State cross country notebook: Aiden Le Roux misses finale, Palmer Ridge freshman Addison Michalak earns third
Cheyenne Mountain’s Aiden Le Roux, 2024 Gatorade athlete of the year, misses state
Last year’s 4A boys state champion did not compete Saturday due to an ongoing injury.
Le Roux raced once this season at the Cheyenne Mountain Stampede Pre-State meet at Norris Penrose Event Center on Aug. 22 where he placed second. The Northern Arizona commit set the meet record in last year’s race with a 15 minute, 2 seconds run for first place.
Chamorra Cooper, Jordan Banta finish in top seven, Air Academy girls place fifth
Cooper had the best performance of her career at Norris Penrose Event Center on Saturday. Rather than speak about her third-place, 17:48.10 finish, the Kadets junior lavished her senior teammate Jordan Banta with praise.
“With Jordan being here, it made the experience even better,” Cooper said. “Having Jordan here helps the team and really helps the experience. I know this is her last year here and she’s such an amazing teammate.”
Cooper’s finish topped her previous runs at state where she placed seventh as a freshman and sophomore. But Banta earned her first state podium finish at 18:07 for seventh place.
“Every year, I have a horrible race on this course so to hear that is refreshing,” Banta said. “I said I was going to go out there and give everything and if I fall apart, then I fall apart.”
To remain poised during the race, Banta wrote motivational phrases on her left hand including the words “Mind” and “Matter” with the former above the latter.
“Mind over matter,” Banta said. “I couldn’t let this course take me over and I’m so grateful I have Chamorra every single race and as a training partner. She makes me a better athlete and a better person. I couldn’t have done this without her.”
Manitou Springs girls place second behind TCA
For the second consecutive season, the Mustangs finished as runners-up.
Manitou Springs scored 85 points at Norris Penrose Event Center and put four runners in the top 24 of 3A’s race.
Keyaira Moore paced the Mustangs at state with a 19:51 for 14th place. Chloe Bresnahan clocked in at 20:08 for 19th and Elisa Karr clocked in five seconds later at 20:13 for 21st.
Acacia Gilmore rounded out the Mustangs’ top finishers and placed 23rd at 20:17.
Palmer Ridge freshman Addison Michalak places third in 4A girls race, Bears finish fourth
Bears freshman Addison Michalak, sister of 4A state champion Bethany Michalak, earned her first podium finish Saturday after placing third in the 4A girls race in a time of 18:33.8.
“It’s such a competitive race and everyone here is so amazing,” Michalak said. “It’s so emotional knowing how our team did. I give all glory to God.”
Michalak said the race went out fast, but she stayed relaxed and raced conservatively to have a strong finish.
“Once I got to that third mile, I said it’s now or never, and I’m happy with where I ended up,” Michalak said. “I wasn’t expecting that.”
The Bears scored 138 points Saturday and Savannah Mitchell managed a top 25 finish for Palmer Ridge and earned 22nd with a time of 19:46.
Lewis-Palmer’s Noah Thompson places fifth in 4A boys race to cap high school career
Noah Thompson found cross country as a sophomore and had his highest state finish Saturday. The Rangers senior placed fifth in the 4A race in a time of 15:44.7 to help his team to sixth place.
“The race was super fun, and the last mile was the hardest I’ve ever run, but I got it done,” Thompson said. “It feels emotional because I didn’t think this would happen. I played football my freshman year, so I didn’t think this was where I was going to finish high school.”
Thompson’s sister, Isabel, a freshman at Lewis-Palmer, got him into cross country and will be continuing his running career at Fort Lewis in Durango.
Discovery Canyon’s Griffin Stoughton overcomes injury to place sixth in 4A girls race
After a hip injury before the season, Discovery Canyon sophomore Griffin Stoughton placed sixth in the 4A girls race in a time of 18:56.
Stoughton said “lots of physical therapy” prepped her for Saturday. The Thunder placed 10th as a team.
“I’m just so happy, there are so many incredible girls in 4A,” Stoughton said. “I’m just so happy I get to race with them and so proud of everyone and proud of myself because I’ve had a hard season and had to overcome that to race well.”
Stoughton’s father, Grant Stoughton, is also the Discovery Canyon coach, making her podium finish special for the family.
“People would assume there is more pressure, but at the end of the day, you’re still working hard and you still want to impress your coaches and parents,” Stoughton said. “They are kind of the same person on days like today.”
Colorado Springs Christian, Thomas MacLaren, place two in top ten in 2A girl race
Colorado Springs Christian School’s Brooklyn Minihane placed fifth in the girls 2A state championship race in a time of 19:34.2. Minihane was ranked 12th going into Saturday.
“I’m just so happy to be here, thankful for the opportunity and for my family and team who support me so well and for Jesus Christ,” Minihane, a junior, said.
Thomas MacLaren’s Lucy Alvarado placed ninth in a time of 19:47.4 to help the Highlanders to a fifth-place team finish. Thomas MacLaren improved by seven places after it earned 12th in last year.
Alvarado ranked 17th prior to Saturday, making the top-10 finish a shock for the sophomore.
“I was hyped to be ranked 17th so I was not expecting this in the slightest,” Alvarado said. “I am really happy with this race and so proud of my team.”
Palmer Ridge boys place fifth in 4A
The Bears scored 201 points at state and were led by Benjamin Olds.
Palmer Ridge’s sophomore finished 17th overall and clocked in at 16:12 and earned the Bears’ only slot in the top 25.
Olds’ finish was a colossal jump from his freshman year, where he placed 64th at 17:15. He shaved more than a minute from his time at last year’s state meet. Palmer Ridge barely missed a top-four finish, but Lutheran grabbed the slot with 200 points.
Air Academy’s Carson Smith, Fountain-Fort Carson’s Joseph Hatton earn top 25 finishes in 5A boys’ race
The Kadets senior made a huge leap from his junior campaign. Smith was the lone area 5A boys runner to place in the top 15 and clocked in at 15:28 for 11th. During his 2024 run at state, Smith finished 44th with a time of 16:25.70.
Smith’s state placement was the best of his career along with his quickest time. As a sophomore, Smith finished 18th at 16:15.30.
Fountain-Fort Carson’s Joseph Hatton was the area’s only other top 25 placer on the boys’ side. In his first state meet, Hatton ran a15:53.50 for 25th for his third sub-16-minute race this season.