Jackson Hole boys and girls both cross country state champs
JACKSON, Wyo. (BVM) 鈥� Jeff Brazil has been fortunate enough to coach multiple high school state champion cross country teams over the years, but it鈥檚 a little more special when the boys and girls teams can celebrate their success together the way the Jackson Hole Broncs were able to last month when they both claimed WHSAA Class 4A state championships.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always funny when you’ve got a team that wins and the other doesn鈥檛,鈥� Brazil said. 鈥淵ou want to get excited for the one, but then you feel bad for the other. It鈥檚 a total wave then when both sides win.鈥�
The Broncs also accomplished the feat in 2018, but that was in 3A. This year, they did it in 4A as the smallest school in the class. And on the girls side, it wasn鈥檛 even close. Jackson finished 29 points ahead of second-place Natrona to cap a dominant season in which they didn鈥檛 suffer a single loss. It鈥檚 the fifth state title in seven years for the girls team, but Brazil said it鈥檚 probably the closest group of girls he鈥檚 had both in terms of their relationship with each other and their ability levels.聽
鈥淲e had girls going back and forth beating each other every week and with some teams that gets to be a bit of a scab that鈥檚 getting pulled off every week,鈥� Brazil said. 鈥淏ut for this team it was more of a motivator. 鈥� They were so tight that they would celebrate each other鈥檚 victories which positively motivated everybody. It was kind of cool that they were all very similar ability levels鈥� It was just a fun experience.鈥�
Kate Brigham had the Broncs鈥� fastest finish, placing third in 18 minutes, 51.62 seconds. Parker Smith finished sixth (19:07.4), while Sarah Tallerico took 10th (19:19.21), Muriel Jones was 12th (19:25.07) and Jacie Chatham finished 14th (19:29.19).
While it wasn鈥檛 much of a surprise that Jackson鈥檚 girls team finished off an unbeaten season with a state title, Brazil wasn鈥檛 necessarily expecting a championship run from the boys, who narrowly held off second-place Cheyenne Central by three points and third-place Sheridan by five.
鈥淚 feel like we were the dark horse,鈥� Brazil said. 鈥� We thought we lost. I had other coaches coming up to me and saying, 鈥業 think you鈥檝e got it,鈥� and I鈥檓 like, 鈥楴o, there鈥檚 no way.鈥� I stopped counting points. 鈥� It was exciting because the guys didn鈥檛 know until they announced the second-place team so they were psyched when the award came through.鈥�
The boys were led by individual state champion Ben Williams, who took first place in 15:15.16. Mason Wheeler was third (16:07.72), Brandon Brazil was 17th (16:54.61), Alex Klomparens was 21st (16:59.64) and Roman Goralski finished 39th (17:25.51).
The girls鈥� dominance of their competition proved to be a motivator for the boys team not only at the state meet, but all season long. And because both teams spent so much time together during what was a unique season, they formed a bond that was made even more special by their matching state titles.
鈥淲e really became closer,鈥� Brazil said, 鈥渟o it鈥檚 cool that the team got so excited for each other and they could feed off each other for that celebration.鈥�
