The Mancos cross-country team traveled to Monticello to compete in the Loyd's Lake Classic on Wednesday, Sept. 2, and the boys finished as team champions.
Three Blue Jays finished in the top 10, with Nic Archuleta (18:26), Simon Kearns (18:27.33) and Ro Paschal (18:27.71) crossing the line in fifth, sixth and seventh place.
Jake McKie was 16th (19:40); Asa Kearns, 20th (19:56); and Vincent Grego, 33rd (20:49). Caleb Yoder (21:33) and Zane Goodell (21:52) rounded out the varsity team at 40th and 43rd.
The Blue Jays finished 35 points ahead of second-place Monticello.
"The varsity boys were pack-running to get a workout in today, as well as to remember that we are always better when we work together," said head coach Brady Archer.
The Lady Blue Jays also ran well, finishing in third place behind Carbon and champions San Juan.
Emma Most (22:19) and Brittney Peacock (22:54) placed 4th and 6th, followed by Kaylee Rose in 17th (24:49) and Mimi Archuleta in 39th (29:33).
"I wanted the girls to continue to build on what they accomplished last week at pre-state, and they did," Archer said. "They ran really well against some tough competition, and they are going to continue to surprise people as the season moves along."
Mancos' junior varsity runners won both the boys and girls JV races.
Teslin Stecher won the boys race in 19:47 and Jessalyn Bay-Voit won the girls race in 26:13.
Archer expects that Stecher and Bay-Voit will both contribute to the varsity squads soon.
The Blue Jays next compete in the St. Vrain Invitational in Lyons, on Saturday, Sept. 12. Mancos will face 30 teams from Class 2A and 3A.
