FORT COLLINS — Moffat County’s Alicia Nelson and Thompson Valley’s Laura Tremblay closed the 2008 Class 4A cross country season as they had began it. That’s with a one-two finish on the Fossil Ridge High School course.

Nelson, a senior, covered the rolling, 5-kilometer course in 18:13.70 to outdistance Tremblay’s 18:27.13. Greeley West’s Erica Hinchcliffe, the defending state champion, finished third (18:48.65).

However, Tremblay, a senior, was more than pleased with the day as she helped lead Thompson Valley to the team championship with 133 points. Cheyenne Mountain, led by Dani Grossman’s fifth-place finish (18:53.6) was second with 159 points followed by Alamosa with 168.

Nelson and Tremblay ran side-by-side for much of the race and one could have thought they were held together with Velcro. But when the pair hit the mild uphill stretch, Nelson turned up her effort.

“I got my goal and I'm happy with it,” Nelson said. “I definitely worked harder and I'm more confident this season. Over the last 800-meters, I went for it and if (Tremblay) went with me, she would. I expected it. It feels really good to be a state champ in my senior year.”

Tremblay knew she was in trouble when Nelson put on her kick.

“When she sprinted away, I kind of gave up because I knew I was not going to get her,” Tremblay said. “I've never won state except in track, but there is no shame in second here. She knows the course, too.

“This was the only race I was nervous for this season. Usually I can maintain calmness and I went out feeling pretty good. But I made a wrong move by sprinting by another girl earlier and I think that's where I got a little tired.

“Alicia was the only girl to beat me and did here at the beginning of the season. So maybe it was a little mental thing. I had some strep throat this week and missed all our workouts, but this is OK. We have a great team and we did quite well. The team title is great.”

Joining Tremblay in scoring winning effort for Thompson Valley was her twin sister, Liz (20th, 19:39.85), sophomore Alicia Randall (32nd, 20:04.25), senior Jessica Cunningham (39th, 20:14.65) and senior Hannah Pensack-Rinehart (40th, 20:16.65).

Moffat County sophomore Maddy Jourgensen finished sixth (19:04.0), but the Bulldogs struggled the rest of the way as a team and finished 16th.

Cheyenne Mountain’s Grossman, was joined in her team’s second-place effort by senior Casey Powell (16th, 19:32), junior Emily Duncan (22nd, 19:40.95), Kali Maxwell (29th, 19:55.7) and Catharine Fairchild (87th, 21:20.95).