It is somewhat difficult to believe that in just shy of two months, the state's top track and field athletes will converge upon Jeffco Stadium in Lakewood for the state meet.
The site has been a proving ground for some of the state's elite over the years as records have fallen and times have been shattered.
So, with the spring season not quite three weeks into the books, who will shine on the Jeffco stage in May? Here is a look at 10 boys track and field athletes to keep an eye over the next several weeks:
• Nick Deray, Sr., The Classical Academy (Colorado Springs). Having moved up from the Class 3A ranks to a deep 4A field, the three-time defending 3A champion Titans have a deep roster again. Deray is coming off state championships in the 200 and 400 meters – the latter he defended after winning it in 2013 as well. Overall though the 4A 400 field looks to be among the state's best – five of the top six overall times in the state so far belong to 4A runners, all of which are within a second of each other.
• Kyle English, Sr., Stratton.
English, the defending 1A state champion in the long jump and two-time defending champion in the triple jump, just happens to own 1A state records in both events. As a junior he set the long jump mark at 21 feet, 10.5 inches. He took the triple record in 2013 at 43-10.25.
Granada's Koy Palmer, the defending champion in both hurdle events, was just behind English in the long jump a year ago.
• Olabisi Johnson, Sr., Bear Creek (Lakewood). Johnson claimed his first state championship a year ago in winning the 5A 110 hurdles with a time of 14.34 seconds. He took seventh in the 300 hurdles and tied for 10th in the pole vault. So far in 2015, Johnson has looked strong in a handful of events. He owns the top mark in the state overall in the 110 hurdles – set at the LPS Spring Break Duals on March 14 – and has the 11th fastest 100 time at 11.11 seconds.
Triston Sisneros of
Grandview (Aurora) figures to be a contender in both hurdles events as well.
• William Mayhew, Sr., Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs). Having finished third in the 4A 800 and fifth in the 1,600 as a junior, Mayhew already figured to be among the favorites in both events given that those who finished above him in both events graduated. But Mayhew is off to a blazing start in 2015, having recorded winning times in three events in three different meets so far. He ranks first overall in the state in the 800 (1:52.54) and 1,600 (4:16.24), and has the third-fastest time in the 400 field (48.90).
• Max McDonald, Sr., Rocky Mountain (Fort Collins). McDonald is the reigning 5A champion in the shot put and discus, taking the former with a mark of 52 feet, 2.5 inches. He won the discus by more than 5 feet with a mark of 162-11. While
Patrick Byerly of
Mountain Range (Westminster) owns or shares the top marks in both events so far this season, McDonald is sixth in 5A and is looking for a chance to repeat in both events.
• Miguel Molas, Sr., James Irwin (Colorado Springs). Molas came away with one state title in his junior season, taking the 3A crown in the 100 for the second year in a row and finishing third in the 200. The James Irwin standout isn't just fast by 3A standards though – through the first few weeks of the season, Molas is tied for the fourth-fastest overall time in the state in the 100 at 10.95 seconds and is seventh in the 200 at 22.40. Both times are tops among 3A sprinters.
• Caleb Ojennes, Jr., Palmer Ridge (Monument). Ojennes and teammate
Eric Hamer helped guide Palmer Ridge to the 4A team title a year ago. Ojennes was part of the Bears' relay teams that took first, and as an individual placed second in the 400 and third in the 200. He has already tasted a few top finishes in 2015, and currently ranks fourth overall in the state in the 200 (22.14, the top 4A time) and fifth in the 400 (49.12).
• Paul Roberts, Jr., Lyons. Roberts has already established himself as one of the state's elite distance runners, having won three consecutive 2A cross country crowns and three track titles. As a sophomore he took both the 1,600 and 3,200 titles and was 10th in the 800. He edged another sophomore,
Ben Butler of
SkyView Academy (Highlands Ranch), in both events, which could set up another intriguing battle in May.
• Jordan Xiong, Jr., Broomfield. The Eagles may have jumped up a classification to 5A, but Xiong hasn't missed a step. The Broomfield sprinter, who took second in the 100 and 200 as a sophomore, is the current 5A leader in both events after an impressive showing at the ThunderRidge Invitational. Xiong notched a time of 10.81 seconds in the 100 and went 21.81 in the 200.
• Chris Youngs, Jr., Lutheran (Parker). Another athlete making a jump with his school in classifications, Youngs and the defending 2A state champion Lions are now in the 3A field. The defending state champion in the 100 and 200 – just edging another former state champ in
Meeker's Trenton Shelton in both events – a Youngs/Molas battle in the sprints would be worth watching. Molas and Youngs are 1-2 in 3A 100 times this season. Shelton figures to be the 2A favorite in the sprint events this spring.
