The Class 5A state cross country meet will teem with city runners Oct. 25.
Four Aurora schools — Cherokee Trail, Grandview, Regis Jesuit and Smoky Hill — qualified both their boys and girls teams for the state races at the Norris Penrose Events Center with strong performances in regional races Oct. 16.
Only Eaglecrest sophomore Janine Taurchini — sister of four-time state qualifier Alicia Taurchini — and freshman Jess McQuaid captured individual state bids from Aurora’s other schools.
The Buffaloes geared up for state with a sweep of the boys and girls championships at the Region 1 meet in Thornton, led by senior Blake Yount’s second-place finish.
Smoky Hill’s state boys contingent also includes Cody Miller, Spencer Bradshaw, Amir Kassahun, Michael Andress, Ricardo Quijada and Simon Geday.
Leading the way for Smoky Hill girls was sophomore Emmah Johannes in third place, with seniors Brynell Yount and Jamie Jezier not far behind in fifth and sixth. Leslie Fatica — who didn’t compete in regionals — plus Julie Eoff, Carlie Andrie, and Kaycie Schubert also head to state.
Taurchini and McQuaid finished 10th and 11th, respectively, to earn their way into state.
Boys and girls teams from Cherokee Trail, Grandview and Regis Jesuit punched their tickets out of the 5A Region 2 races.
In the boys race, Aurora finishers grabbed the top four spots as Grandview’s Nathan Graham, Regis Jesuit’s John O’Hagan and Cherokee Trail’s Duncan Barnhill and Kyle Jones separated from the field early and maintained those spots all the way to the end.
The Wolves, Raiders and Cougars finished 3-4-5 behind Cherry Creek and Heritage, with Cherokee Trail besting Grand Junction by a mere seven points for the fifth and final team qualifying position.
Joining Graham at state for Grandview will be Mick Norton, Pravan Kalaga, Cory Smith, Mitchell Norton, Ben Ehrhard and Brian Gagnon; besides O’Hagan, Regis Jesuit also takes Mitchell Bickmire, Parker Churchill, Chandler Cochran, Robert Iriye, Austin Layne and Geoffrey Lord; Cherokee Trail’s frontrunners Barnhill and Jones are joined by Brandon Bullock, Jackson Cowley, Hunter Glasgo, Justin Krasauskas and Nate Thomas.
Cherokee Trail’s girls posted the best regional result in program history with their second-place finish behind runaway winner Cherry Creek. Led by three top-15 finishers — Jordan Herrera (5th), Jessica Brookie (12th) and Lynsi Roper (15th) — the Cougars finished 12 points ahead of Grandview. Hannah Laurie, Amy McConnell, Kennedey McCurdy and Brea Wheeler also head to state for the Cougars.
Regis Jesuit’s Lindsey Koch posted a fourth-place regional finish and leads a state-bound team that includes, Julia Vitella, Sydney Lindquist, Lily Brucker, Devon Johnson, Catie Vitella and Katie Schilmoeller.
Third-place regional finisher Peyton Dailey and ninth-place Caroline Robbins, plus Melanie Jenkins, Kayla Vallin, Nicole Mundy, Sylvana Ross and Rachel Shaw represent Grandview at state.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2014 AURORA CLASS 5A STATE CROSS COUNTRY RUNNERS
BOYS
CHEROKEE TRAIL (7): Duncan Barnhill, sr. (No. 984); Brandon Bullock, sr. (No. 985); Jackson Cowley, jr. (No. 986); Hunter Glasgo, soph. (No. 987); Kyle Jones, sr. (No. 988); Justin Krasauskas, jr. (No. 989); Nate Thomas, sr. (No. 990)
GRANDVIEW (7): Ben Ehrhard, jr. (No. 1099), Brian Gagnon, sr. (No. 1100); Nathan Graham, sr. (No. 1101); Mitchell Horton, sr. (No. 1102); Pravan Kalaga, sr. (No. 1103); Mick Norton, sr. (No. 1104); Cory Smith, jr. (No. 1105)
REGIS JESUIT (7): Mitchell Bickmire, sr. (No. 1233); Parker Churchill, soph. (No. 1234); Chandler Cochran, sr. (No. 1235); Robert Iriye, sr. (No. 1236); Austin Layne, fr. (No. 1237); Geoffrey Lord, soph. (No. 1238); John O’Hagan, sr. (No. 1239)
SMOKY HILL (7): Michael Andress, sr. (No. 1261); Spencer Bradshaw, jr. (No. 1262); Simon Geday, sr. (No. 1263); Amir Kassahun, sr. (No. 1264); Cody Miller, sr. (No. 1265); Ricardo Quijada, jr. (No. 1266); Blake Yount, sr. (No. 1267)
GIRLS
CHEROKEE TRAIL (7): Jessica Brookie, fr. (No. 977); Jordan Herrera, soph. (No. 978); Hannah Laurie, sr. (No. 979); Amy McConnell, jr. (No. 980); Kennedey McCurdy, jr. (No. 981); Lynsie Roper, sr. (No. 982); Brea Wheeler, sr. (No. 983)
EAGLECREST (2): Jess McQuaid, fr. (No. 1045); Janine Taurchini, jr. (No. 1046)
GRANDVIEW (7): Peyton Dailey, fr. (No. 1092); Melanie Jenkins, jr. (No. 1093); Nicole Mundy, sr. (No. 1094); Caroline Robbins, fr. (No. 1095); Sylvana Ross, sr. (No. 1096); Rachel Shaw, sr. (No. 1097); Kayla Vallin, jr. (No. 1098)
REGIS JESUIT (7): Lily Brucker, fr. (No. 1226); Devon Johnson, soph. (No. 1227); Lindsey Koch, sr. (No. 1228); Sydney Lindquist, fr. (No. 1229); Katie Schilmoeller, jr. (No. 1230); Catie Vitella, soph. (No. 1231); Julia Vitella, soph. (No. 1232)
SMOKY HILL (7): Carlie Andrie, soph. (No. 1254); Julie Eoff, soph. (No. 1255); Lesley Fatica, sr. (No. 1256); Jamie Jezier, sr. (No. 1257); Emmah Johannes, soph. (No. 1258); Kaycie Schubert, soph. (No. 1259); Brynell Yount, sr. (No. 1260)