Buckaroo cross country opens with two strong meets

The Monticello High School cross country team started their season in impressive fashion with both the girls and boys securing a second-place team finish in the Boggy Draw Bear Chase in Dolores, CO on Friday, August 20.

The MHS girls team is young but proved they can hold up to the competition. Lily Long, a senior, led the way with a second-place individual performance.

Freshman Lilli Burton followed closely behind, coming in fourth. Lady Buckaroo scoring was completed by three more freshmen, Ayla Carling, Abigail Crowley, and Alexis Bailey.

The boys also got a solid representation with senior Boston Freestone, sophomore Curtis Bunker, and freshman Kaiden Pehrson finishing fifth, sixth, and seventh respectively. Newcomer Easton Young, a junior, took 17th and freshman Aaron Gillete took 24th.

This past Friday, August 27 the Buckaroos ran an all-grass course at the Montezuma-Cortez Cross Country Panther Invitational. Boston Freestone once again led the boys team, coming home ninth overall.

He was closely followed by Curtis Bunker in 11th and Kaden Pehrson in 12th. Jesse Pettit finished 19th. Josh Wheeler and Jacob Johnson came in together in 27th and 28th. Soren Welch finished 33rd, Easton Young took 37th, and Aaron Gillette got 38th.

The Lady Buckaroos were a little shorthanded for the second race of the year with only three runners competing in the Panther Invitational, but they performed well.

Lead runner Lilli Burton crossed the finish line in ninth, Ayla Carling took 22nd and Abigail Crowley was 34th.

This week the Buckaroo harriers are set to host teams from Utah and Colorado at the Loyds Lake Classic Friday, September 3. Events begin at 3 p.m.