5A boys cross country: Fort Collins’ Groendyk beats deep field, Valor takes team title

COLORADO SPRINGS — It was about mental and physical preparation for Fort Collins senior Christian Groendyk during the cross country season.

“Part of it was confidence coming and preparing myself to race on this stage,” said Groendyk after he captured the individual Class 5A boys cross country state title Saturday morning at Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs. “I’ve just been trying to run fast on this course. That is what I’ve been preparing for and getting ready for.”

Groendyk, who finished ninth last season at state, ran a time of 15 minutes, 13.5 seconds. His time was nearly a minute faster this a year ago. Valor senior Drew Costelow finished second with a time of 15:23.3. Costelow finished fourth last year.

“It definitely motivated me,” Groendyk said of the deep field that featured five runners that finished in the top-11 last year. “Most of the guys up on the podium this year were here last year. There were a lot of really good guys.”

Chaparral junior Tanner Brown — defending state champion — finished eighth and Mountain Vista senior Tyler Downs placed third for his second straight top-10 finish at state.

“It is so great,” Groendyk said of closing out his senior season with a state title. “This season has been phenomenal. I’m really, really proud of what I’ve done. I think this is my sixth or seventh consecutive win this season. My big focus this year was just winning and not working about the time.”

Valor grabbed its first boys cross country team state title. Costelow, junior Dane Eike and sophomore Kaeden Dendorfer all placed in the top-10 for the Eagles who edged out runner-up Centaurus by 15 points.

“We knew coming in from just last year’s experience we knew we could have won it last year, but didn’t have the race we wanted,” Costelow said. “We just had to focus. We are the ninth best team in the nation and we needed to show that today. These guys worked their tails off today.”

Valor finished fourth last season at state.

“I’m just happy,” Costelow said of the Eagles grabbing the team title. “We set that goal early in the season.”