A seventh state championship remained elusive for the Durango High School boys cross country team.
The Demons finished third at the Colorado High School Activities Association Class 4A Boys Cross Country State Championships on Saturday in Colorado Springs with 153 points.
Palmer Ridge won with 94 points, while Niwot was second with 106.
“It was a tough, tough race, lots of talented bodies out there,” DHS head coach David McMillan said. “We might have got out a little slower than I would have liked. The guys ran the race we’ve been working on all season.”
Benjamin Lachelt was the Demons’ top finisher in 14th at 17 minutes, 26 seconds.
Seamus Millett followed closely behind for Durango in 15th at 17:27.3, Nicholas Turco was 33rd in 17:43.6, Gordon Gianniny took 41st in 18:02.2, William Chandler finished 50th in 18:18.3, David Moenning was 51st in 18:20.7, and Harry Steinberg took 63rd in 18:40.6.
“Seamus and Benji (Lachelt) ran exceptionally well,” McMillan said. “I don’t think we’ve been this high up in state since the ’90s.”
Eric Hamer of Palmer Ridge finished first in the boys individual meet in 16:17.7.
Six of Durango’s seven runners will return next season, with Gianniny being the only senior.
“We’re coming back really strong,” McMillan said. “The bug has bit them.”
Mountain View won the girls 4A team championship, and Air Academy’s Katie Rainsberger finished first in the individual race in 18:50.3.
Durango’s girls team took 14th out of 24 teams, led by senior Shannon Maloney in 25th at 21:10.2.
“I’m particularly proud of Shannon. She didn’t have the greatest race, but she had a heck of a finish,” McMillan said. “She picked up 12 places in the last just over a quarter mile. I haven’t seen her run with that sort of determination in a while.”
Sarah Smagacz was 60th for the Demons in 21:55.6, Marley Weaver-Gabel took 79th in 22:18.8, Emily Edwards-Colsman finished 117th at 21:15.4, Aubree Lorenzen was 131st in 23:39.8, Marit May took 145th in 24:03.1, and Lilah Slaughter was 162nd in 24:59.7.
“We were a team that shouldn’t have made it, and we did,” McMillan said. “Our fans were unbelievable. Really a lot of Demon passion and pride was on display (Saturday).”
heraldsports@ durangoherald.com
