Cougar cross country dominates at St. Vrain Invitational

Niwot High School's cross country teams delivered stellar performances at the St. Vrain Cross Country Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 21, hosted by Lyons High School. Both the boys and girls teams showcased their depth and talent, securing top finishes across the board in the 5000 meter run.

The boys team was led by junior Rocco Culpepper, who claimed first place with an impressive time of 15:29.17. His victory was closely followed by fellow juniors Hunter Robbie, who finished second at 15:37.96, and Gabriel Marshall, who placed third with a time of 15:38.34. This 1-2-3 sweep by the Cougar juniors set the tone for a dominant performance.

Senior Keegan Galdean secured fourth place, while junior Ryder Keeton finished fifth, and sophomore Quinn Sullivan finished in sixth, giving Niwot a clean sweep of the first six places. Senior Gavin Engtrakul rounded out the top ten with an eighth-place finish, and senior Cole Mazurana added a strong thirteenth-place field.

On the girls side, junior Addison Ritzenhein dominated the field, finishing first with a time of 17:24.84. Ritzenhein's pace was unmatched, as she crossed the line 7.31 seconds ahead of her nearest competitor and 42.91 seconds ahead of the third-place finisher.

The Cougars continued to impress with junior Anna Prok placing sixth at 18:23.58, and sophomore Elise Hagen finishing eighth at 18:25.52. Sophomore Scarlett Parks rounded out the top twenty with a nineteenth-place finish.

Looking ahead, Niwot's next challenge awaits them at the Desert Twilight XC Festival in Arizona on Sept. 27, a prestigious event that draws elite competition from all over the country. Both the boys and girls are preparing to compete at the highest level as they build on their wins from the St. Vrain Invitational.

Beyond the Desert Twilight, the Cougars have their sights set on winning the 5A state title and progressing to the Nike Cross Regionals in Mesa, Arizona at the end of November. This year marks the first year in which the Cougars will compete in Class 5A at state, having dominated the 4A field for several years.