With a little more than a week to go before the start of the state track & field meet, plenty of athletes across the state have done everything they can to put themselves in a position to claim state championships.
Across every classification, there are standout athletes who will be going for glory in multiple events during the three days at Jeffco Stadium in Lakewood. Although there are hundreds of competitors worthy of recognition, here are a few boys and girls in each classification who should have a solid three days of competition at the first Colorado high school state track meet in two years.
Class 5A
BoysParker Wolfe, Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village): The national Gatorade runner of the year for cross country has continued his success for the track team. Wolfe has logged the fastest time in the 3,200-meter run at 8 minutes, 55.94 seconds which is almost 10 seconds faster than the next best time, which belongs to
Caleb Boutelle of
Pine Creek (Colorado Springs). Wolfe also has top-five times in the 800 and 1,600.
Rhys Travis, Poudre (Fort Collins): The junior has had quite the season in the field events. He has three top finishes in the triple jump and no one has beaten him in the high jump. All told, Travis has eight first-place finishes this season, all in jumping events. But that doesn't make him a specialist as he's grabbed a couple of second-place finishes for the Impalas in some relay races.
GirlsReese Dragovich, Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch): Versatility has suited Dragovich well as she's established herself as a solid sprinter and mid-distance runner. She has wins in the 200, 400 and 800 and has been a part of a winning 4x200 relay team and has led the 4x400 relay team to four wins this season.
Laura Davis, Fort Collins: Davis has been dominant in the shot put this season and has also had strong showings throwing the discus. She has racked up seven wins in the shot put with a top distance of 40 feet, 4 inches. She grabbed one win in the discus and has three second-place finishes. She also helped the 4x100 relay team get a win at the third Poudre School District quad meet.
Class 4A
BoysAvery Shunneson, Thomas Jefferson (Denver): Shunneson has built a really simple plan when it comes to his throws – no matter if it's discus or shot put. All he does is throw then collect a win. And It doesn't matter if it's happening at a DPS qualifier or the Liberty Bell Invitational, Sunneson has yet to finish any lower than first place in any meet he's participated in. His top throws are 57-5.5 for shot put and 196-8 for discus.
Justin Blanton, Grand Junction Central: The Warriors senior has his eyes on a gold medal at state. He's logged the second-fastest time in the 100, 200 and 400 but has won every time he's run the races. That includes winning the 100 and 200 at the Dakota Ridge Invite at Jeffco Stadium, the site for the state track meet.
GirlsLaurene Powell, Mountain View (Loveland): Powell has won multiple high jump titles this season and at 5-4 is just one inch shy of matching the top jump in the classification so far this year. She should also make a run at a pole vault title as she took fourth at the NCAC League meet with a jump of 9-1. It wouldn't be a surprise to see her make a track appearance at state, as well, as she's helped the 4x400 relay team win this season.
Kimora Northrup, Niwot: It seems that winning comes very easily for Northrup. She's racked up 21 first-place finishes this season and has been an all-around force for the Cougars. She hasn't lost to anyone in the 100 or 300-meter hurdles and also has wins in the 400-meter dash as well the 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400 relays.
Class 3A
Boys Devyn Lauer, Platte Valley (Kersey): Lauer has emerged as one of the top sprinters in the 3A classification despite being just a junior. His 10.79 is the top time in the 100, and he also has the top 200 time at 21.61. He's also a vital piece of the 4x100 relay team for the Broncos.
Joshua Medina, Alamosa: Distance has been Medina's friend this season. He has thrived in the 800 and 1,600 runs and has the top time in the 3,200 despite running the race just twice this season.
Girls Alexandria Tice, Lamar: When it comes to throwing in the 3A classification, there aren't a lot of athletes better than Tice. The junior took second in the discus just once (back at the Warren Miller Invitational on May 11) but has won the event in every other meet. Her 127-2.5 in the shot put is the second best in the classification while her 40-9 in the shot put is No. 1.
Skylar Hawk, Holy Family (Broomfield): Hawks name should be heard regularly over the PA at Jeffco Stadium. Hawk has won 11 times this season across four events. She has top four times in all three sprint events and has the classification's best time in the 300 hurdles at 44.7 seconds.
Class 2A
BoysMicah Zeller, Custer County (Westcliffe): Zeller has a chance to stand out in several events. He has been a solid distance runner with 12 of his 13 wins coming in the 800, 1,600 or 3,200. He helped the Bobcats get a win in the 4x800 relay at the South Central League meet on May 21.
Jeremiah Leeper, Limon: Leeper looks to be a bit of relay specialist as he's helped the 4x400 relay team look dominant all season. The team has seven wins this year and is looking to add another at state. Leeper has also been a solid jumper with wins in both the long jump and the triple jump.
GirlsJordan Burnett, South Park (Fairplay): The Colorado Mesa-bound sprinter has looked solid all season. She gained a lot of attention when she swept the 100 and 200 at the Early Bird in Pueblo early in the season and has maintained that momentum ever since. Her 54.66 time in the 400 is the second best in the state, regardless of classification.
Eboselulu Omofoma, Dayspring Christian (Greeley): What a freshman year it has been for Omofoma. In her first varsity season she has racked up 15 wins and has evolved into one of the strongest all-around competitors in the state. Her 5-3 in the high jump is tops in the classification, and she has wins in the 100 hurdles and the long jump.
Class 1A
BoysWesley Ryan, De Beque: The multi-sport standout has put together the fastest 1A time in the 100 and has also been one of the premier jumpers in the state as well. His 21-1 in the long jump is also the best in 1A as is his 6-7 in the high jump.
Josiah Murphy, Evangelical Christian (Colorado Springs): Murphy has spent some time competing against some bigger schools in the Colorado Springs area and has performed admirably. He took second at the Palmer Terror Invite in the triple jump with a jump of 42-4. He has a win in the long jump, and his 17.26 in the 100 hurdles is the best in the classification.
Girls Alivia Weathers, Lone Star (Otis): Weathers has competed in seven different events through the course of the season. Of the seven, she has wins in four of them. Her 16.59 seconds in the 100 hurdles is the best in the classification and she also has the second best triple jump distance at 34-2.
Avery Palmgren, Sangre de Cristo (Mosca): Palmgren has set herself apart in terms of sprinting and in the long jump. She has to be considered a favorite in the classification in the 100, 200 and the long jump, as she holds the high marks in all three events for the 1A competitors.
