Kaymarie Jones
The Paw Print
It was little over eighty degrees on Saturday when the Grizzly men and women made their mark at the 20th Annual Coach Vigil Cross Country Meet, hosted by the Cattails Golf Course right here in Alamosa.
The meet accommodated over five hundred athletes who competed at the middle school, high school, and collegiate level. Local and national supporters were gathered at approximately 8am to watch the middle and high school athletes compete. But it was the collegiate section, dominated by the grizzlies, that brought the most exciting results.
Kelly Lamb (Craig, CO) and Kevin Batt (Sydney, Australia) set the grizzlies off to a great start for the 2013 season with both competing in the 6K and 8K races, winning in a time of 17:44:33 and 24:48:70 respectively.
On the men’s side, Tabor Stevens ran toe to heel with Batt, clocking a time of 24:53:37 for a second place finish. It was Jovanny Godinez (25:20:25), Quin Ralston (25:35:31), Ty Williams (25:44:26), and Julian Florez (25:45:08) who rounded off the top five grizzly men, a tally that would lead the grizzlies to an impressive win. Capturing second behind Lamb, was a young, vibrant freshman from Del Norte High School who wowed the crowd with her blistering finish.
Jennalee Thurman, (Albuquerque NM.), clocked 17:59:95, a time that puts her ahead of Lauren Martin’s time of 18:15:42, Alyssa Selve’s 18:21:23, Melissa Roberts 18:29:90, and Maura O’Brien’s 18:32:13. All six women contributed to the team’s first win of the 2013 season.
“I was kind of surprised myself, but it felt really good being one of the top runners at the meet because I didn’t know what to expect. Coach Martin told me ‘good job’ and he gave me a hug! That alone, with my personal record, felt great. I made the best decision coming to Adam State!” Thurman explained with a smile on her face.
Coach Vigil, known as the Founding Father of Adams State Track and Field/Cross Country team, is now an eighty-three year old veteran coach. He has coached over one thousand athletes, many of whom competed on the world stage, and many who are now coaches. After arriving a couple days early for the meet, Coach Vigil visited the ASU campus and found time to speak with the current track and field athletes; “There are many stories that I can share with you that may or may not motivate you, so it is up to YOU to know what you want to achieve as a Grizzly,” Coach Vigil expressed.
In memory and respect of his efforts to highlight Adams State’s athletics on the map, the college built a statue of Coach Vigil and stationed it in front of the Rex Stadium. Since his resignation, Damon Martin has been producing great athletes for over twenty years, recording top performances at the conference and national level.
In late August, the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced the grizzlies as the top teams in the South Central Region for this season. Last season, the men won the national cross country title and are looking to claim this year’s title along with the women.
The Grizzlies will next compete at the Colorado College Invitational in Colorado Springs on Saturday, September 21st.
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