The State Cross Country meet is this Saturday. 5A Girls race at 9:40 and 5A Boys race at 11:00 at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs. It would be great to have a large contingent of supporters at the meet to support our three Angels who are running.

If you would like to offer spots to passengers in need of a ride down or want to ask for a ride with someone who is driving, here is a google doc for ride sharing information. We intend this to be a way to get in touch, but follow up directly to confirm plans.

(here is the link if it doesn’t come through above:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1CYDhXY6iobrxLNTg8nl8eXLia5VIZvkZ-hlyGCzr4-k/edit?usp=sharing 

We hope to see you there!

It was a perfect day to run cross country in the open spaces around Lyons High School on Tuesday morning as teams from around Colorado gathered for Regional Championships. Although the East Angels did not achieve all the goals they had been working for, three Angels are moving on to the State Meet and the teams performed outstandingly against the competition.

The Boys Team ran in the first race of the day. The top four teams from each Region would qualify for the State Meet as well as the top-15 individuals in each race. The three boys teams from Boulder County–Boulder High School. Monarch High School, and Fairview High School–were heavily favored to qualify. Of the other nine schools competing, it would come down to the Angels, Ralston Valley High School, and Legacy High School for the final qualifying spot. Soon after the gun went off juniors Will Daley and Asher Hoyt would find their way into the lead pack while most of the rest of the team stayed back behind most of their competition. At the one-mile mark, Denver East was in 8^th place as a team. Soon after the mile mark, Daley moved his way up to share the lead and soon after surged to the lead on his own. Daley would extend his lead to as much as eight seconds by 2.5 miles into the race. By the 2-mile mark, the Angels had moved up nicely to 5^th place as a team, 25 points back of 4^th place Ralston Valley. Over the final half mile of the race the top runner from Fairview High School closed most of the gap between himself and Daley, but Daley held on for the victory by 2 seconds. Hoyt finished strong and placed 6^th place overall. The pack of junior Riley Nickols, and sophomores Ian Trautwein, and Xander Pacini closed well in the final mile finishing 40^th, 42^nd, and 44^th, but it was not quite enough as the Angels finished 18 points behind 4^th place. Senior Eden Scott finished 46^th, ninth grader Eamon Nussbaum 52^nd, and juniors Elijah Bruggeman and Jack Beardshear 62^nd and 80^th.  Daley and Hoyt will represent East at the State Meet, and with eight of nine runners returning next year, there are high expectations for qualifying the entire team in 2019.

As the Girls Team toed the line, they knew the task in front of them was formidable.  Four of the twelve teams in their race were ranked in the top-9 in Colorado. In fact, all four of those teams–Boulder, Monarch, Fairview, and Broomfield–had finished no worse than 11^th in the State Meet in the last two seasons. Nonetheless, the Angels put themselves in a position to succeed from the first mile. Sophomore Abby Howard was in the top-15 throughout the race and would go on to finish 11^th, with a strong finishing kick punching her ticket to the State Meet. The rest of East’s scoring pack had aimed for finishes in the top 20 to 25, and nearly got there, with senior Lilly Cory, juniors Anna Buddenhagen and Lindsey Weyant, and sophomore Maya Winfield finishing 24^th, 25^th, 26^th and 27^th. With a score of 113 points, the Angels finished in 5^th place, 30 points behind 4^th place Boulder, as all four of the top teams demonstrated why they had been ranked in the top-10 all season. Junior Elena Thoman finished 33^rd, and sophomores AlanaMarie Barros, Julia Schor and Lilia Scudamore finished 36^th, 39^th, and 55^th. While a 5^th place team finish was disappointing, the Angels had put out a great effort; the Angels top 5 runners averaged 42 seconds faster over the 5K than their top 5 had over the same course near 6 weeks earlier. Like the Boys Team, eight of nine Angel competitors return in 2019, so hopes run high for qualifying the team next season.

Daley, Hoyt and Howard race at the State Meet at the Norris-Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs on Saturday, October 27. 5A Girls race at 9:40 and 5A Boys race at 11:00. We hope to have a large contingent of supporters at the meet to support our three Angels.

Four races. Eight championships. One historic day for Denver East Cross Country.

At the beginning of the season, the East Angel Cross Country Team set the goal to sweep the team championships in all four divisions at the Denver Public Schools High School Prep League Championship. East had last accomplished this ambition in 2015. On a cold and wet Tuesday afternoon at Denver City Park, the Angels not only swept all four team championships, but all four individual championships as well.

The winning began in the JV Boys race. Senior Eden Scott, running cross country for the first time this season, methodically moved his way through the leaders over the last 2000 meters to secure his first career win in 19:13. Ninth grader Eamon Nussbaum also moved his way up to grab second place in 19:17. Juniors Kristian Laird and Ballard Kauffman came across in 4^th and 5^th in 19:28 and 19:29 respectively. Ninth grader Jack Kriekels was ninth (20:15) and sophomores Cyrus Jenkins-Nieto (20:38) and Jacob Silverman (20:40) raced to 11^th and 12^th place finishes. East scored 21 points when the places of the top-5 East finishers were totaled – low enough to beat the rest of the league combined.

The Girls JV race started more than three minutes behind the JV Boys. Despite their substantial head start, sophomore Laura Romero would have to weave her way around forty-two boys (nearly half the field) on her way to the JV individual championship with a time of 20:38. Sophomore Lilia Scudamore (21:48) and ninth grader Grace Chambers (21:49) sprinted down the long final straight away together to finish 2^nd and 3^rd.  The next ten finishers would all also be from East, starting with junior Ellie McWhirter (22:06) and followed by ninth grader Annabel Filippini (22:12), sophomores Grace O’Meara (22:15) and Maya Nussbaumer (22:38), junior Elena Thoman (22:38), ninth graders Reese Brogden and Ellison Mucharsky-O’Boyle (both 22:38), sophomore Grace Burnett (22:40), and senior Emily Turner (23:06). It was not until 29 seconds after sophomore EvaMarie Kropp (23:10) secured 13^th place for the Angels that the first runner not from East would cross the finish line. In fact, 13 of the next 17 girls to finish were also East Angels. To put that in perspective, had the East Angels split their top JV girls into four separate teams, each of those teams would have prevailed over the top JV teams from the rest of the league. To belabor the dominance of the JV girls just a bit further, had the top JV girls from East competed in the varsity race, that team would have easily finished 3^rd overall (behind East’s varsity and one other team) and each of the top-10 JV East runners ran fast enough to have finished in the top-20 in the varsity race.

Heading into the meet, an East Angel boy had won the varsity race at the DPS League meet in each of the last 7 years. On Tuesday, Will Daley assumed the mantle. The junior took the lead from the gun and never looked back on his way to a winning time of 16:48. Fellow junior Asher Hoyt moved into 2^nd place about midway through the 5K and finished a full 12 seconds ahead of 3^rd place with his time of 17:20. Two more juniors were the next to finish for the Angels as Jack Beardshear (18:37) and Riley Nickols (18:44) took 10^th and 12^th. Sophomore Xander Pacini had an outstanding final 1000m of his race, moving past many runners to take 13^th in 18:54. With Pacini across the finish line, the Angels had secured the win with 38 point, 16 points ahead of last year’s champion, Denver South. Sophomore Ian Trautwein was 18^th in 19:20 and Elijah Bruggeman 26^th in 19:54 to round out the varsity racing for East.

Heading into the afternoon, the highest amount of uncertainty about securing a win was in the Girls Varsity race where the squads from Denver East and Denver North seemed evenly matched. Sophomore Abby Howard went out with the lead pack which included the top three girls from North. As the race grinded through over 3 miles of thick wet grass, first one North runner dropped off the pace and then a second. With a quarter mile left in the race the final North athlete in the lead pack dropped off the quickening pace and the individual championship came down to a 200 meter dash to the finish between Howard and the pre-race favorite from George Washington- Howard prevailed by half a step in the closest race of the day as the top two girls finished with identical times of 20:08. A bit farther back, junior Anna Lucy Buddenhagen fought off the competition to hold on to 6^th place and sophomore Maya Winfield to 8^th place in times of 20:55 and 21:02 while senior Lily Cory moved up to finish right behind Winfield for 9^th place in 21:03 – all three ahead of North’s 4^th runner. East’s AlanaMarie Barros (21:17), Lindsey Weyant (21:50), and Julia Schor (21:54) finished 12^th, 13^th, and 14^th. With North’s 5^th runner coming in at 15^th place, the East Girls had done enough to secure the victory over North, 36 to 38; the final goal for the day accomplished by the slimmest margin in recent memory.

For most Angels, the 2018 cross country season has come to a close. However, for the varsity teams, ambitious goals await. The Angels race at the 5A Region 3 Championships on Thursday, October 18^th at Lyons High School. Boys will run at 1pm and Girls will run at 2 pm. The top 4 teams at each race qualify for the State Meet on October 27.

SAVE THE DATE: End of Season Banquet will be on Sunday Dec. 9; 9:00 am-12:00 pm

We are still missing 57 uniforms that were due to be turned in last Friday.  If you still have your uniform, we need you to turn it in tomorrow, Tuesday, Oct 16, after school (2:45pm) in the counseling center, room 225.

To be sure your uniform is properly checked in, do NOT give it to the coaches or leave it in their offices.  Your uniform must be signed in with the volunteer(s) on Tuesday.

If your uniform is not turned in by tomorrow after school, your student account will be charged $100.

Return your JV uniforms (white shirts/red shorts) on Friday, October 11, 2018 at 2:45 pm in the counseling office (room 225).

Thank you for returning your uniforms clean and on time.   As we mentioned at checkout, there will be a $100 charge for unreturned uniforms.

DSA and other non-East athletes should text Ruth at (303) 525-3829 to make arrangements for check in.

The East XC seniors have designed a shirt this year. If you would like to order a shirt, please fill out the survey here no later than Friday 10/12.  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1LR_tQdRjPsvp5LPv-91bwhiQvFl4plH-1GQu6EYVITc/edit

The Denver City Cross Country Championships is this Tuesday Oct 9 at City Park.

You can still sign up here to help. (You can go to this link too: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0E48ACA92BA20-east4). It will take you all to make this a success.

COOL ANGELS IN HOT PINK: If you have your hot pink shirt from past years, please plan on wearing it to the meet. If you do not have one, we will have shirts available for volunteers.

CELEBRATE AFTER: Following the meet, we are having a fundraiser and party at Illegal Pete’s on Colfax. Come by, grab dinner, hang out, and celebrate the end of the regular meet season. Illegal Pete’s will donate back a portion of sales we bring in, so you are helping the team too. PLEASE SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS AMONG FRIENDS AND COWORKERS. You can share information from our Facebook event, or by email: https://www.facebook.com/events/320290772140078

As always, thanks for supporting the hardworking team. Please email Jennifer at jareich424@gmail.com if you have questions.

This week’s potluck, the last one of the season, will be at the home of Anna Lucy Buddenhagen: 2865 Clermont St.

Assignments are

Freshmen: main dish (8 servings)
Sophomores: side dish or salads
Juniors: dessert
Seniors: drinks

Thanks to our hosts!

This week’s potluck will be at the home of Abby Howard.  3405 Alcott St. Denver, CO 80211

Assignments are

Freshmen: main dish (8 servings)
Sophomores: side dish or salads
Juniors: dessert
Seniors: drinks

Thanks to our hosts!

While parents and coaches struggled to stay warm, East Angel runners strolled from the finish line inside Dick Sporting Goods Stadium to the team tent with big smiles across their faces. Cool temperatures and a flat course over the roads and sidewalks surrounding the stadium translated to big personal best times for every athlete who raced at the Northfield Nighthawk Invitational on Friday night.

Girls JV were the first to assemble in the parking lot east of the stadium for the start of their race. As has been the case all season, sophomore Laura Romero led the way for the Angels with a blazing time of 19:04. In all, six Angel girls finished in the top 8 in the JV race, with sophomore Maya Nussbaumer finishing third in 20:42, ninth grader Ellison Mucharsky-O’Boyle finishing fifth in 20:58, and sophomores Grace Burnett, Grace O’Meara, and Claire Ely finishing in 6^th, 7^th and 8^th in 21:09, 21:16 and 21:18. East totaled a mere 22 points in the race, 25 points ahead of 2^nd place Golden High School.

The Boys JV team finished 4^th of 11 teams in their division. Ninth grader Jack Kriekels ran his best race of the season finishing in 9^th in 18:30, while senior Jack Thompson finished 12^th in 18:44. Four other Angels in the race broke the 20 minute barrier: sophomore Jacob Silverman (20^th, 19:10), junior Stephen Evans (23^rd, 19:18), ninth grader Allen Harder (26^th, 19:21), and sophomore James Johnson (31^st, 19:40).

Senior Lilly Cory led the Girls Varsity this week by landing a huge personal best with her 8^th place finish in 19:18. She was followed by sophomores AlanaMarie Barros in 13^th (19:41), Maya Winfield in 14^th (19:44) and Julia Schor in 17^th  (20:06). Also through the finish line in under 21 minutes were junior Elena Thoman (19^th, 20:19), sophomore Lilia Scudamore (21^st, 20:25) and senior Emily Turner (28^th, 20:50). Together their finishes were good enough for 3^rd place in the Varsity division.

Boys Varsity finished 4^th of 13 teams in their division led by the 4^th place finish of Asher Hoyt in 16:10.  Fellow junior Jack Beardshear hung on for a 21^st place finish in 17:31, followed by 28^th and 31^st place finishes from Ian Trautwein and Xander Pacini in 17:42 and 17:49 respectively. Junior Riley Nickols was just behind his teammates in 32^nd place (17:54) and ninth grader Eamon Nussbaum finished 39^th in 18:11.

The following day, a select group of JV runners competed at the Emma Coburn Elk Run 5K in Crested Butte. It was a beautiful crisp fall morning for the athletes as they took on the competition and the challenge of running at over 8800 feet. Despite the added elevation, Ballard Kauffman managed a personal record for 5K in leading the boys. He was followed by Kristian Laird, Eden Scott, Cyrus Jenkins-Nieto, Gus Trautwein, and Taylor Lucas. For the Girls, ninth grader Grace Chambers and junior Ellie McWhirter each cracked the top-10, finishing in 7^th and 10^th respectively. They were followed by Annabel Filippini, Sarah Hoffer, Alia Quinby and Isabella Garcia. The event included a pro/elite race division and a chance to meet world champion steeplechaser Emma Coburn, so overall a special event in a special place to which the Angels hope to have a chance to return.

This marks the end of the invitational season. For most Angel runners, the season ends on October 9^th at the DPS League Championships at City Park – East aims to sweep all four team divisions for the first time since 2015. We need many parent volunteers to successfully host this event. You can sign up here. (And remember to come by Illegal Petes for dinner after!)

Varsity will compete at the 5A Region 3 Championship on October 18 at Lyons High School. State meet will be held in Colorado Springs on October 27.