Cross country: Centaurus boys hope to capitalize on last year's finish

Aug. 19—Class 5A looked mighty fine on Centaurus boys cross country last year.

In the school's first season in Colorado's largest classification, the Warriors didn't just show up at the state meet. They showed out. Led by Max Heins, then a senior, the Warrior boys cruised to second place as a team, trailing champion Valor Christian by 15 points and beating out Fairview by 14.

While the finish came as a surprise for many spectators, the boys knew they had it in them the whole time.

"Going into the state meet last year, we definitely had high expectations as a team," junior Jesse Hatland said. "We knew what we could accomplish and we knew that our team was strong enough to compete with the top teams. When I found out we got second at state, I ran and jumped in the air screaming the whole time that 'we got second.' Then I ran over and jumped into the arms of our team captain Sam (Schwarting). That was one of the happiest moments of my life."

Of the state team, all but one returned, lending further credence to the notion that Centaurus may be competing right at the top again this fall. Senior Jake Schwarting attributed their success to mental toughness along with a cohesive team bond.

"What separated us last year and helped us to show up and compete on that day was that we believed in ourselves and trusted in our teammates," Jake Schwarting said. "Personally, at around the (one kilometer) mark last year, Jordan (Schatz) and I were sitting very far back in 80th to 100th place. We could have panicked, but what kept us mentally engaged was a sense that we wanted to do well for our teammates."

Instead, he cruised to 21st amid a field of 151 competitors.

Schatz, himself, believes the season's ending only further motivated the returners to put in the extra work in the offseason.

"Winning runner-up at state last season gave us a massive boost of excitement for running and the track season, during which almost all of our cross country runners competed and put down some awesome performances," Schatz said. "It wasn't until summer running this year that we really realized what it meant for the 2023 season. I remember feeling so hyped and motivated to put in the work over the summer because I knew that with enough hard work, we have a serious shot at taking home another trophy from the state meet."

Jacoby Ennis, who placed 58th in the individual competition, said the Warriors' success boiled down to a team atmosphere that can't be matched on many other rosters, and hopes that will carry them all the way to the podium again come the end of October.

"Talent can only get you so far," Ennis said. "On this team, we push our limits and the limits of others every day. All of the success you see from our team comes from dedication and hard work. Our team's culture and camaraderie is unlike anything I have ever seen in any other team. I don't know if I'll ever find a team as close as this one ever again. This team truly exemplifies what it is to be a family."

Silver Creek's Ruth hoping for breakout year

The ceiling didn't seem to be too high for Silver Creek's Cloe Ruth during her sophomore season. Her coach still believes she'll smash through it as junior.

Ruth began her second year of high school cross country on a high note, placing fourth in her first race of the season, then turned right around to set her personal record of 18 minutes, 32.40 seconds at the Liberty Bell Invitational.

Ruth then went on to win at the Northern Colorado Athletics Conference championships. She capped off her season by placing seventh in a sea of Niwot green at the state meet, further proving her stock among Class 4A's top female runners.

Her track season in the spring turned even more heads as she solidified her place on the podium in the 400 (fifth place), the 800 (fourth) and the 3,200 (seventh).

"I don't think we've really seen what kind of a talent she is," head coach Roger Powley said. "The fact that when we went to state (in track), and she's qualifying in everything from the 400 through to the 3,200, it says a lot. I think the sky's the limit. It really is. She's probably one of the most talented girls we've ever had here."

Ruth credited her sophomore rise to learning proper stretching and recovery methods, and saw her times plummet once she nailed down the right formula. Still, she surprised herself when she placed in the top 10 at the state meet.

"I had a really good running partner, Grace (Moroney), and she taught me a lot because she'd been running for a few more years than me, so I just learned a lot from her," Ruth said. "I'd be trying to keep up with her but also not pushing myself too much to where I'd burn out. Last year, I was really motivated to catch up to her, but also, I knew that she was a year older than me, so I didn't want to overdo it."

As the fall season begins, Powley believes Ruth already has a sub-18-minute time in her, a time that Ruth hopes will drop to 17:30 come season's end.