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Ignacio freshman Judah Ashley (111) stays ahead of Grand Junction Caprock Academy junior Gabriel Waalkes (28) and others entering the third mile of the 2023 CHSAA State Cross-Country Championships' Class 2A boys' race in Colorado Springs. Ashley's first high-school season ended with him receiving Honorable Mention All-SJBL.
Ignacio freshman Cayson Burcham (436) descends the last hill leading into the home stretch during IHS' Ignatius Invitational early in the 2023 season. Burcham completed his first high-school cross-country season being named First Team All-SJBL as well as SJBL Male Runner-of-the-Year.
Ignacio freshman Judah Ashley (111) stays ahead of Grand Junction Caprock Academy junior Gabriel Waalkes (28) and others entering the third mile of the 2023 CHSAA State Cross-Country Championships' Class 2A boys' race in Colorado Springs. Ashley's first high-school season ended with him receiving Honorable Mention All-SJBL.
Ignacio freshman Cayson Burcham (436) descends the last hill leading into the home stretch during IHS' Ignatius Invitational early in the 2023 season. Burcham completed his first high-school cross-country season being named First Team All-SJBL as well as SJBL Male Runner-of-the-Year.
Photo Credit: Jeremy Wade Shockley | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Joel Priest | Special to DRUM
Photo Credit: Joel Priest | Special to the DRUM
Photo Credit: Jeremy Wade Shockley | The Southern Ute Drum
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‘CAYSE’ STUDY: Freshman is SJBL’s best

Friday - December 1, 2023 by Joel Priest | Special to the Drum

Runner-of-the-Year Burcham, teammates honored 

If they were indeed rookies this fall, Cayson Burcham and James Martin certainly didn’t look the part. 

Cornerstones for Ignacio Cross-Country’s future, the first-year Bobcats – a freshman and sophomore, respectively – were named First Team All-San Juan Basin League for 2023, with Burcham awarded Runner-of-the-Year honors. 

Head coach Karri McCarter was named Boys’ Coach-of-the-Year for helping guide youth-blessed IHS to the CHSAA Class 2A State Championships as a team; the crew placed 17th out of 20 squads eligible for the team title. 

The 2A-Region IV Championships, held outside Dolores the Friday before the grand finale in Colorado Springs, actually served as the SJBL Championships – where the All-League harriers would be determined – and via his 28th-place finish (Burcham finished fifth, Martin 12th), Ignacio freshman Judah Ashley finished his first prep-level season earning Honorable Mention. 

Joining him in doing so was DHS freshman Corvin Smith. Also receiving First Team All-League were Telluride junior Sean McKillop, DHS sophomore Aaron Nielson and freshman teammate Owen Lowe. 

THS swept the superlatives on the girls’ side of things, with sophomore Austin Cook earning Runner-of-the-Year and Erin Murray Coach-of-the-Year. Also earning First Team distinction were Dolores junior Everlee Heaton, Mancos junior Teagan Archer, plus THS freshmen Seven Tudor and Ruby Cieciuch. 

Honorable Mention salutes went to Ouray junior Samantha Lizzio-Cammack and DHS junior Elia Lowe. 

At the State Championships, Burcham placed 52nd in the 2A boys’ race; Martin finished 95th and Ashley 112th. McKillop placed 50th and Nielson 91st; neither Lowe nor Smith placed high enough at the regional to qualify. 

Helping Telluride’s girls place seventh at State as a team, Cook captured fourth individually; Tudor came in 52nd, trailing 51st-place Cieciuch by fewer than two seconds. Heaton finished 62nd and Lowe 74th to lead 14th-place DHS; Archer, unfortunately, and Lizzio-Cammack did not advance past the regional. 

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