5A girls cross country: Record-setting win for Valor’s Wilson, Air Academy elevates to win team title

COLORADO SPRINGS — For the first time in four years there was a different face atop individual state podium for the Class 5A girls state cross country championships.

With the graduation of Cherry Creek’s Riley Stewart — 3-time 5A individual cross country champion and current freshman at Stanford University — the race for the state title was much more open than it has been since Stewart dominated with state titles in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Valor senior Brooke Wilson, who finished second to Stewart last year, was that new face by setting the 5A girls course record at Norris Penrose Event Center with a winning time of 16 minutes, 59.2 seconds.

“This was my year. Riley is gone,” Wilson said of being motivated to win it after finishing runner-up to Stewart a year. “I just needed to dial in and go.”

Wilson knew the field would be tough led by Pomona senior Emma Stutzman. The pair were even at the 2-mile mark before Wilson pulled away late.

“I honestly wanted to drop her (Stutzman) at mile 2,” Wilson said of her race plan. “We just kept going. I knew when I had to go and better go hard. Luckily I was able to do that.”

Stutzman finished ninth last year after coming into the arena running on fumes and suffering from dehydration. The senior came up short on winning her first state title finishing second in a time of 17:23.6.

“That 800 (meters) she just had a little bit over me,” Stutzman said. “Once she made the move I had a quick flashback to last year. I did everything to move it out and keep moving forward.”

Wilson entered the arena and the final stretch all alone to win her first individual state title.

“I was so overwhelmed,” Wilson said about seeing the finish line when she entered the arena. “I want to give all the glory to God. It was an incredible feeling to know that I was finally able to win this.”

Air Academy was the new kids on the block moving up from the 4A classification this season. The Kadets made an impressive first impression winning the team title with a score of 76 points. Mountain Vista was the team runner-up with 95 points.

“It is honestly so exciting,” Air Academy sophomore Tessa Walter said of the Kadets winning the team title at the highest classification. “When we got some really fast freshmen we knew we had a chance. This whole season we were working really hard. It’s nice to come here and see the result of that.”

Walter and junior Bethany Michalak finished fifth and sixth individually to lead Air Academy. The Kadets finished fourth in the 4A team standings at state last year.

“We all came in with the mindset that it’s for the team,” Walter said. “We said once it gets hard just to push and know if you go fast then we’ll do better as a team.”