Panthers, Blue Jay harriers head to Regional CC meet

Panthers, Blue Jay harriers head to Regional CC meet

Oct. 19, 2000

STAFF REPORT

DELTA — The Panther varsity girls cross-country team has wrapped up the regular season and are now ready to run at Regionals this Saturday, Oct. 21.

The Blue Jays also have finished their regular season as well and will run at Regionals at Aspen, also on Saturday.

"We have been a little banged up with injuries, but we will be ready for our regional meet this Saturday in Delta," MCHS head coach Dave Dillman said.

The Class 4A Western Slope Regional takes place at Confluence Park in Delta. The girls varsity race is at 1 p.m. and the boys varsity race is at 1:30. The top four teams from each race qualify for the State Championship in Denver on Oct. 28. The top seven individuals who are not on one of the top qualifying team also qualify for the State Meet.

They finished the regular season at the Tohatchi (N.M.) Invitational.

Individually, Vanessa Dan of Kirtland-Central High School won with a time of 18 minutes, 36 seconds over the 3.1-mile course.

Montezuma-Cortez runners posted some pretty good times. They were: Chesleigh Keene, 63rd, 23:34; Holly Smith, 68, 23:50; Julie Christensen, 71, 24:20; Becca Whitehead, 77, 26:10; and Jessica Millican, 78, 27:52.

A total of 84 varsity runners participated.

Dillman reported he did not stay long enough to get the final team scores.

"We did not fiinsh as high as we would like but it was quite a learning experience for our runners," Dillman said. "The competetion at this meet was tougher than anything we have seen so far this season. Individually, Chesleigh Keene had a great race. She has been steadily improving as the season progresses and is starting to peak,"

Mancos High School, meanwhile, did not compete in a meet on the schedule. Because several key members of the team are also in the Blue Jay Marching Band, they did not travel to Sargent last week.

"We decided to concentrate on Aspen instead of going to that last meet. We ran some intrasquad scrimmages and time trials," MHS head coach Tim Dunham reported.

Despite the defection of top runner Jordan Davis, who transferred to MCHS, Dunham feels the Blue Jays boys still have a chance to qualify as a team.

"I think we still have a pretty good shot at it," he said. "We have got to run very well. Rangely has a good team and Gunnison also does. We’ve beaten Hotchkiss and Cedaredge."

The Jays will be led by Sven McNeil, Doyle Edgerton, Jesse Rousset, and Greg Cummings.