Storylines, returning champions, what to know

A rundown of the CHSAA state track and field meet to be held Thursday through Saturday at Jeffco Stadium in Lakewood:

10 things to watch

The team races: The Niwot girls track and field dynasty is likely in for yet another coronation, with the Cougars returning two state champions (Addison Ritzenhein and Jade West) and insane depth in the 4A meet. But after that? There’s plenty of mystery in Classes 5A and 4A. Cherokee Trail has a real shot at claiming a second straight 5A boys title but is by no means a lock, and the 5A girls meet is wide open. Northfield has the depth to claim its first team title in the 4A boys meet, but the Nighthawks will have to earn it.

Four for LaFore: A year after sweeping the throws in the 5A boys meet, Chatfield’s Charlie LaFore appears primed to repeat the feat. The Chargers senior set a new 5A record with his top throw in the shot put (65 feet, 4.25 inches) earlier this spring, which is also the 13th-longest prep personal best in the country this season, according to MileSplit.com. The Kansas State commit isn’t too shabby in the discus, either. His top mark there (190 feet) is also a top-30 throw nationally.

Hurdling ahead: Another senior looking for an event sweep? Grandview’s Gabriella Cunningham can cement her claim as the state’s top girls hurdler if she can match the effort she’s already put forth this spring. With national top-20 times in both the 100-meter hurdles (13.61 seconds) and 300 hurdles (42.15), Cunningham is an overwhelming favorite to defend her 5A titles in both races. Of course, this is also the hurdles, where absolutely nothing is guaranteed.

Vines family business: The track and field world is already well-acquainted with De Beque senior Scottie Vines. The reigning 1A boys high jump champion broke the state high jump record earlier this season with a 7-4.25 and already has a spot sewn up in next month’s U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Ore. But his sister, Ava, has a chance to make her own mark this weekend as one of the state’s best by defending her 1A girls high jump crown. With Scottie Vines also competing in the 1A boys 100 and 200, the family trophy case could be due a new collection of hardware.

Sprint sweep, Part I: Few athletes have burst onto the Colorado prep track scene quite like Windsor senior Mikey Munn this season. Last spring, the South Dakota football commit didn’t compete in a single individual race at the state meet (he was part of Windsor’s 400-meter relay). A year later, he has the state’s top times in the 200 and 400, according to MileSplit.com, and his 100 PR (10.51) is behind only Cherokee Trail’s Peyton Sommers. With Sommers competing in 5A, that makes Munn a strong candidate for a sprint sweep in the 4A boys meet.

Sprint sweep, Part II: Speaking of breakout stars, it’s time to get to know Ellie Londo. The Valor Christian sophomore is staring down a potential sweep of the 5A girls sprints with the top seed times in the 100 (11.94 seconds), 200 (24.46) and 400 (55.74) — the latter of which also happens to be the top time in the state, regardless of classification. Pull that off, and another strong Eagles team just might contend for the program’s fourth team championship in five state meets.

Going the distance: As is often the case, this weekend’s meet is bursting with distance-running talent on both the boys and girls sides. For the boys, there’s Navy commit Dane Eike, the reigning 5A boys 3200 champion and top seed in the 1600, and Battle Mountain teammates Porter Middaugh (Arizona State) and Will Brunner (Harvard) in the 4A meet. For the girls? Well, there are simply too many names to list. Just know that Gatorade national cross country runner of the year Addison Ritzenhein of Niwot, N.C. State commit Bethany Michalak of Air Academy and Notre Dame commit Isabel Allori of Liberty Common, who set a new Colorado prep record in the 3200 (10:04.16), are going to put on a show.

Pole vault face-off: The under-the-radar showdown of the meet? That has to be The Classical Academy’s Anna Willis vs. Peak to Peak’s Kourtney Rathke in the 3A girls pole vault. The two have gone toe-to-toe at the state meet each of the past three years, with Willis winning once and Rathke twice. Willis enters this weekend tied with Broomfield’s Lilly Nichols as the top-ranked vaulter across all girls classes, but there’s little doubt Rathke will push her once again. And even if she doesn’t, Rathke has a chance to be a three-time state champion in the long jump, too.

Chasing double digits: There is dominance, and then there is Dayspring Christian senior Eboselulu Omofoma — an eight-time state champion looking to four-peat in both the 2A girls 100 hurdles and high jump. Entered into three events this spring, including the triple jump, Omofoma has a shot at finishing her prep career with double-digit individual titles. If she wants to get 11, her biggest hurdle — outside of the actual hurdles, of course — just might be the high jump, where Hoehne freshman Braylee Foster will offer stiff competition.

Another face-off: A year after finishing second behind Grand Junction’s Miller Jones in the 4A long jump, Roosevelt junior Jayden Nohr gets another shot at a second state title. The Rough Riders junior enters the state meet with the 18th-best leap (23-9.5) among prep athletes in the nation this spring, but he’s got another top-notch leaper just behind him in Mesa Ridge’s Avant Wright (23-9). This one could be a back-and-forth battle.

Returning state champions

Class 5A boys

Class 5A girls

Class 4A boys

Class 4A girls

Class 3A boys

Class 3A girls

Class 2A boys

Class 2A girls

Class 1A boys

Class 1A girls

*** Three-time champion | ** Two-time champion | (’21) won in 2021 | (’22) won in 2022

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