Palmer Ridge High School senior Spencer Wenck was undefeated this season in cross country and won the Class 4A boys' state championship.
But his race on Saturday was perhaps his best. Wenck placed fifth among the top prep runners in the country at the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, Ore. He clocked 16 minutes, 19.8 seconds, about 20 seconds behind the national champion Lucas Verzbicas (15:59.2).
Following the Colorado State Cross Country championships, Wenck continued to train. His travelled to Mesa, Ariz., in November and placed second in the Nike Southwest Regionals at Mesa, Ariz. He ran a personal-best time of 15:20 there at regionals to qualify for the national race.
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