Surage, a Lewis-Palmer graduate, prevails by more than 90 seconds to lead team to win, with Sullivan Middaugh edging Battle Mountain brother Porter Middaugh 33:32.47 to 33:32.49 in 5.4-mile race in Colorado; Fort Collins takes boys crown

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The boys race was a sibling battle that wasn’t decided until the final step Saturday at the fifth annual National High School Trail Championships, with the girls showdown turning into a runaway at the Salida Mountain Trails System in Colorado.

Battle Mountain High brothers Sullivan Middaugh and Porter Middaugh returned from the mountains and trails with elevation ranging from 7,057 and 7,558 feet elevation, and emerged into the final stretch along grass and concrete racing stride for stride.

Despite an all-out dive at the line by Porter Middaugh, a rising sophomore, it wasn’t enough to prevail against defending champion and rising senior Sullivan Middaugh, who edged his brother on the 5.4-mile layout by a 33:32.47 to 33:32.49 margin.

Elijah Wilcox, a rising senior at Salida High, took third in 33:58.25.

Aubrey Surage, a recent graduate of Lewis-Palmer High who has signed with NCAA Division 2 Augustana University in South Dakota, dominated the girls competition by winning in 37:28.68.

Ella Johnson, a rising senior at Glenwood Springs, placed second in 38:59.11, and Tristian Spence, also an incoming senior at Central Grand Junction, was third in 39:19.19.

Surage led Lewis-Palmer to the girls team championship with 35 points, just edging Spence and Central Grand Junction with 38 points. Emma Thomas (46:48.09) was 14th and Samantha Weese (50:11.93) finished 20th for Lewis-Palmer.

Despite the Middaugh siblings taking the top two spots, Fort Collins captured the boys team title with 27 points, as Ben Koenig (35:04.69) secured sixth, Christian Groendyk (35:10.11) earned eighth and Evan Christopherson (36:58.69) placed 13th.

Central Grand Junction was second in the boys team competition with 41 points.

Isaiah Rodarte of Adams State ran the fastest overall time in the Beas Knees Citizens Race at 33:31.80.

Tessa Holderman, a recent graduate of Rio Rancho High in New Mexico and Abilene Christian signee, was the top female competitor in the Beas Knees Citizens Race at 41:13.69.