Macaluso and Shaffer lead CMC Eagles to first place finishes

The CMC Eagles women’s cross-country team celebrates their first place win at the Colorado Mountain College XC Open on Sept. 25. Team members from left, Madisen Johnson, Abby Hagen, Anais Garcia, Ember Penas, Carmen Tallbear-Edmunds, Hope Maldonado and Kaylynn Shaffer.

The Colorado Mountain College cross-country team hosted the CMC XC Open Sept. 25 at the college’s Leadville campus.

Jason Macaluso of Vail placed first overall for the Eagles in the men’s 7.2k race with a time of 27:43. Kaylynn Shaffer of Salida also scored a first place finish in the women’s race, running a time of 25:23 over the hilly 5k course.

Head coach Darren Brungardt said the CMC Eagles put together a strong effort out on the course Saturday with both the men’s and women’s team earning first place. The course is one of the highest college cross-country races in the world with runners peaking at 10,250 feet above sea level.

The college’s cross-country team competes as a National Junior College Athletic Association sanctioned team. Even though the team is based at CMC Leadville, students from any of CMC’s 11 locations can compete from their home campus.

In addition to the college races, the CMC XC Open featured a full day of running events including separate races for area middle school and high school athletes.

The top finisher in the boy’s high school 5k was Cole Mazurana of Windsor High School with a time of 18:45. In the girl’s high school 5k race, Adele Horning of Lake County High School crossed the line first with a time of 23:11.

In the middle school 3k race, Jaren Peters of Lake County Middle School ran to the top spot with a time of 17:44. Chloe King of Lake County Middle School was the first place finisher in the girl’s race with a time of 18:26 over the 3k course.

Next up on the schedule for the CMC Eagles will be the Colorado Springs XC Open on Oct. 8 at Cherokee Ridge Golf Corse. For more on the team, visit our page.

 

Meet Results for CMC Runners

Men’s 7.2k Results

1st Jason Macaluso (Vail, Colorado) 27:43.7

4th Luke Plummer (Grand Junction, Colorado) 29:57.7

5th Reese Fledderjohn (Seymour, Indiana) 30:06.8

7th Christian Brenny (Hastings, Minnesota) 31:01.3

8th Adam Garcia (Erie, Colorado) 31:16.5

11th Dylan Dunbar (Silt, Colorado) 33:17.3

Women’s 5k Results

1st Kaylynn Shaffer (Salida, Colorado) 25:23.6

2nd Hope Maldonado (Colorado Springs, Colorado) 25:46.5

3rd Abby Hagen (Lockport, Illinois) 26:05.5

4th Madisen Johnson (Windsor, Colorado) 26:57.7

5th Anais Garcia (Erie, Colorado) 27:32.4

6th Carmen Tallbear-Edmunds (Charlottesville, Virginia) 34:38.8

7th Ember Penas (Seward, Nebraska) 34:49.0