Thomas MacLaren boys finish as 2A’s runners-up, narrowly miss first team title
Thomas MacLaren nearly made school history Saturday and almost did so without its top runner.
The Highlanders placed second at the 2A Colorado State Cross Country Championships with 34 points at Norris Penrose Event Center. Thomas MacLaren’s score was five points shy of first place, which went to Golden View Classical Academy with 30.
“We wanted first but shout out to Golden View. They came out and ran a really good race” said Thomas MacLaren’s Nate Dillavou. “We also had a great race but we missed our top runner. But we got second and we’re happy.”
Braddock Hewitt, the Highlanders’ top runner who had top-five finishes all season and ran a 16 minute, 22.23 second race at the Tri-Peaks/Black Forest Cross Country Championships on Oct. 10, was sidelined for this year’s state race.
Hewitt could not run after the Tri-Peaks/Black Forest meet due to an undisclosed injury, but the Highlanders still flourished and managed a pair of podium finishes as Shawn Kipchumba earned ninth and Dillavou placed 10th.
Kipchumba’s 17:08.80 run marked the senior’s second fastest time of the year and helped the Highlanders keep pace with Golden View, which put three runners in the top 11.
“I tried to kick and tried to get as many points as I could,” Kipchumba said. “It’s been an up and down season for me, but I’m happy for the boys and how we were able to place. I couldn’t get a PR this season, but I’m OK with that because we worked hard.”
Though Kipchumba craved the team title and a higher individual spot, Dillavou said Saturday’s results illustrate the Highlanders capabilities.
“We’re not just individuals and we’re out here racing like a team,” Dillavou said. “We came in and finished second and that’s a great race for us.”
Dillavou grabbed the final podium spot and clocked in at 17:11.60, which is his highest placement at state and beat his 32nd place finish from 2024.
“It was the last race of my senior year and I had to kick, otherwise I wouldn’t podium,” Dillavou said. “It was a great last race and that was the mentality the entire time: ‘Kick like it’s the last thing you’ll ever do.’”
Evan St. John and Brandon Mora landed in the top 15 with St. John at 13th with a17:24 and Mora placed 14th with a time of 17:26. The Highlanders’ second-place team finish is the second in school history as Thomas MacLaren boys’ soccer earned runners-up in 2020.