Benji Anderson kept his eyes on the clock.

Sixty-seven-second quarters would get him to the mile under 4:30, which would get him to the 3,200 under nine minutes.

For the uninitiated, a sub-nine 3,200-meter run in Colorado is a rare feat. I can count how many athletes have dipped under the barrier on one hand.

And of those who have (Parker Wolfe and Cole Sprout), they’ve gone on to step up high on the podium at the NCAA Championships and the Olympic Trials.

In other words: cracking nine minutes in the 3,200 in Colorado puts you in really good company.

While the feat has rarely been accomplished in the history of Colorado distance running, nearly three did it at the Niwot Invitational Saturday morning.

Anderson, along with Mountain Vista teammate Benjamin Adams, and Cheyenne Mountain’s Brogan Collins came within single digits of joining the very exclusive Sub-9 Club.

But the barrier would have to wait another day to be broken.

The race came down to a kick, and the Class 5A state cross country champion – Anderson – dropped another impressive performance, crossing the finish line in 9 minutes, 1.28 seconds

Adams made it a Mountain Vista 1-2 finish, crossing in 9:02.91, which was barely a stride ahead of Collins’ 9:02.94.

With Saturday’s result, it’s time to put the state on alert for two reasons.

One: There are three runners on the cusp of breaking nine minutes in Colorado — in the same year.

Two: Parker Wolfe’s 8:55.94 state record could be in danger.

“I’m definitely eyeing that record,” Anderson stated afterward.

As with the girl’s pole vault state record in recent years, the question doesn’t seem like “if” it’ll be broken, but “when?”

The girl’s pole vault record was threatened for nearly three years before it fell — three times over the span of two days last May at Jeffco Stadium.

Will we see the same sort of all-out assault in the boy’s 3,200 this season?

We’ve got seven weeks to answer that question.

Moving along to other highlights of the Niwot Invitational – and there were plenty.

Thunderstorms rolled over the mountains as the meet moved into the latter half, which put an abrupt stop to anyone launching off the starting line.
With half the meet canceled, there were still plenty of jaw-dropping performances.

While the boy’s 3,200 was a race to the finish, Addy Ritzenhein telescoped away with a state-leading 10:26 to win event on the girls side.

Five girls cracked 11-minutes — and it was nearly seven.

In the girls 100 hurdles Niwot’s Reese Kasper came, saw, and conquered, clocking a dominating 14.63. Her time was over half a second ahead of the field.

On the topic of domination, cue Valor Christian’s Ellie Londo.

The defending state champ in the 100 swept the 100 and 400, clocking 11.98 in the 100, and 56.37 in the 400.

What was additionally impressive with the 400 was that Mead’s Rylee Klatt nearly stole the show in Heat 11 (the second-to-last heat).

Klatt torched Heat 11, clocking 56.68, which was the second-fastest time run in the event.

Moving along to the topic of stellar fields, the 1,600s were as advertised: Loaded.

Keeghan Edwards followed up her Nike Cross Nationals performance by running away from a stellar field. The Mountain Vista senior stormed away over the final 500 meters to win the event in a state-leading 4:51.67. Riverdale Ridge’s Payton Meineke was second in 4:54.60, while five broke the five-minute barrier.

Meanwhile, the boy’s 1,600 turned into a Kicker’s Race.

A modest early pace led to Northfield’s Ayuub Hassan launching off the front of the pack with 500 meters to go.

But all the while, Niwot’s Rocco Culpepper sat way, way back in the pack, bidding his time.

Culpepper shifted gears and unleashed a furious kick with 200 meters to go. The defending state champ cruised across the finish line in 4:19.24 — a two-second victory.

In the boys 4×100, Mountain Vista turned heads with a blistering 41.13. The victory was over two-tenths-of-a-second ahead of the field, and a state-leading time.

In the field events, Witt Zenobia continued to impress. The Eaglecrest sophomore won the long jump with a mark of 18 feet, 10.5 inches — that’s currently No. 2 in Colorado this season.

Run Around The State

Bayfield Invitational No. 2: Centauri’s Troy Sowards won the boys high jump in a state-leading 6-10 clearance.

Mickey Dunn Invitational: Grand Junction’s Mason Znamenacek won the boys 110 hurdles in a state-leading 14.17. He also won the 300 hurdles in 38.56.

Chaparral Invitational: Cherokee Trail’s Taylor Waters won the boys pole vault in 16-7. Golden’s Abigal Trapp won the 400 in 56.50.

University Bulldog Invitational: Eaton’s Delaney Reuter swept the girls 800 and 1,600, clocking 2:17.97, and 5:00.

Kiowa Klassic: Golden View Classical Academy’s Bobby Kiesewetter won the boys 800 in 1:55.63.

Blue & Gold Invitational: Resurrection Christian’s Jackson Fagerlin won the boys 1,600 in 4:18.36.