Valor Christian head cross country coach and school chaplain Greg Coplen, along with seniors Isabella Prosceno and Taylor Whitfield, join DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss the pursuit of the program's first 5A girls state team title Oct. 17 at the Colorado High School Activities Association championship meet at Norris Penrose Events Center in Colorado Springs. Coplen revisits the unique season in Colorado as a result of the pandemic, but also expresses gratitude that the Eagles were able to compete in every meet on their schedule without any postponements or cancellations. He analyzes the 5A girls final as one of the toughest and deepest in the country, with Valor Christian competing against reigning champion Arapahoe, 2017 and 2018 winner Mountain Vista, a three-time former champ in Cherry Creek, as well as Cherokee Trail. Whitfield, a Baylor commit, shares how each athlete has embraced their role and demonstrated a selfless approach in an effort to prepare Valor Christian for its toughest competition of the season. She also examines the impact of junior teammate Lanie Szuch returning to the lineup after not competing in the regional meet, and how her presence could make a difference, like it did last year when she and Prosceno not only helped Valor Christian qualify for Nike Cross Nationals after being inserted in the varsity lineup for the first time at NXR Southwest in Arizona, but place eighth at the national championship meet in Oregon. Isabella reflects on being able to have freshman sister Gracie Prosceno on the team this fall and sharing the season together. She also reminisces about the postseason experience gained last year and how that could benefit Valor Christian, which will also rely significantly on sophomores Brooke Wilson, Jocelyn Millican and Taylor Rorick. Coplen emphasizes the importance of patience racing such a challenging Norris Penrose Events Center course, in addition to the strategy that comes with athletes competing in four waves separated by 45-second intervals. He also speaks about the incredible performance of the Valor Christian boys team, led by sophomore Ty Garrett, to place third in its region behind Mountain Vista and Dakota Ridge to qualify for state.