Foundation laid in Cortez for win at the McGinn 

Even against scaled-down opposition, taking second at the Montezuma-Cortez Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 20, was no small accomplishment for Ignacio High School Boys’ Cross-Country, as the Bobcats left Parque de Vida very much on the verge of earning their first team title this season. 

Head coach Kent Gillin’s gents didn’t have to wait much longer to finally collect it. 

Competing in Pagosa Springs on the 27th at PSHS’ 2025 McGinn Memorial Cross-Country Challenge, the Bobcats rose to the top of the standings. Paced by senior Trace Crane’s fourth-place time of 20 minutes, 12.68 seconds atop Reservoir Hill, Ignacio tallied an adjusted score-5 low of 62 points and edged second-place Del Norte (63) by one. 

The meet-hosting Pirates placed third with 81 points, and Dolores (83) was a close fourth. 

Junior Thunder Windy Boy took eighth in 20:32.28, senior James Martin was ninth in 20:45.97 and junior Judah Ashley finished 16th in 21:31.16. Freshman Matthew Maestas placed 33rd in 24:04.81, and freshman Kanoa Thompson ended up 50th in 28:44.60. Winning the race, Centauri sophomore Lincoln Bagwell clocked a time of 19:07.86, and PSHS freshman Rylan Ash took second in 19:24.10. 

Freshman Ireland Cates finished 33rd in the Challenge’s high-school girls’ feature, posting a time of 40:46.60 (she’d placed 14th in the Invitational with a 38:54). DNHS freshman Scarlett Maxwell won in 23:21.41, and Centauri sophomore Kourtney Heikes was runner-up in 23:46.20. 

Looking ahead, Ignacio will next run Saturday, Oct. 11, at Mancos’ Chicken Creek Challenge, where the San Juan Basin League champions will be crowned. 

 

MONTEZUMA-CORTEZ PANTHER INVITE (9/20) 

IGNACIO BOYS’ RESULTS 

 

1.Trace Crane 18:12, 4.James Martin 18:47, 5.Thunder Windy Boy 18:55, 20.Matthew Maestas 22:59, 24.Kanoa Thompson 27:43. 

 

MONTEZUMA-CORTEZ PANTHER INVITE (9/20) 

BOYS’ TEAM STANDINGS: 

1.Monticello (UT) 39, 2.IGNACIO 52, 3.Bayfield 55, 4.Montezuma-Cortez 71.