The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
“A lot can happen but I do think the boys have the podium as their goal”
By Than Acuff
The Crested Butte Titans girls’ cross-country team has qualified for the state championships. The boys’ team has as well. But it had been over a decade for both teams to make it until this year as the boys’ team won the regional meet and the girls’ team placed second to both secure their spots at the big show in Colorado Springs and line up against the best runners in 2A on Saturday, November 2.
“It’s super exciting,” says coach Shari Sullivan-Marshall.
The Titans headed to the regional meet in South Park on Friday, October 25 with the top four teams at regionals qualifying for the state championship. The coaches knew the boys’ team can and should make it and the girls’ team had a shot as well, but anything can happen out on course.
“We knew going in the boys were the heavy favorite to win and I had a strong feeling the girls would get top four, but we’ve had some health issues during the season,” says Sullivan-Marshall.
The girls lined up first and it didn’t take long for the coaches to see that they were on a mission. Ridgway were the favorites at the meet so the Titans knew they would be in a battle with Dolores for the next spot and when Tazzy Pozner and Eva Loflin jumped out in front of the top runner from Dolores, things were looking good.
“I expected their first runner from Dolores would be ahead but our first two runners were ahead of her,” says Sullivan-Marshall.
Pozner and Loflin stayed ahead of her the entire race with both making one last push in the final 400 meters to jump additional spots and finish in third and sixth place respectively. But it didn’t stop there as Ali Johnson pushed at the end as well to finish ninth.
“Having three runners in the top 10 was really exciting,” says Sullivan-Marshall.
The final Titan runner to score team points was Ilo Hawley to seal the deal on the second-place team finish. Hawley and Josie Feier ran most of the race together until Hawley’s final kick had her passing more runners and finishing in 16th place. Feier was not far behind in 18th place with Sophia Bender placing 22nd and Elise Crisi in 32nd place.
“They girls exceeded expectations,” says Sullivan-Marshall. “They just battled to the finish and everybody exceeded their pre-race ranking. Everyone came with their A-game. It was super awesome what they were able to do.”
Then came the Titan boys and they lived up to their pre-race expectations as the favorites to win the meet. Despite kids going out on the downhill start faster than usual, the Titans took on the initial challenge as their team tactics were clear.
“We talked about controlling the race,” says Sullivan-Marshall.
Once the runners hit the first mile marker, Giles Billick kicked into overdrive to take the lead and never looked back running away with the regional title. Max Sullivan matched Billick’s intensity as he too made a move to slip into second place and stay there until the finish line.
“Max just continues to exceed expectations,” says Sullivan-Marshall.
Cody Pleak was the next Titan to cross as he finished in fourth place and Flint Hoyt followed his race plan to join his teammates in the top 10 with a seventh-place finish.
“Flint’s goal was to go out a little bit harder and he did,” says Sullivan-Marshall. “He executed his race plan perfectly.”
Colby Smith was next for the Titans coming in 13th place, up from 45th place at the regional race last year, and Jake Pendy continued to find his feet in just his second race of the season to place 20th.
“For him to get 20th is great and he’s just going to feel that much better at state,” says Sullivan-Marshall.
Micah Hansen placed 26th and will be the alternate for the team at the state championships and Cole Wimett finished in 48th place.
It will be the first time for Pozner, Loflin, Johnson, Hawley, Feier and Bender racing at the state championships but Sullivan-Marshall doesn’t want them to go in just thinking about gaining state experience. She believes they have more than that to bring to the course.
“I think they can get top 10 and then it’s just what happens after that,” says Sullivan-Marshall. “The start can be hectic so it’s just about getting out, finding their position and then we’ll see what happens.”
Billick, Sullivan, Pleak, Hoyt, Smith and Pendy are state championship veterans, and they have big plans for their return to Colorado Springs.
“A lot can happen but I do think the boys have the podium as their goal,” says Sullivan-Marshall. “Racing in the front is going to be new to them.”
The 2A boys race at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs starts at 1 p.m. with the 2A girls kicking off at 2:20 p.m. You can see live coverage at co.milesplit.com or catch it live and support the Titans.
“If you’re in the Colorado Springs area, stop on by,” says Sullivan-Marshall.
