Dudzic qualifies for state cross country

They had a strong showing modified by several personal bests, but it still wasn’t what Mullen wanted.

As it was, only Michael Dudzic will represent Mullen at the Colorado cross country championships.

On Thursday, Dudzic, a junior, finished 11^th in Class 4A Region 1 to advance. He ran the Lincoln Park Golf Course in Grand Junction in 16 minutes, .77 seconds.

“There was unbelievably good competition in our region,” Mustangs head coach Joe Welling said.

As a team, Mullen (sixth) missed qualifying by a mere six places. Senior Will Locascio (21^st, 16:39.69), Jack Tolbert (28^th, 16:49.75), Aidan Schwarz (37^th, 17:06.62) and Owen McCarter (56^th, 17:31.47).

Welling said six of the team’s nine runners ran season bests “and the boys were so dang close.”

So was freshman Amy O’Connell, who ran 18:45.19 and finished 17th, two places away from qualification. Welling said it was the second-fastest time for a Mustangs female since 2000.

“She fought hard against Battle Mountain girls, who are some of the best in the country,” Welling said of the Huskies, who finished first with placings of second, eighth, 13^th, 14^th and 15^th. “She almost made it … a gutsy performance.”

In fact, nine Mustangs girls turned in season bests.

Madison Wainscoat (56^th, 21:00.27), Alicia Muller (63^rd, 21:07.98), Octavia Gomez (74th^, 21:35.12) and Emma Hehn (83^rd, 21:56.83) rounded out the Mullen scoring.

“Razor-thin margins,” Welling said of his teams’ differences.

Green Mountain junior Grahm Tuohy-Gaydos won in boys, 15:12.47, and Eagle Valley sophomore Samantha Blair was tops in girls, 17:29.81.

The state meet will be Oct. 26 at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs.