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The conditions were perfect for the Dodge City Red Demon boys cross country team going into the 2011 Western Athletic Conference championships.
The weather was cooperating, the wind was minimal and most important, the Demons had the event on their home course. As the Under Armour slogan says, “We must protect this house.”
2007 was the last time the boys at Dodge had captured a WAC championship and if anybody wanted it, it was the Carmona brothers, Oscar and Luis.
As the gun popped off from the start line, DCHS surged out to an early team lead with the Carmonas battling Angel Viveros and Eric Minjarez of Liberal for the individual lead at the head of the pack.
But the difference was made in the middle of the pack as the Demons had a group of runners up near the top 10, earning crucial team points with their high finishes.
Coming around the midway point of the 5K course, the top five remained the same as Dodge continued to hold the team lead.
Capturing the title
As the runners made their final dash through the final few hundred meters, Viveros had pulled away to a comfortable lead. He would capture first and the WAC Runner of the Year title.
However, not far behind were the two most consistent runners on the Demon team, Oscar and Luis Carmona. They finished second and third, respectively, in times of 16:58 and 17:08.
After another Liberal runner crossed the finish line in fourth, the next few runners would determine the winner of the championship.
Fidel Munoz of Liberal earned his team a brief lead after finishing in sixth, but that glory would be short-lived as the Demons were poised with the next few runners.
Junior Layne Moe (17:41), senior Anthony Carmona (17:50) and sophomore Elder Colindres (17:53) would cross the finish line in eighth, ninth and 10th, virtually assuring themselves of their first WAC title in four years.
With a total of 32 team points from the top five runners, the Demons can now add the title of 2011 WAC champions to their legacy.
Liberal finished second with 46 points, and Garden City, Great Bend and Hays rounded out the standings on the boys side.
For Demons coach Buc Bolmer, the performance by his top two runners has become vital to the team’s success.
“They are just steady,” Bolmer said. “They’re just very dependable, you can count on them every meet to be in top three or top four. Anthony, their senior brother, will also be there in the top 10. You can just take it to the bank that they are going to be there for you, true competitors.”
As for the girls squad, they used a solid, consistent team effort to finish fourth in the field.
Vanessa DeLaCruz (17:29) led the way for the Lady Demons by finishing in 16th, while Erica Ramos (17:41) was the next best finisher in 19th.
Rounding out the individual results for the girls were Suhei Calderon (17:42 - 20th), Lucero Botello (17:56 - 22nd), Venencia Rivera (18:07 - 23rd), Melitza Ramirez (18:07 - 24th) and Perla Neave (19:20 - 31st).
Up next for the cross-country squads are the regionals in an attempt to hoist that state title above their head at season’s head.
Bolmer says this next week will be crucial in honing the runners' speed and preparing for the race next Saturday.
As for now, the Demons will relish their opportunity to call themselves the 2011 WAC champions, an honor that will live forever in the history of Demon athletics.
The conditions were perfect for the Dodge City Red Demon boys cross country team going into the 2011 Western Athletic Conference championships.
The weather was cooperating, the wind was minimal and most important, the Demons had the event on their home course. As the Under Armour slogan says, “We must protect this house.”
2007 was the last time the boys at Dodge had captured a WAC championship and if anybody wanted it, it was the Carmona brothers, Oscar and Luis.
As the gun popped off from the start line, DCHS surged out to an early team lead with the Carmonas battling Angel Viveros and Eric Minjarez of Liberal for the individual lead at the head of the pack.
But the difference was made in the middle of the pack as the Demons had a group of runners up near the top 10, earning crucial team points with their high finishes.
Coming around the midway point of the 5K course, the top five remained the same as Dodge continued to hold the team lead.
Capturing the title
As the runners made their final dash through the final few hundred meters, Viveros had pulled away to a comfortable lead. He would capture first and the WAC Runner of the Year title.
However, not far behind were the two most consistent runners on the Demon team, Oscar and Luis Carmona. They finished second and third, respectively, in times of 16:58 and 17:08.
After another Liberal runner crossed the finish line in fourth, the next few runners would determine the winner of the championship.
Fidel Munoz of Liberal earned his team a brief lead after finishing in sixth, but that glory would be short-lived as the Demons were poised with the next few runners.
Junior Layne Moe (17:41), senior Anthony Carmona (17:50) and sophomore Elder Colindres (17:53) would cross the finish line in eighth, ninth and 10th, virtually assuring themselves of their first WAC title in four years.
With a total of 32 team points from the top five runners, the Demons can now add the title of 2011 WAC champions to their legacy.
Liberal finished second with 46 points, and Garden City, Great Bend and Hays rounded out the standings on the boys side.
For Demons coach Buc Bolmer, the performance by his top two runners has become vital to the team’s success.
“They are just steady,” Bolmer said. “They’re just very dependable, you can count on them every meet to be in top three or top four. Anthony, their senior brother, will also be there in the top 10. You can just take it to the bank that they are going to be there for you, true competitors.”
As for the girls squad, they used a solid, consistent team effort to finish fourth in the field.
Vanessa DeLaCruz (17:29) led the way for the Lady Demons by finishing in 16th, while Erica Ramos (17:41) was the next best finisher in 19th.
Rounding out the individual results for the girls were Suhei Calderon (17:42 - 20th), Lucero Botello (17:56 - 22nd), Venencia Rivera (18:07 - 23rd), Melitza Ramirez (18:07 - 24th) and Perla Neave (19:20 - 31st).
Up next for the cross-country squads are the regionals in an attempt to hoist that state title above their head at season’s head.
Bolmer says this next week will be crucial in honing the runners' speed and preparing for the race next Saturday.
As for now, the Demons will relish their opportunity to call themselves the 2011 WAC champions, an honor that will live forever in the history of Demon athletics.
