State track and field>>
10 storylines to follow this weekend at Jeffco Stadium
Thunderstruck: A year ago, the coldest two days of the spring fell on the last two days of the state meet … along with several inches of snow. This year’s weather hurdle? The dreaded afternoon thunderstorms, which, as anyone who’s ever attended a state meet knows, can delay events for chunks at a time. On the bright side, at least it’ll be warm.
Niwot’s dominance: Once again, the Niwot girls are the team to beat in Class 4A. Led by Stanford commit Madison Shults, the Cougars are going for their fourth consecutive 4A team title with a puncher’s chance at winning every individual race outside of the 100 and 200. Shults has the nation’s third-best PR this spring in the 800 (2:04.28), according to MileSplit, and is also the state leader in the 400. Win both, and she would finish with five individual state titles.
Going for four, Part I: Jefferson Academy senior Chrisly Kelly-cannon has a busy weekend ahead of him. A previous state titlist in the long jump in 2021 with a 3A meet record leap of 23 feet, 1 1/2 inches, he has the top qualifying marks in the 100, 200, long jump and triple jump in his class. Winning four individual titles is not out of the question.
Going for four, Part II: KellyCannon isn’t alone in chasing four. Mountain Vista senior Rachel Bair (Utah commit) has been among the fastest girls in Colorado this spring with the top qualifying times in each of the 5A sprints (100, 200, 400). The biggest challenge? Topping Cherokee Trail super sophomore Kaeli Powe in the long jump.
Sweeping feeling: A sprint sweep is in play in the 5A and 4A boys meets. Cherokee Trail sophomore Peyton Sommers has the top 5A qualifying times in the 100 and 200 and is second to defending champion Ace Malone of Castle View in the 400. Meanwhile, Mead senior Tavon Underwood, a Kansas State commit, is tops in 4A in the 200 and 400 and has the secondbest qualifying times in the 100 and 800.
Un- Common talent: If Liberty Common repeats as the 3A girls champion it will undoubtedly be due in large part to junior Isabel Allori, a state cross country champion who is eyeing a sweep in the girls’ distance races (800, 1600, 3200). A year ago, she set the 3A meet record in the 1600 and won the 3200.
Go the distance: Look no further than the distance races to find the meet’s most star-studded events. That’s particularly true in 5A, where Valor Christian’s Drew Costelow (CU commit), Mountain Vista’s Tyler Downs (Cal Poly) and Fort Collins’ Christian Groendyk (Princeton) will face off in the boys meet, and Pomona’s Emma Stutzman (Northern Arizona), Valor’s Brooke Wilson (Wake Forest), Arapahoe’s Ava Mitchell (Northern Arizona) and Air Academy junior Bethany Michalak will do the same in the girls races.
Moving on up: A few state powers accustomed to winning team titles are competing in higher classifications this weekend. The most interesting test case will be Heritage Christian, a Fort Collins private school that won eight boys titles over the previous nine 1A meets and consecutive 1A girls titles.
Now in 2A, the Eagles have 51 entries between the boys and girls, including freshmen title contenders Mikaela Kendall (1600, 3200) and Kristin Osborne (triple jump) and three-time 1A state champion distance runner Jack Nauman.
Debeque’s high-flyers: Junior Scottie Vines is carrying on a recent tradition of great leapers from the tiny Western Slope town of Debeque. A few years ago, it was between-the-legs dunker Brennan Rigsby who turned heads with his hops. Now it’s Vines, who is one of 17 prep athletes to clear 7 feet in the high jump this spring, according to Milesplit, and a favorite to win the 1A long jump crown. His sister, Ava, is a sophomore primed to challenge for the girls 1A high jump title, too.
Pole position: Silver Creek’s Megan Kelleghan and Broomfield’s Lilly Nichols are going for state title three-peats in 4A and 5A, respectively. Kelleghan set a meet record last spring (13-4.50) in winning her second pole vault title. The North Carolina commit’s best vault this season (13-3) is 21st in the nation, according to Milesplit. On the boys’ side, Windsor senior Cameron Thomas, one of nine pole vaulters to clear 17 feet this spring, could shatter the 4A meet record (16-0) this weekend.