COLORADO SPRINGS | Jade McDaniel had company from her Cherokee Trail team in the Class 5A girls state cross country race after she ran it as an individual in 2023.
The sophomore paced the Cougars — the Aurora area’s only team qualifier — to 19th place in the final standings with a 66th-place finish Saturday afternoon at the Norris Penrose Event Center with a time of 19 minutes, 43.7 seconds.
With the 5A field boosted by the addition of an elite team in Niwot (last season’s 4A state champions who had the individual winner in junior Addison Ritzenhein), McDaniel ran seven seconds after than in 2023, yet finished in the exact same place.
Next up for Cherokee Trail was sophomore Clara Kapfer with a time of 19:57.7 that put her 82nd, while the Cougars’ performances were rounded out by sophomore Anneli Reite in 124th, junior Sophia Lucero in 128th, freshman Elle Van Fossen in 135th, freshman Reese Kass in 141st and senior Dawn Armstrong in 151st.
The lone Aurora area individual to qualify — Eaglecrest sophomore Jenna Winn — was third-fastest among locals with a time of 20:11.6 that put her in 96th place.
Winn, the Aurora City Championship meet winner, was the first Raptor to run in the 5A girls state race since 2015. She qualified with a 12th-place finish in the Region 1 race in which she ran a PR of 19:49.90.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
2024 CLASS 5A GIRLS STATE CROSS COUNTRY RACE RESULTS
Nov. 2 at Norris Penrose Event Center, Colorado Springs
5A Girls team scores: 1. Mountain Vista 63 points; 2. Air Academy 101; 3. Fossil Ridge 108; 4. Chaparral 132; 5. Niwot 160; 6. Boulder 164; 7. Cherry Creek 174; 8. Heritage 175; 9. Denver East 272; 10. Fairview 281; 11. Rocky Mountain 290; 12. Arapahoe 338; 13. Castle View 377; 14. Fort Collins 415; 15. Northfield 427; 16. Durango 430; 17. ThunderRidge 430; 18. Pueblo West 472; 19. CHEROKEE TRAIL 481; 20. Broomfield 490
5A Aurora girls results: 66. Jade McDaniel (Cherokee Trail), 19 minutes, 43.7 seconds; 82. Clara Kapfer (Cherokee Trail), 19:57.7; 96. Jenna Winn (Eaglecrest), 20:11.6; 124. Anneli Reite, 21:12.1; 128. Sophia Lucero (Cherokee Trail), 21:16.1; 135. Elle Van Fossen (Cherokee Trail), 21:38.3; 141. Reese Kass (Cherokee Trail), 21:52.8; 151. Dawn Armstrong (Cherokee Trail), 23:14.5