Dalleck leads cross country at state

The GHS cross country team wrapped up its season at the 3A state championships in Colorado Springs on Nov. 2.

Jackson Dalleck was the standout runner for the Cowboys. The senior put together a buccaneering, eighth-place finish to stand on the podium. The girls competed without star seniors Madelyn Stice and Jemma Petrie due to injury. Still, the team galloped to a 14th-place overall finish thanks to leading times from Catalina Schwab and Elora Jones.

“The atmosphere at state was fun, and representing Gunnison was a great experience,” Dalleck said. “I felt great after track season last spring, and put in a lot of miles this summer — it set me up well for the cross country season.”

During the girls regional meet on Oct. 24, Stice fractured her foot mid-race, but still pushed to the finish line. The senior all star was forced to sit out of the state meet, alongside her teammate, Petrie. Although the pair traded in their running shoes for boots and crutches, they cheered their teammates on from the sidelines.

“I was really sad at first, because it was a big meet to miss,” Stice said. “I think I took the injury well, knowing I’ll be back for the track season, and it could have been a lot worse.”

Stepping into the No. 1 seed for the Cowboys, Schwab rose to the occasion. The senior finished 42nd overall in 20:46.23. Jones trailed directly behind her, and took 58th with a final time of 21:25.99. Brooke Terry, Sam Jones, Faith Pederson and Bristol Buffington rounded out the girls’ times, and contributed to the 14th-place team finish.

Representing the GHS boys team by himself, Dalleck continued to raise eyebrows. The senior finished eighth in 16:35.25, just two seconds away from sixth place. It was another elite performance from Dalleck, who exploded onto the scene this season.

“It is quite an accomplishment to end up on that podium, and Jackson’s progression over the last three years has been amazing,” said Head Coach Lance Betts. “He’s done everything right, and has been so easy to coach because he has a great mindset. It really paid off.”

Despite Stice and Petrie’s late injuries, the athletes are expected to recover ahead of upcoming athletic seasons. Stice verbally committed to run at Colorado State University in 2025, and is on track to recover ahead of the GHS track and field season this spring. Petrie will take a brief break ahead of the swim season, and then lead the Cowboys in the pool this winter.

“Our goal is always to grow as athletes, and we saw that this season,” Betts said. “Of course we were hoping for a higher place finish for the girls team, but there was a lot of individual growth that we were super proud of.”

(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@gunnisontimes.com.)