Eagles compete on ‘grand’ scale

Seven men and two women from Colorado Mountain College’s

cross-country running team competed at the Colorado Mesa University XC Invitational on Oct. 10 at Lincoln Park in Grand Junction.

As the only National Junior College Athletic Association school at the meet, CMC joined a highly competitive field, which included 145 top runners from a total of seven Colorado universities and colleges.

Amid stiff competition, Jason Macaluso of Vail was CMC’s overall top finisher in the men’s 8K. In a field of 87 competitors, Macaluso ran a season best time of 28:21, coming in 63^rd place. Four out of seven CMC Eagles ran their personal bests: Luke Plummer in 74^th (29:04), Autry Lomahongva in 76^th (29:25), Reese Fledderjohn in 82^nd (30:37) and Adam Garcia in 85^th (30:58).

Rounding out the team was Skyler Winter in 84^th place (30:56) (a personal record) and Dylan Dunbar in 87^th (33:24). Top finisher Taylor Stack of Western Colorado University crossed the finish line in 24:19. Also competing was CMC alum and former CMC team member Chris Rolf of Summit County, who’s now running for Fort Lewis College. He ran a 29:40 and finished in 77^th place.

Kya Jackson and Madisen Johnson from Colorado Mountain College represented the college’s women’s team in the 5K against a field of 58 women. Jackson turned in a 24:08 and Johnson ran a 24:14.

The team plans to compete at the Region 9 Championships in Alamosa on Oct. 31.