Almost joining the 2024 Boggy Draw Bear Chase’s top finishers in breaking 20 minutes on the challenging forested course north – both geographically and vertically – of Dolores High School, Montezuma-Cortez sophomore Cruz Plewe still managed a time of 20:30.43 in pacing M-CHS’ boys to a fifth-place team finish.
Coach Dan Tamminga’s Panthers posted an adjusted score-4 count of 72 points, placing them behind Bayfield (68), Monticello (57), Utah, and event-hosting DHS (35) as all teams were left in the wake of Blanding, which finished 1-2-3-4 for a perfect score of 10 points.
Not far behind 17th-place Plewe, senior William Blair was M-CHS’ No. 2 finisher, placing 20th in 20:44.09. Senior Corbin Myers (20:47.62) was right behind in 21st, and junior Roberto Sauzameda (37th, 22:48.73) completed the squad’s lead quartet, with junior Kenai Cotonuts (54th, 26:01.95) following farther back.
In the preceding high school girls’ feature, senior Sophie Wright clocked a 33rd-place 30:46.71 as Montezuma-Cortez’s top finisher. Senior Luna Moore took 36th in 32:19.14, and senior Jori Polich was 46th in 43:58.16.
Prevailing with a tiebreaking performance by its No. 5 runner, Telluride earned the team title despite matching Monticello’s low of 33, while Pagosa Springs ended up third with 43.
M-CHS will next compete Friday at the Sweitzer Lake Invitational in Delta.
