys get this experience. It will be a great experience to build on for next season.
Kristin Adams finished the course in 24:11, which was good for 53rd place. The 2A individual champion was Rachel Hampton from Telluride. The 2A team champion was Hotchkiss.
As for Kristin, she had a tough start and it is always tough when you do not have your team here competing with you, Archer said. I think she did a nice job of competing, and next season we will work to make sure that she has the rest of the team with her here.
McKie will graduate this spring, but the rest of the boys team returns in 2013.
It will be tough to lose Brandon McKie, Archer said. He has been to state four years and we will miss him.