The family of Elise Cranny might have to start considering building additions to their home in order to accommodate the Niwot star’s growing list of prestigious trophies.
The Cougars’ two-time Class 4A state cross country champion added two more lofty honors this week, as Cranny was named the girls High School Athlete of the Year by the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame. Additionally, Cranny also earned her second consecutive Gatorade Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year honor.
Cranny captured her second consecutive 4A cross country title in November, capping a 2013 high school slate that also saw the senior distance specialist win three individual state titles — Cranny took first in the 800, 1600, and 3200-meter runs — while leading Niwot to the team title at the state track finals last spring.
Proving her dominance was not merely a local phenomenon, Cranny placed second at the Nike Cross Country National Meet in November.
“When I was a freshman I didn’t even know awards like this existed,” Cranny said. “To represent my team and Colorado like this is a huge honor. Especially the award from the Colorado Hall of Fame, because it’s over all athletics and not just cross country, and that means a lot to me.”
Cranny will be honored alongside the 2014 Colorado Sports Hall of Fame class — a group that includes Todd Helton and former CU quarterback Darian Hagan — during the induction banquet on April 17.
Cranny also indicated she has narrowed her college choices down to CU, Stanford and Oregon. Having already visited CU and Stanford, Cranny said she hopes to finalize her decision after she takes an official visit to Oregon late next week.
ALUMNI CORNER
Niwot graduate Paco Retana was named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Wrestler of the Week after going 3-0 last week for Colorado Mesa while recording each victory via a pin.
NOTABLE
The Longmont at Niwot boys basketball game originally scheduled for Friday has been moved to Thursday. Tipoff remains at 6:30 p.m. … The girls basketball game between Arapahoe and Broomfield, which was postponed in December in the wake of the fatal shooting at Arapahoe, has been rescheduled for Jan. 20 at 6:30 p.m. … The annual high school all-star basketball game “The Show” will be held at the Pepsi Center on the afternoon of April 12.
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