Cross Country Stars Continue Successful Season
Trevor Phipps
After completing nearly half a dozen games in high school football play, it is fair to say that the Panthers have impressed their fans and are now the talk of the town.
Just after the Woodland Park Panthers’ 50-0 win over Rye recently and their appearance on television during a Friday night media wrap-up, the phones of the TMJ staff started ringing off the hook to find out if the news was true.
It seems as if many locals didn’t quite believe the hype, declaring the fact that the Panther football team really means business this year. But now that the team has come up with some impressive victories, starting the season in not only an undefeated fashion, but one that enabled them to devour their opponents, Panthers fans are starting to believe.
In fact, it is fair to say that the Panthers so far this season have been more successful than any of the Colorado college or professional football teams. In addition, they have probably put up more points than the Broncos, Buffs, Rams or Falcons.
The good news is the Panthers’ playoff chances are looking very real. After starting off in a 4-0 rage, the Panthers were ranked 11th statewide in their 2A League.
Most teams look to finish the season in the top 16 in the state, which gives them a playoff spot. Those who place in the top eight get to host a playoff match. Therefore, if the Panthers can keep up their outstanding pace, they could possibly host their first playoff game ever at Panther Field in Woodland Park.
But with the season just barely being past its halfway mark, it is a little early to make playoff predictions.
However, after reviewing the Panthers’ schedule, this dream could easily become a reality since the Panthers have a better record and are ranked higher than any team they play for the rest of the regular season.
In fact, after week five, out of 41 teams in the 2A League across the state, there were only seven undefeated teams, and the Panthers were one of them. But the Panthers still have plenty of hurdles to overcome, as their last four games are against rival division teams. And all of these opponents will be hungry for blood and a chance to move up in the ranks.
After two weeks playing on the road, the Panthers come home for two in a row and then play their last two matches away. The match this week for Woodland Park’s homecoming against Lamar will probably be the biggest match of the season
Like the Panthers, the Lamar Thunder started their 2024 season 4-0. And according to a recent posting, they were ranked 14th in 2A statewide. Lamar seems to be a challenge for the Panthers every year, but this season Woodland Park is ranked higher and have beat their opponents by much larger margins.
Next week, the Panthers should have a bit of an easier time when they play the Florence Huskies at home. Before the season started, the Huskies were ranked higher than the Panthers, but they have plunged in the ratings after losing their first four games
The Panther coaching staff remains cautiously optimistic over their remaining prospects this year.
“Every single league game is important,” said Chad Drummond, the head coach of the Panthers’ football team. “We would like to win a league championship. We killed the playoff dragon after getting there for the first time in 23 years (in 2023). Our goal this year is to win the league and to do that we have to beat Florence, La Junta and Lamar. And realistically Manitou Springs will be a fist fight. Manitou and Woodland could both be 0-9 and it is still going to be an epic game. No matter what record we each have, I know that is going to be a tough game.”
The Panthers play the Mustangs in Manitou Springs on October 25. They then finish their 2024 regular season on the road against the La Junta Tigers, which posted a 2-2 record (at the time of this writing).
Panther Cross Country Teams Shine at Joe I. Vigil Invite
The Panther football team is not the only local athletic squad that is commanding top billing.
The Woodland Park High School cross country teams made a strong showing at the Joe I. Vigil Invite in Alamosa, bringing competitive energy and determination to the trails.
In the girls’ race, the team finished an impressive 5th place overall out of 34 teams. Among the standout performances, Nora Scicluna secured 9th place, and Landri Prahl followed closely in 14th, both out of a challenging field of 258 runners.
The boys’ team faced some obstacles, with injuries leaving them short of a full squad to qualify for a team score. Despite this, Joseph Begley delivered a personal best, finishing 16th out of 304 runners. Jaden Kirschner also had a remarkable day, shattering his personal record by over four minutes.
According to team leaders, “it was a proud day to be a Panther, showing the true spirit of teamwork and perseverance on the cross-country course.”