* Calia Vaughn is one of the top underclassmen in Colorado
Photo Credit: Jen Jardeleza/MileSplit Colorado
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The second slate of September racing did not disappoint, especially if you ask some of the underclassmen who toed the line over the weekend.
Whether they were holding their own against tried-and-true veterans at the Liberty Bell Invitational or whether they took care of business at the Kim Duyst Twilight Invitational on the West Coast, the up-and-comers were out in full force.
Check out this week's quartet of future stars!
MILESPLIT MILESPLIT:
Castle View (Colo.)
Class of 2028
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During his freshman year, Dann came within 14 seconds of breaking 15:00, but now the wait is over! At the Liberty Bell Cross Country Invitational, Dann finished seventh overall with a huge PB of 14:57.5. Dann was one of just two underclassmen inside the top 20 finishers, and immediately established himself as someone to look out for in Colorado's 5A class. He is also just the second-ever Coloradan to break 15:00 as a sophomore.
ALYSSA GUTIERREZ
St. Francis (Calif.)
Class of 2029
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The St. Francis kept her cool in her first high school 5k cross country race, running 17:08.9 to pick up the win at the Kim Duyst XC Invitational at River Oaks Golf Course. Gutierrez led five other girls under 18:00 while also leading her squad to the team title. Through four races this season, Gutierrez is 3-1, with her lone loss coming yesterday (09/17) at the SFL League Meet, where she finished runner-up. Gutierrez is the fourth-fastest freshman in state history, and the fastest since Ventura's Sadie Engelhardt burst onto the scene in 2021.
Sheridan (Wy.)
Class of 2029
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The freshman is on the heels of a stellar eighth-grade track season that saw him run 4:25 (1600) and 9:46 (3200), and he's picked up right where he left off at the high school level. At the Bozeman XC Invite, Balkenbush lowered his PB down to 15:18.96, 64 seconds quicker than his season debut. The freshman currently sits No. 2 on Wyoming's leaderboard and is already the No. 7 performer in state history, and the fastest freshman.
Boulder (Colo.)
Class of 2028
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A year ago, Vaughn clocked 17:51.3 for a 21st-place finish at the Liberty Bell Cross Country Invitational. This fall, the second-year standout surged into the top 10, placing eighth with a lifetime best of 17:26.5. That performance not only made her the top sophomore in the field but also marked her first career sub-17:30 outing. With it, the Boulder star climbed to No. 9 on the meet's all-time sophomore list and currently sits as the nation's No. 10 sophomore this season.