COLORADO SPRINGS — The girls’ state cross country championships began Saturday with three nationally ranked Class 5A teams as clear front-runners: No. 5 Mountain Vista, No. 6 Cherry Creek and No. 13 Cherokee Trail.

Apparently, the underdogs at unranked Arapahoe didn t get the memo.

The Warriors shocked a loaded field at the Norris-Penrose Events Center to win their first title in school history after not qualifying for state last season. Five Arapahoe runners placed inside the top 25, with freshmen Ava Escorcia (18:44.1) and Ava Mitchell (18.44.1) leading the team in fifth and sixth place overall, respectively.

Co-head coaches Jeff Krause and Brian Hatak beamed with pride as their team held an unexpected championship banner.

I m in shock right now,” Krause said. I never expected this to happen, really. I knew we had an outside shot, but I would have been happy with top five. At the 1-mile mark, we were all where we wanted our girls to be. We talked about getting out of the start fast and getting into a good position.”

Hatak added: These girls have worked so incredibly hard to go from where we were last season to where we are now. It s unbelievable. They just came together as a solid core. That family unit is huge.”

Culpepper repeats, leads Niwot to title. Racing cross country as the son of Olympians comes with heightened expectations. Does Niwot senior Cruz Culpepper feel the pressure?

A little bit,” he said. But also it s confidence to know that it s in my genes, so I know I can do it.”

Culpepper proved it Saturday with a new 4A course record (15:36) for his second consecutive individual title as Niwot claimed its first team championship in school history. His parents, Alan and Shayne, combined to compete in four Olympic Games during storied distance running careers. Alan Culpepper now serves as the head cross country coach at Fairview and allowed his son plenty of space on race day to focus on his craft.

Culpepper’s confidence entering championship weekend was helped by improved conditioning which began in the offseason. He added miles and pushed his start date back to keep training longer and not just go right into racing off the bat.” It allowed Culpepper to peak at just the right time, but his sights were never on setting a course record Saturday.

I just wanted to win,” Culpepper said.

Culpepper is mulling college scholarship offers to run at CU, Washington or Northern Arizona next year.

Notable. 5A boys: Dakota Ridge, the No. 5 ranked team nationally, repeated as team champion. Senior Connor Ohlson led the way in second place at 15:24. … 4A girls: Niwot claimed back-to-back team titles with four runners placing inside the top 10. … 3A boys: Mason Norman (Classical Academy) won his third straight individual championship at 15:50. … 3A girls: Basalt junior Sierra Bower set a course record at 18:00.

Prep cross country
2019 CHSAA state championships at Norris-Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs
Boys
Class 5A
Teams: 1. Dakota Ridge, 67; 2. Mountain Vista, 121; 3. Rock Canyon, 160.
1. Cole Sprout (Valor Christian), Sr., 15:12.7
2. Connor Ohlson (Dakota Ridge), Sr., 15:24.8
3. Parker Wolfe (Cherry Creek), Jr., 15:35.3
4. Cole Nash (Chatfield), Sr., 15:39.2
5. Gus McIntyre (Palmer), Sr., 15:39.6
6. Jacob White (Dakota Ridge), Jr., 15:50.7
7. Ben Morrin (Dakota Ridge), Sr., 16:02.1
8. Caleb Mann (Liberty), Jr., 16:05.5
9. Scott Prieve (Palmer), Jr., 16:06.5
10. Wes Beckham (Rock Canyon), Sr., 16:13.2

Class 4A
Teams: 1. Niwot, 70; 2. Durango, 119; 3. Cheyenne Mountain, 156.
1. Cruz Culpepper (Niwot), Sr., 15:36.1
2. Dylan Schubert (Thompson Valley), Sr., 15:48.5
3. Erik LeRoux (Cheyenne Mountain), So., 15:50.3
4. Luke Tichi (Durango), Sr., 15:53.0
5. Grahm Tuohy-Gaydos (Green Mountain), Jr., 15:54.1
6. Matthew Mettler (Air Academy), Sr., 16:05.9
7. Colin Szuch (Evergreen), Sr., 16:14.9
8. James Overberg (Centaurus), Jr., 16:15.4
9. Zack Gacnik (Conifer), Jr., 16:18.1
10. Matthew Storer (Air Academy), Sr., 16:23.5

Class 3A
Teams: 1. Frontier Academy, 77; 2. Classical Academy, 89; 3. Skyview Academy, 137.
1. Mason Norman (Classical Academy), Sr., 15:50.8
2. Owen Nolan (Skyview Academy), So., 16:27.6
3. Josh Medina (Alamos), Jr., 16:36.9
4. Elco Garcia (Bayfield), Sr., 16:48.0
5. Jacob Crookston (Jefferson Academy), Jr., 16:51.7
6. Alex Baca (Gunnison), Jr., 16:55.3
7. Branden Davis (Lamar), So., 17:01.3
8. Sylas Chambers (Frontier Academy),Jr., 17:04.3
9. Jaden Davis (Frontier Academy), Sr., 17:04.5
10. Hudson Majeski (Liberty Commons), Sr., 17:09.4

Class 2A
Teams: 1. Lyons, 14; 2. Peyton, 38; 3. Rocky Ford, 56.
1. Isaac Robert (Lyons), Sr., 16:19.6
2. Noel Lopez (Rocky Ford), Sr., 16:29.2
3. Andre Stablein (Front Range Christian), Sr., 16:39.1
4. Jodzuel Juarez (Ellicott), So., 16:50.5
5. Simon Stone (Lyons), Sr., 16:54.9
6. Micah Zeller (Custer County), Jr., 17:08.0
7. Rosston Sherlock (Buena Vista), Jr., 17:13.4
8. Tim Long (Platte Canyon), Sr., 17:14.9
9. Jordan Shackelford (Lyons), Sr., 17:20.0
10. Dylan Brush (Sr. Mary’s), So., 117:28.3

Girls
Class 5A
Teams: 1. Arapahoe, 69; 2. Cherry Creek, 99; 3. Cherokee Trail, 157.
1. Riley Stewart (Cherry Creek), So., 18:12.3
2. Cameron McConnell (Cherokee Trail), So., 18:24.6
3. Brooke Wilson (Valor Christian), Fr., 18:30.1
4. Emma Stutzman (Pomona), Fr., 18:33.2
5. Taylor Whitfield (Valor Christian), Jr., 18:37.2
6. Ava Escorcia (Arapahoe), Fr., 18:44.1
7. Ava Mitchell (Arapahoe), Fr., 18:44.4
8. Addison Price (Cherry Creek), Fr., 18:46.9
9. Ella Johns (Fort Collins), Fr., 18:58.8
10. Elizabeth Schweiker (Ralston Valley), Sr., 19:05.8

Class 4A
Teams: 1. Niwot, 37; 2. Battle Mountain, 71; 3. Air Academy, 117.
1. Samrawit Dishon (Niwot), Sr., 18:11.9
2. Samantha Blair (Eagle Valley), Fr., 18:15.1
3. Joslin Blair (Eagle Valley), Sr., 18:27.9
4. Madeleine Burns (Durango), Sr., 18:33.6
5. Ella Johnson (Glenwood Springs), So., 18:37.4
6. Amelia Philofsky (Niwot), So., 18:45.6
7. Hope Stark (Cheyenne Mountain), So., 18:46.2
8. Grace Johnson (Battle Mountain), Jr., 18:49.2
9. Elliot Pribramsky (Battle Mountain), So., 18:54.5
10. Madison Shults (Niwot), Fr., 18:56.9

Class 3A
Teams: 1. Classical Academy, 50; 2. Faith Christian, 88; 3. Basalt, 119.
1. Sierra Bower (Basalt), Jr., 18:00.1
2. Sawyer Wilson (Classical Academy), Fr., 18:44.5
3. Lilly Lavier (Alamosa), Sr., 18:50.7
4. Kylie Simshauser (Florence), Jr., 19:02.0
5. Kennedy McDonald (Classical Academy), So., 19:04.5
6. Allison Beasley (Peak to Peak), Jr., 19:14.8
7. Shannon King (Faith Christian), Sr., 19:28.4
8. Kylie Kenny (Aspen), Jr., 19:31.1
9. Audrey Orstead (Faith Christian), Jr., 19:42.1
10. Julia Brown (Frontier Academy), Sr., 19:46.6

Class 2A
Teams: 1. Lyons, 9; 2. Buena Vista, 61; 3. Golden View Classical Academy, 69.
1. Quin Gregg (Lyons), So., 19:24.9
2. Helen Cross (Nederland), Sr., 19:34.5
3. Jamieson Legh (Lyons), Fr., 19:58.4
4. Audrey Maroney (Rye), So., 20:00.2
5. Katie Fankhouser (Lyons), Sr., 20:00.8
6. Mallory Salazar (Buena Vista), So., 20:29.0
7. Ashleigh Gardner (Caprock Academy), Sr., 20:31.2
8. Adele Horning (Lake County), Fr., 20:37.8
9. Emma Dikken (Platte Canyon), Jr., 20:40.5
10. Molly McMurry (Buena Vista), So., 20:43.1