Legacy Lightening Invitational

East Cross Country kicked off the Labor Day weekend with strong performances at the Legacy Lightening Invitational at Broomfield Commons Park on Friday. The meet featured 37 entered teams and was run at the same park, though different course, that will host State Qualifying Regionals in fewer than seven weeks. Conditions were warm and dry, with some overcast skies later in the meet providing some relief from the heat. The course was primary on hard packed dirt with a bit of concrete sidewalks, and flat for the first 2 miles before a long steady hill followed by a long downhill to the finish.

Boys Varsity got things started, getting off the crowded starting line smartly without getting out too fast. By the mile mark, senior Eamon Nussbaum and junior Quinn Higgins were running together around 20^thplace overall, while most of the rest of the East pack came through between 35^thand 40^th. Eamon moved up over the next 2 miles to finish 10^thin a time of 17:10, while Quinn held on to 19^thplace in 17:27. The East pack that followed was led by senior David Anderson who clocked a 17:48 personal best by over a minute, followed by freshman Jonas Scudamore (17:51), junior Ian Logan (17:59), and senior Owen Congdon (18:00, personal best) who all moved up throughout the last 2 miles to grab places 26, 28, 31 and 34 respectively.  Juniors Ben Hopper (18:16) and Charlie Keglovitz (18:43, pb) and sophomore Kai Luna (19:01) finished 40^th, 56^th, and 65 respectively.  East’s total of 109 points was good enough for 3^rdplace behind Fossil Ridge (53 points) and Mead High School (67 points) and well ahead of Region 3 rivals Legacy High School (207 points) and Ralston Valley (161 points) and 17 other teams. 

As the cloud cover mercifully floated over the park, the Girls Varsity race got going. The Angels were led by 9^th-grader Rosie Mucharsky. Similar to the week prior, Rosie sat in 2^ndplace for most of the first 2 miles before launching a decisive surge to win the 5000m race in an attention grabbing 18:00 personal best and 23 seconds ahead of the next runner.  Sophomores Sophia Sheriff and Grace Todd came through the mile inside the top-20. Grace (20:00, personal best) moved up to grab an 11^thplace finish and Sophia (20:15, pb) held on to 19^thplace. Senior Ellison Mucharsky debuted her season with a strong 21:05, 30^th place finish, followed by a surging Sasha Bull (21:17, pb) for 34^th and senior Annabelle Filippini (21:35) for 37^th.  Juniors Bri O’Meara (21:56, 42nd), Helen Miller (22:01 45th), and Eleanor Goldstein (22:56, pb, 71st), and 9^th grader Lila Cypers (22:51, 70th) rounded out the finishers for the Angels. Fossil Ridge took another team title with a mere 39 points, with Denver East taking 2^nd with 82 points, ahead of Fort Collins (87 points), Legacy (108 points), Ralston Valley (168 points), and 13 other schools. 

The Boys and Girls JV races would head off a mere 15 minutes apart, creating a seemingly continuous parade of athletes circling the park and open space. For most of the East JV runners, this would be their first attempt at 5000m for the season. Running a very strong 2^nd mile, senior Charlie Kruger led the East boys, finishing 4^thin 18:54. Newcomer junior Julio Dominguez-Perez ran a 19:21 for 11^th place, freshman Finley Steed held on to 12^th place in 19:31, sophomore Devin Morse ran a personal best 19:33 for 13^th, junior Garrett Johnson finished 15^thin 19:43, freshman Oliver Gustavson 21^st in 19:59, and junior Corbin Hobert 22^nd in 20:03.  The Angels finished with 50 points, behind first place Fossil Ridge with 32 points and well ahead of 3^rdplace Fort Collins (120 points) and 11 other teams. 

In the Girls JV, East was led by the steadily paced performance of junior Evelyn Higgins finishing in 10^th place in 22:56. Sophomore Anna Rothmans-Haji (15^th, 23:28), Juniors Clara Artley (25^th, 23:58) and Siena Berry (31^st, 24:39), and 9^th-grader Franny Hubbard (32^nd, 24:44) made up the rest of the scoring five for the Angels. Sophomores Emma Pieracci (36^th, 24:57) and Sophie DeBlasio (37^th, 25:04) and 9^th-graders Ana Beam (50^th, 25:54), Yelena Konowal (54^th, 26:09), Grace Taub (57^th, 26:14), and Lucia Artley (60^th, 26:27) finished solidly in their 5000m debuts. The JV Girls finished 3^rdof 12 teams with 93 points, behind 2^ndplace Fort Collins (54 points) and 1^stplace Fossil Ridge (18 points), who completed their sweep of all four team divisions. 

For complete results, click here: Legacy Lightning Results

The weather forecast after the long weekend is for things to get warmer again, and the competition for the Angels will definitely get hotter. The Liberty Bell Invitational on Saturday, September 11, is always one of the most competitive meets in the State. Chances are decent that both the Boys and Girls teams will be placed in the elite section. Race times will be posted as soon as division placements are announced.