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Ignacio’s Thunder Windy Boy (26) runs all alone during the final mile of the Class 2A-Region IV Championships’ boys’ race Friday morning, Oct. 24, at Jack-a-lope Acres. Windy Boy placed ninth overall, helping the meet-hosting Bobcats place third as a team and earn a group trip to the CHSAA State Championships in Colorado Springs.
Ignacio’s Judah Ashley (21) works to stay ahead of Mancos’ Townes Morris (33) during the final mile of the Class 2A-Region IV Championships’ boys’ race Friday morning, Oct. 24, at Jack-a-lope Acres. Ashley placed 24th overall, helping the meet-hosting Bobcats place third as a team and earn a group trip to the CHSAA State Championships in Colorado Springs.
After hosting and placing third at the Class 2A-Region IV Championships on Friday, Oct. 24, the Ignacio Bobcats’ cross-country season will take them from Jack-a-lope Acres to the 2025 CHSAA State Championships in Colorado Springs. From left: freshman Kanoa Thompson, freshman Matthew Maestas, junior Thunder Windy Boy, senior James Martin, senior Trace Crane and junior Judah Ashley.
Photo Credit: Joel Priest | Special to the Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Joel Priest | Special to the Drum
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Bobcat Cross-Country bound for State

Friday - October 31, 2025 by Joel Priest | Special to the Drum 

Ignacio boys place third at home regional 

Rainfall the previous night hardly concerned those tasked with preparing the arriving runners’ route. 

Bovine migration at Jack-a-lope Acres was more a worry, as cows’ hooves easily dug deep into the softened dirt and thus pockmarked portions of the Class 2A-Region IV Championships’ course – meaning that in some spots competitors would have to pay closer attention to their footfall. 

But in the end, the Ignacio-hosted event went off beneath a near-cloudless sky and with hardly a hitch, and with only four of the 16 attending teams advancing to the 2025 season’s grand finale, the Bobcats made sure they were one. 

With senior Trace Crane clocking a fifth-place time of 18 minutes, 46 seconds and junior Thunder Windy Boy only a few strides behind, IHS’ lead quartet ended up with an adjusted score of 55 points and, most importantly, a third-place result guaranteeing the ’Cats inclusion in the 2025 CHSAA State Championships. 

“Coming in third at our home meet was really pretty phenomenal,” head coach Kent Gillin said. “I’m glad they could do that in front of, you know, the students, all the parents – it was just awesome for them to help show how Ignacio does a race! And then also just having a strong performance … . I mean, it was just really great to find that level of success.” 

Almost able to finish on Crane’s heels, Windy Boy clocked 18:50 but couldn’t out-kick Westcliffe-based Custer County’s Mason Stover (18:48), Buena Vista’s J.D. Windle (18:49) or CCHS’ Jacob Weeks (18:49) as the four juniors bolted across the cleverly-positioned downhill finish line. 

“They did a phenomenal job … just continuing to build upon the beginning of this year,” Gillin said. “Trace is a phenomenal runner and Thunder’s just continued to defy expectations and improve, improve, improve.” 

“We started doing elevation stuff this week,” he noted, “because this course, like the last three-quarters of a mile … you’re climbing the whole time. So, we made sure to do a lot of hill work coming back from (Sargent’s Eric Wolff Invitational in) Monte Vista – notoriously flat – so we could race well today.” 

Fourteen ticks behind CBCS senior Flint Hoyt but 11 ahead of DHS junior Owen Lowe, IHS senior James Martin placed 19th in 19:45. Junior Judah Ashley finished 24th in 20:14, freshman Matthew Maestas took 42nd in 22:37, and freshman Kanoa Thompson was 63rd in 25:57. 

“There’s a lot of improvement there as well,” Gillin said. “Matthew, if he continues to develop at this pace, will be one of our rocks starting next season.” 

Crested Butte Community School senior Cody Pleak won in 17:59, or 14 seconds ahead of Del Norte junior Mads Kreutzer. Dolores sophomore Joseph Padilla’s solid season continued with his third-place 18:24, and DNHS junior Cruz Matta earned fourth in 18:41 – helping the Tigers tally a winning score-4 low of 43 points. CBCS was right behind with 44, and Dolores came in fourth with 57 – denying Custer County (58) a team ticket to State by a point.  

The State Championships’ Class 2A Boys race is set for 11 a.m. Saturday, November 1, at Norris-Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs. 

In the Region IV girls’ feature, Ignacio freshman Ireland Cates was unable to compete, and her rookie season thus came to an end. Ridgway’s Lady Demons, meanwhile, were at full strength and confidently displayed it with sophomores Natasha (20:05) and Ariel (20:29) Hessler placing first and second. 

Monte Vista freshman talent Shae Romero (20:31) finished third, with RHS freshman Macey Cornell (21:04), Ouray freshman Cameron Skolada (21:08) and RHS sophomore Emery Cornell (21:18) following. RHS ended up with a near-perfect score of 11 points, and DNHS took second with 39. CBCS (49) came in third, and Ouray (53) beat out Antonito (84) for fourth. 

The Class 2A Girls race at State is set for 9:40 a.m. 

CLASS 2A-REGION IV CHAMPIONSHIPS BOYS’ TEAM STANDINGS 

1.Del Norte 43, 2.Crested Butte Community School 44, 3.IGNACIO 55, 4.Dolores 57, 5.Westcliffe Custer County 58, 6.Buena Vista 85, 7.Mancos 116, 8.San Luis Centennial 152, 9.Antonito 167, 10.Blanca Sierra Grande 175. (Non-scoring teams – Lake City Community School, Monte Vista, Center, Ridgway, Ouray, Sargent.) 

CLASS 2A-REGION IV CHAMPIONSHIPS GIRLS’ TEAM STANDINGS 

1.Ridgway 11, 2.Del Norte 39, 3.Crested Butte Community School 49, 4.Ouray 53, 5.Antonito 84. (Non-scoring teams – Westcliffe Custer County, Mancos, Buena Vista, Monte Vista, Sargent, Lake City Community School, Dolores, Center.) 

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