COLORADO SPRINGS — Shining Mountain’s Ginger Hutton gave up volleyball to focus on running. Now a senior, that decision appears to have paid off.
On Saturday at the Norris-Penrose Event Center, Hutton placed fourth at the Class 2A state championships. In her final cross country race in high school, she finished the state course in 20 minutes, 27.2 seconds.
While she was at it, Hutton led the Lions girls to a fifth-place team finish.
“Our girls team did amazing,” Hutton said. “We all had a plan coming into the race and for the most part we executed it.”
Hutton placed sixth at the cross country state meet last season and already has a handful of track and field titles to her name with one season to go in the spring.
“I’m a little sad that it’s over but it was a good race,” Hutton said. “I love my team and it’s been really great.”
Lions teammate Paisley Sheehan placed 11th in 21:40.6 on Saturday and freshman Emma Schaefer placed 30th in 23:03.6. Hutton, Sheehan and Schaefer turned in a combined team score of 24 points for the Lions.
Junior Jordan Cherin was the Lions’ highest finisher in the 2A boys race, placing 29th in 19:17.7.
The Nederland girls team finished eighth in the 2A team scoring with 75 points. Junior Sophia Lindenberger led the Panthers in 16th place with a time of 22:08.2. Senior James McNamara was the Panthers’ highest placer in the 2A boys race with a time of 19:14.1 and a 28th-place mark.
Dawson School’s Alec Timpe placed 19th in the 2A boys race with a time of 19:19.2. Sophomore Maggie Berry led the Mustangs girls in 27th place with a time of 22:57.3.
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