Longmont's Steven Wacker won the 4A pole vault competition on misses at 15-0. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Brandon Cartagena and Harrison Einspahr both figure to get a lot of work tomorrow as their respective teams chase a 4A state title.

The league meets are now done. The big event is nearly upon us.

Doherty's Ryne Chavez posted one of the season's best 300 hurdle times with a 38.12 at Friday's Coronado Cougar Classic. Photo by Alan Versaw.

  Milesplit previews this weekends Golden Stripes Girls 1600.  The winner claims their spot in the Jim Ryun Dream Mile.  

Milesplit previews this weekends Golden Stripes Girls Mile.  The winner claims their spot in the Jim Ryun Dream Mile.

The power surge doesn't get much bigger than it is when Zainab Sanni and Chyna Ries come off the line. Photo by Alan Versaw.

The newly resurfaced Mullen High School track will be the scene of the best track and field action in Colorado on Saturday. Contributed photo.

Mullen's Jaylyn Mars makes up the stagger well before the turn is done. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Lutheran's Kendall Horan was one of several 2A girls who enjoyed a large measure of success this weekend. Photo by Paul Jaeger.

Between Gina Hauptman, Hannah Everson, and Heather Bates (plus a few more), the distance competition figures to be pretty brutal around Colorado Springs this spring. Colorado Track XC file photo.

There's been a lot going on in track and field that hasn't quite fit into an article all by itself. So, here's my attempt at cobbling together something that puts the recent news into one simple read.

Marcus Dickson breaks the tape in the Mile by Angela Collins) Marcus Dickson  put the finishing touches on a great day of racing at Brooks with his dramatic victory in the Boys Mile in the last race of the day.

Jasmine Todd dominated her second indoor meet in as many attempts on Saturday night in Albuquerque. Colorado Track XC file photo.

Sydney Scott, right, raced to 26th and a time of 18:17.2 at Saturday's Foot Locker Nationals. Photo by Don Rich, Penn Track XC.

Winners table from Saturday in Myrtle Beach. Photographs will be added to winners table as soon as time allows. 

Sarah Baxter (CA) won the individual title with a time of 17:38, 3rd fastest on the course.  Haley Pierce (DE) was 2nd, Katie Knight (WA) was 3rd and Jillian Fanning (NY) was 4th. Fayetteville-Manlius (NY) set history once again with their 6th straight team victory at NXN.  This years squad faced quite a bit of adversity, losing two of their top-5 but still retained their position atop the podium.  Saratoga Springs (NY) made them work for it, finishing 2nd by just 24 points with a score of 60 to 84.  Tatnall (DE) finished an impressive 3rd with 186 points.

Monarch's girls and a few bold enough to run with them pass under the shade of an enormous tree at Saturday's Pat Patten Invitational in Boulder. Photo by Jeff McCoy.

Fruita Monument's Kyler Brown made the four-hour trip over from west of Grand Junction to win the Aurora Invitational. Photo by Jeff McCoy.

Colorado Springs has been home to a lot of top cross country talent for a long time. Hannah Everson and Bryce Gregoire run in that tradition. Colorado Track XC file photos.

Numerous Colorado entries advance to nationals (cover photo submissions welcomed).

Heather Bates and Sydney Scott might find themselves dueling at the front again in cross country. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Lindsey Stindt is one of the big reasons that neither Lyons nor Akron may come in as the 2A girls favorite next spring. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Skyline's Richard Feltenberger dominated the 4A shot put competition this spring. Photo by Jeff McCoy.

Valerie Allman has been winning meet titles everywhere she goes this season. Photo by Jeff McCoy.

If you saw the finish of this race, you aren't likely to forget it any time soon. Photo by Alan Versaw.

That look of confidence on Kelsey Lakowske's face isn't necessarily good news for the rest of the 5A field. Photo by Jeff McCoy.

Boulder brings an excellent pack time and favorite status into the Division I girls race at Liberty Bell. Photo by Alan Versaw.  

Monarch's Kirk Webb outduels Mountain Vista's Stephen Chipman to the finish line at the St. Vrain Invitational. Photo by Alan Versaw.

If you can't spot a few contenders for the individual state title in this photo, you aren't very familiar with 5A girls cross country. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Doherty's Kenneth Chambers, winner of the 5A 100 and 200 meter dash, was an unanimous all-state selection. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Heather Bates, shown here at the state track meet, won a Great Southwest title in the 3200 meters. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Freshman Ben Goodman nips brother Andrew Goodman at the finish of the Ray Campbell Invitational 800 meters. Photo by Mark Weeks.

But it wasn't just the field event participants who shone.

Carlton Lavong, Methacton, records a US#14 A-T 24-11 leap and Davis Fraker,  McIntosh, set a HS record with his 65-8.25 heave.

For years out of memory, the Simplot Games was the destination of choice for Colorado's indoor track contingent. But now there's a new kid on the block.

Colorado has sent a lot of individuals, and a lot of teams, to Foot Locker Nationals and NTN/NXN. More than you might think. Photo by Jeff Bliven.

Erin Hooker enjoyed the brightest moment yet of a very promising high school cross country career at NXN. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Arguably Colorado's top two freshman runners of 2009, Kailie Hartman and Heather Bates battle for places late in the NXN-Southwest Regional race. Photo by Alan Versaw.  

Several Colorado teams and several more individuals will be laying it on the line in Tempe, Arizona, on Saturday.

As they had done all season long, Walter Schafer and Kelsey Lakowske dominated the 5A competition at the state meet. Photos by Mark Oveson and Alan Versaw.

Jordan Montera of Pueblo West battles Chad Palmer of Alamosa for position in the final quarter mile. Photo by Eric Flores.

Still undefeated on the season, Boulder's Kelsey Lakowske posted a huge win at the Front Range Conference meet in Loveland. Photo by Jim Lewis.  

Chris Zirkle, after finishing fourth at the Chris Severy Invitational, will be counted on to lead a much improved Moffat County team into the championship season. File photo by Alan Versaw.

One of the surprises of the season thus far has been the Pine Creek girls, led by freshman Heather Bates. Photo by Alan Versaw.