Bayfield Runners Excel at Panther Invitational in Leadville

Bayfield High School’s cross country team showcased their talent at the 2025 Panther Invitational, held on the scenic trails of Colorado Mountain College in Leadville. The event took place on Saturday morning, where Bayfield’s Abigail Robertson secured a remarkable sixth-place finish in the girls’ race with a time of 24 minutes, 5.2 seconds. This performance led the Wolverines, who collectively scored 121 points and finished sixth overall.

In addition to Robertson, several other Bayfield runners contributed to the team’s efforts. Kamala Smith finished 55th with a time of 30:20.9, followed closely by Ashlynn Bravo in 57th place at 30:28.5. Bridgette Ireland rounded out the group with a 63rd-place finish in 30:59.7. The host team, Lake County High School, dominated the event, achieving first place with a total of 30 points, largely due to the performance of individual champion Mya McMillon, who clocked 22:34.2.

In the boys’ race, Bayfield’s Porter Sutherlin delivered a commendable performance, finishing ninth with a time of 21:05.2. The boys’ team ended up in eighth place, accumulating 95 points. Following Sutherlin were his teammates Parker Perkerewicz and Ryan Kurtz, who finished 33rd and 34th respectively, with times of 23:39.2 and 23:40.5. Carter Lamb also contributed with a 36th-place finish at 23:55.0. Del Norte captured the team title, powered by a 1-2 finish from Mads Kreuzer and Cruz Matta, who finished in 19:50.0 and 20:02.0 respectively.

Looking ahead, Bayfield’s runners will participate in the historic Joe I. Vigil Open, hosted by Adams State University on Saturday at Cattails Golf Course in Alamosa. The high school girls’ race is set to begin at 09:40 and the boys’ race at 10:15.

In a separate but noteworthy event, Ignacio senior Trace Crane made his season debut at the 5A Arapahoe’s Warrior Invitational held on Friday evening in Centennial. After missing the team’s previous competition at Dolores’ Boggy Draw Bear Chase, Crane secured a top-100 result, finishing 93rd overall with a time of 18:24.8. Junior Thunder Windy Boy also competed, crossing the finish line in 139th place at 19:29.9 after recovering from an earlier injury.

The boys’ division was led by Oliver Horton and Xzavier Campos from Coronado High School, with Horton achieving a swift time of 14:47.8 and Campos finishing in 15:23.5. Ignacio will also compete at the Joe I. Vigil Open on Saturday, eager to continue their competitive momentum.