Colorado state track meet: Storylines, returning champions and what to know ahead of this weekend ...Middle East

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

12 things to watch

1. Niwot’s dynasty: The Cougar girls have won five straight Class 4A titles by a wide margin and are poised to make a run at a sixth straight this week. Niwot is headlined by nationally renowned runner Addison Ritzenhein as well as defending throws champ Jade West and senior hurdler Reese Kasper. All three have marks that are among the best in the country.

2. 5A boys sprints: Last year, Cherokee Trail’s Peyton Sommers won the 100-, 200 and 400-meter titles, but the senior battled injuries this year and didn’t qualify for the 100 and 200. Brighton senior Ryan Elsen and Chaparral senior Wilkins Persichina headline both events in ’25. Sommers will have a chance to win the 400 for the third year in a row.

3. 4×100 flash: Eaglecrest’s 400-meter girls relay team set the state record in the event in the Centennial League finals last week. The combination of Tatum Gratix, Zenobia Witt, Jaylynn Wilson, and Eva Ansah clocked a 46.41, besting the prior record of 46.51.

4. Powe-rful leaper: Senior Kaeli Powe, one of the top high school girls leapers in the country, is chasing a state title double. The Central Florida commit comes into the weekend with top-five marks nationally in the long jump (20-0) and triple jump (41-6.25). She won the latter last spring, but faces a strong field in the long jump with Zenobia Witt of Eaglecrest looking to repeat as champ and Pueblo West’s Bradie Menegatti and Ralston Valley’s Emmaliegh Malcolm also lurking with national top-50 marks.

5. 4A long jump: Speaking of talented long jumpers, the 4A boys meet is loaded with ’23 3A champ Jayden Nohr facing off against Lewis-Palmer senior Jamesly Kelly-Cannon and Palmer Ridge senior Jonathan Rice in what figures to be a compelling competition. Nohr, a UCCS commit, has the 19th-best prep long jump mark (23-7.5) in the country, while Kelly-Cannon (23-2) and Rice (23-0.75) also have top-50 jumps.

6. Ward’s repeat: A year after Jarrius Ward set the 5A state meet discus record with a throw of 203 feet, 4 inches to upset Chatfield’s Charles LaFore, Ward is the top-ranked competitor this week. Grandview’s Derek Williams is the closest qualifier to him, 20 feet away.

7. 5A girls race: While Mountain Vista is the title favorite on the boys side after finishing runner-up last season, the girls race is going to be tight. Mountain Vista, Fossil Ridge, Cherry Creek and Eaglecrest all have the talent and the depth to make a run at the crown.

8. Mucharsky’s magic: Denver East senior Rosie Mucharsky is the state leader in the 800 (2:08.59), an event she’s already won twice at the CHSAA meet, and the 1600 (4:46.02) heading into this weekend. The Notre Dame commit also won the 5A cross-country title as a junior. As always, the distance running depth in Colorado is top-notch. Everything must be earned.

9. TCA’s talent: The Classical Academy is the 3A favorite. TCA’s boys are going for their third straight title, while the girls seek a repeat. Senior Heidi Nielsen holds the top 3A mark in the 100 (12.28) and second-best in the 200 (25.52) after winning both events last year.

10. 1A girls standout: Merino is vying for a third straight 1A title, but the star of the meet could very well be Cheyenne Wells’ Roxy Unruh. The junior swept the sprints a year ago, setting 1A girls meet records in the 100, 200 and 400. She’s the top seed in all three events once again, and another sweep would put her at eight individual titles for her career with one year left to go.

11. Fossil’s fastest girl: Fossil Ridge junior Addyson Smith is primed to win the 5A 100 (state-best 11.68) and 200 (state-best 23.93). But don’t count out Valor Christian’s Ellie Londo, the defending 100 champion who is ranked third in that race and also sixth in the 200.

12. The Castle View kid: Darrell Ishman, a star at cornerback who is headed to play at Northern Colorado, is looking for track titles. He is Colorado’s top-ranked triple jumper with a mark of 48-0.5, and is also third in the long jump (23-6). He has the talent to win both.

Returning state champions

Class 5A boys

Athlete School, year Event Winning mark Peyton Sommers** Cherokee Trail, Sr. 400 46.59 Ben Lee ThunderRidge, Jr. 800 1:52.76 Elijah Roy Pine Creek, Sr. Triple jump 46-5 Matthew Kwong Northfield, Sr. 4A Triple jump 47-7.25 Jarrius Ward Overland, Sr. Discus 203-4

Class 5A girls

Athlete School, year Event Winning mark Ellie Londo Valor Christian, Jr. 100 11.73 Abigail Trapp Golden, So. 4A 200 24.88 Zona Welling Heritage, So. 200 24.15 Abigail Trapp Golden, So. 4A 400 55.05 Rosie Mucharsky** Denver East, Sr. 800 2:10.37 Zenobia Witt Eaglecrest, So. Long jump 19-9.5 Bradie Menegatti Pueblo West, Sr. 4A Long jump 19-3.25 Kaeli Powe Cherokee Trail, Sr. Triple jump 40-6.25

Class 4A boys

Athlete School, year Event Winning mark Rocco Culpepper Niwot, Jr. 800 1:55.23 Rocco Culpepper Niwot, Jr. 1600 4:17.23 Teagan Malcom Longmont, Sr. 300H 38.38 Jayden Nohr (’22) Roosevelt, Sr. 3A Long jump 22-9 Benson White Conifer, Sr. High Jump 6-5 Asher Serlen Standley Lake, So. High Jump 6-5 Cooper Vanmaurer Grand Junction Central, Sr. Pole vault 15-9 Cameron Glasgow Timnath, Jr. 2A Pole vault 13-6

Class 4A girls

Athlete School, year Event Winning mark Natalie Washburn** Timnath, Sr. 2A 800 2:17.88 Ella Hagen (’23) Summit, Sr. 1600 4:54.35 Addison Ritzenhein Niwot, Jr. 1600 4:47.07 Addison Ritzenhein** Niwot, Jr. 3200 10:28.54 Reagan Falletta Pueblo East, So. 100H 14.42 Reese Kasper Niwot, Sr. 300H 42.23 Addison Geraets Timnath, Jr. 2A 300H 45.65 Braelyn Bailey Roosevelt, Jr. High jump 5-7 Taegan Olson Roosevelt, Jr. Pole vault 12-6 Jade West** Niwot, Sr. Shot put 43-4 Jade West* Niwot, Sr. Discus 137-9

Class 3A boys

Athlete School, year Event Winning mark Brevon Doss University, Sr. 200 22.07 Jack Friesen Liberty Common, Sr. 400 49.34 Jackson Fagerlin Resurrection Chr., Sr. 800 49.34 Jackson Fagerlin** Resurrection Chr., Sr. 1600 4:15.99 Troy Sowards Centauri, Sr. High jump 6-9 Ayden Dodge Strasburg, So. 2A High jump 6-3 Ryan Martinez Eaton, Sr. Pole vault 15-5 Nicholas Rothe (’23) University, Sr. Pole vault 14-0

Class 3A girls

Athlete School, year Event Winning mark Heidi Nielsen The Classical Academy, Sr. 100 11.86 Heidi Nielsen The Classical Academy, Sr. 200 24.08 Peighton Marrero** Strasburg, Sr. 2A 400 56.24 Kyla Wolitzky Elizabeth, Sr. High jump 5-1 Brilee Jensen (’23) Coal Ridge, Sr. Shot put 38-9.5

Class 2A boys

Athlete School, year Event Winning mark Matthew Peery Peyton, Sr. 800 1:59.39 James Talbot Rangely, Sr. 1600 4:30.64 Gabe Gatti Peyton, Jr. 3200 9:51.72 Joe Probst West Grand, Sr. 110H 14.85 Brady Mollendor (’23) Sedgwick County, Jr. Triple jump 44-3.5

Class 2A girls

Athlete School, year Event Winning mark Mikaela Kendall (’23) Heritage Christian, Jr. 3200 11:46.99 Taiya Carl** Buena Vista, Sr. Pole vault 11-1

Class 1A boys

Athlete School, year Event Winning mark Dallas Calzonetti South Baca, Sr. 110H 16.11 Austin Wright Arickaree, Jr. Discus 136-11 Jackson Bevan Plateau Valley, Sr. 2A Discus 151-2

Class 1A girls

Athlete School, year Event Winning mark Roxy Unruh** Cheyenne Wells, Jr. 100 12.21 Krista Wieser (’22) Idalia, Sr. 100 13.47 Roxy Unruh ** Cheyenne Wells, Jr. 200 25.64 Roxy Unruh Cheyenne Wells, Jr. 400 57.52 Delaney Bond Cheraw, Sr. 800 2:25.76 Brooklyn Sutter Merino, Sr. 1600 5:27.71 Hannah Kugler Prairie, So. High jump 5-3 Ava Vines (’23) De Beque, Sr. High jump 5-5 Jade Kuntz** Lone Star, Jr. Pole vault 10-0 Brooklyn Schaefer Fleming, Jr. Long jump 15-9.75 Jaylyn Kechter Idalia, Sr. Discus 137-8

** Two-time champion | (’22) won in 2022 | (’23) won in 2023

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