4A Boys Cross Country: Oliver Horton’s Course Record Leads Coronado to Team Title

COLORADO SPRINGS – Oli Horton ran a race he will never forget on Saturday.

The Coronado High School junior secured the Class 4A individual cross country championship by shattering the state record with a 14:48.4-second time at the 3.1-mile course at the Norris Penrose Event Center.

The previous 4A boys cross country record was held by Aiden LeRoux of Cheyenne Mountain who clocked a 15:02.1-second time in 2024.

“This feels really good,” the 5-foot-9, 135-pound Horton said moments after winning his first career state championship. “Breaking that record was in the back of my mind, and I think running that fast on this course just speaks about the depth of talent we have in Colorado and that we can hang with anyone in the country and I’m just really happy.

“It feels really good to get this win off my back. It is something I really wanted.”

Horton finished third at the Class 4A state cross country meet in 2024, but he had high expectations for this season.

“(Running this course so much) really helped,” said Horton, whose school is in Colorado Springs. “We wanted to go out pretty conservative because all the years I have ran I kind of died off the second or third mile because I went out too fast. I had that in the back of my mind.

“I just dialed into a rhythm. We are pretty good about running targeted paces and getting into a good rhythm and focusing on form and getting ready for a hard finish.”

With Horton leading the way, Coronado doubled its pleasure as it also won the team title with 53 points. Summit (71) and Thompson Valley (85) were second and third.

In addition to Horton, Xzavier Campos (third, 15:36.2); John Stanczak (11th, 16:00.2); Braxton Oliver (16:07.3) and Isaac Sanchez (16:32.4) all contributed to the team crown.

This is Coronado’s second state boys cross country state title with its first coming in 2012.

“This is amazing to be here with all my friends and family supporting me and being here for me,” said Campos, a senior. “We have been working on this for years. This is my last year of high school and to win it here and now is an amazing feeling. I’m so happy.

“Every workout Oli and I always push each other and he’s an amazing training partner and he’s always pulling me along in practice. It is so great having someone like him to train with, it is so motivating.”