AURORA | The margin for error to make the Class 5A or 4A state cross country meets has shrunk this season, as the number of automatic qualifying spots has been cut from five to four, so intensity should be high for each regional race Thursday and Friday.
Nine Aurora teams made it to last season’s 5A state meet — Cherokee Trail, Eaglecrest, Grandview and Regis Jesuit got in both boys and girls and Smoky Hill qualified its girls team — and those numbers will be tough to match given the cut in the qualifying fields.
Still, city teams have shown plenty of strength in this season and may still be able to make it into the Oct. 29 5A & 4A state meets at the Norris Penrose Events Center in Colorado Springs despite the longest odds.
Regional races begin Thursday, with the heaviest concentration of city teams bound for Cherry Creek State Park for the 5A Region 2 meet, which is scheduled for its boys race at 3 p.m. and girls race at 3:30 p.m. Three of Aurora’s returning state qualifying teams — Cherokee Trail, Grandview and Regis Jesuit — are part of the field, along with Gateway and Overland.
Vista PEAK will also run at Cherry Creek State Park in 4A Region 3, with boys set for 4 p.m. and girls at 4:30 p.m.
Hinkley and Rangeview get the first chance to race in regionals with a girls race at noon and boys at 12:30 p.m. Thursday at Redstone Park in Highlands Ranch.
Aurora Central, Eaglecrest and Smoky Hill wait until Friday for their state qualifying chance at 5A Region 1 at Margaret Carpenter Rec Center in Thornton. The girls race is scheduled for 3:10 p.m., followed by the boys at 4:50 p.m.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2016 CLASS 5A/4A CROSS COUNTRY REGIONALS
5A Region 1 (Oct. 21 at Thornton Rec Center; girls 3:10 p.m., boys 4:50 p.m.)
Aurora teams: Aurora Central, Eaglecrest, Smoky Hill; Other teams: Arapahoe, Arvada West, Chatfield, Columbine, Dakota Ridge, Denver East, Far Northeast Warriors, Legend, Thornton (host)
5A Region 2 (Oct. 20 at Cherry Creek State Park; boys 3 p.m., girls 3:30 p.m.)
Aurora teams: Cherokee Trail, Gateway, Grandview, Overland, Regis Jesuit (host); Other teams: Bear Creek, Central (G.J.), Cherry Creek, Fruita Monument, Grand Junction, Heritage, Westminster
4A Region 3 (Oct. 20 at Cherry Creek State Park; boys 4 p.m., girls 4:30 p.m.)
Aurora team: Vista PEAK; Other teams: Abraham Lincoln, Alameda International (host), Arvada, Centaurus, Erie, George Washington, John F. Kennedy, Niwot, Northfield, Standley Lake, Thomas Jefferson, Valor Christian
5A Region 3 (Oct. 20 at Redstone Park, girls noon, boys 12:30 p.m.)
Aurora teams: Hinkley, Rangeview; Other teams: Boulder, Denver South, Fairview, Greeley West, Lakewood, Legacy, Monarch, Pomona, Ralston Valley, ThunderRidge (host)
