5A girls: too much ground to make up

Generally speaking it didn't matter where Ally Watt got the baton, the race was over once she did. But it still wasn't enough to catch Fort Collins. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Pine Creek was closing fast all day Saturday. It just wasn't fast enough. The lead Fort Collins had amassed on day one and day two of the state meet put the thing safely out of reach.

That lead that allowed Fort Collins to hold off a late charge from Pine Creek was largely a lead built on the backs of three individuals. Lauren Gregory's part was a first, and near state meet record, in the 3200, a second by the narrowest of margins in the 1600, and a fourth in the 800. Josephine Natrasevschi added a first in both the shot put and discus. Audra Koopman's part was a second in the long jump and a seventh in the 100.

But all that, impressive as it is, would not have been enough to hold off the Eagles. Other critical pieces were added by a first in the 4x800, a third in the SMR8, a fifth for Becca Schulte in the 400, a sixth for Emma Dern in the shot put, and an after-it-was-all-decided seventh in the 4x400. Take away almost any of these pieces and the meet ends up with a different outcome.

That different outcome would have belonged to Pine Creek. The Eagles, too, were very impressive.

It's difficult to pick a most impressive moment out of Ally Watt's weekend, but it may have come on Saturday morning in the 100 meter finals. At eight meters, Watt may have been dead last in the field. At the very least, she was last among the serious contenders. But, it certainly didn't end that way. Watt ended up winning by .16 over Dior Hall. And, in 100 meter dash terms, .16 is a whole lot of real estate. Seeing that gave a few thousand fans a much clearer impression of why Watt is such a deadly anchor leg on the 4x100 and 4x200.

Those relays, of course, won state titles. When Watt got the baton, it was game over--in a hurry. The Pine Creek 4x200 established a new all-classification record, the 4x100 missed that distinction by .04 of second. With nothing but pride on the line in the 4x400, Pine Creek rolled out another outstanding relay performance with a winning 3:49.30 in the 4x400, this one without Watt (who used up her event quota earlier in the afternoon with the 200 and 4x100). Mackenzie Howie also posted a big contribution to the cause with a third, and seven points, in the 300 hurdles.

In the final tally, though, it was Fort Collins 84 and Pine Creek 80. Cherry Creek would take third at 67.

The big moments of the weekend didn't belong solely to Fort Collins and Pine Creek. There would also be Dior Hall's 13.09 (+1.6) US AT #3 hurdles mark. There would be Carly Lester's new Colorado all-classification record of 41.18 in the 300 hurdles. Lester has been knocking on that door for a while now and finally blew the door wide open. She would spend a little time bent over after the feat, however. Such is the price of breaking that kind of record.

Chyna Ries would fly beyond 20 feet in the long jump yet again. Consistency has become Ries's trademark this season. And consistency isn't necessarily easy to come by in the long jump. Heather Waite barely kept Stephanie Bess from winning two events by claiming the pole vault title on misses. Nobody was that close to Bess in the triple jump, however. Jordyn Colter went sub-2:10 and sub-5 to win the 800 and 1600. Heather Harrower claimed the 400 meter title at 54.90. Nobody had any answers to Harrower's charge down the finish straight.

Colorado State Track and Field Championships

On-Site Coverage

2A boys: safety in numbers

The uniforms at the start of the 2A boys 200 tended toward the side of monochromatic. Photo by Alan Versaw.

1A girls: non-stop suspense

If you are looking for unsung heroes in Shining Mountain's state championship story, look no further than Paisley Sheehan. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Hurdle Race + Destruction Derby = Viral Video Success!

Want to watch the actual race video of the above carnage from a hurdles race at the Colorado High School Track & Field State Meet this past weekend? Check out the linked article with video with a story context or watch the video directly here.

Another tidal wave of records

The lengthy list of state meet records from 2014 includes a 53.44 400 from Nicole Montgomery. Photo by Alan Versaw.

5A boys: a tale of tumbling batons

The eventual top teams were nicely represented the 5A boys 100 meter final, but it was Trey Smith of Douglas County in lane one who took the event title. Photo by Alan Versaw.

The 3A 110 meter hurdles train wreck

Nothing at today's opening day of the 2014 Colorado State Track and Field Championships generated as much buzz and conversation as the train wreck at the fifth hurdle of the 3A boys 110 meter hurdles prelims, first heat. Photo by Eric Versaw.

State Saturday track event heat sheets

One of the things you can look forward to on Saturday is a kind of rematch of today's 4x200 final between Fountain-Fort Carson and Cherokee Trial in the 4x100. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Friday notes: 5A

Cerake Geberkidane and Blake Yount battled for the entire last 300 meters of the 5A boys 800. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Friday notes: 1A

Clay Russell keeps Idalia's Erick Enriquez-Acosta in second place around the third turn. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Seeing red

TCA's Andrea Willis sets a new 3A pole vault standard at 11-6. Photo by Tim Hilt.

Friday notes: 4A

Elise Cranny's 10:17.48 3200 eclipsed all other state meet news on Friday. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Friday notes: 3A

Coal Ridge extended their tradition of relay excellence with a big win in the girls 4x200. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Friday notes: 2A

Morgan Hartigan pitched a win for Paonia in the shot put with a throw of 39-10. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Tales from the pit

Taylor Alexander rose to the occasion to reset her own 1A state meet record, a few times over. Photo by Tim Hilt.

Thursday notes: 3A

Sarah Yocum had a very nice first day of her first state meet, with promises of more to come. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Thursday notes: 4A and 5A

Fort Collins moved by Monarch on the second leg of the 4x800 and never looked back. Photo by Alan Versaw.

Videos

Colorado State Championships - 3A Boys 110 Hurdles Prelims Colorado State Championships - 4A Girls 3200 Finals Colorado State Championships - 5A Girls 4x200 Prelims Colorado State Championships - 5A Boys 4x200 Finals
Colorado State Championships - 5A Boys 800 Finals Colorado State Championships - Olabisi Johnson Interview Colorado State Championships - Alleandra Watt Interview Colorado State Championships - Andy Bowles Interview
Colorado State Championships - Ashley Miller Interview Colorado State Championships - Broomfield Eagles 1600 Boys Colorado State Championships - Corissa Guynes Interview Colorado State Championships - Carly Lester Interview
Colorado State Championships - Cedaredge Bruins 4x100 Girls Colorado State Championships - Cerake Geberkidane Interview Colorado State Championships - Cherokee Trail Cougars 400 Boys Colorado State Championships - Cherry Creek Bruins 4x400 Boys
Colorado State Championships - Chris Baker Interview Colorado State Championships - Conner Wilburn Interview Colorado State Championships - Clay Russell Interview Colorado State Championships - Dior Hall Interview
Colorado State Championships - Dominic Compoz Interview Colorado State Championships - Elizabeth Cardinals 4x100 Boys Colorado State Championships - Fountain Fort Carson Trojans 4x40 Colorado State Championships - Fountain Fort Carson Trojans 100
Colorado State Championships - Hannah Carr Interview Colorado State Championships - Harrison Panthers 4x100 Girls Colorado State Championships - Heather Harrower Interview Colorado State Championships - Hotchkiss Bulldogs 400 Girls
Colorado State Championships - Jayce Hall Interview Colorado State Championships - Jackson Spalding Interview Colorado State Championships - The Classical Academy Titans 300 Colorado State Championships - Jordyn Colter Interview
Colorado State Championships - Katie Rainsberger Interview Colorado State Championships - Kayla Pinnt Interview Colorado State Championships - Kayla Zink Interview Colorado State Championships - Kelsi Lasota Interview
Colorado State Championships - Kevin McClanahan Interview (1/2) Colorado State Championships - Kevin McClanahan Interview (2/2) Colorado State Championships - Lance Munoz Interview Colorado State Championships - Lauren Gregory Interview
Colorado State Championships - Lutheran Lions 100 Boys Colorado State Championships - Lyons Lions 110 Hurdles Boys Colorado State Championships - Manitou Springs Mustangs 4x100 Bo Colorado State Championships - Marissa Storey Interview
Colorado State Championships - Miguel Molas Interview Colorado State Championships - Miranda Mathiason Interview Colorado State Championships - Nick Deray Interview Colorado State Championships - Nicole Montgomery Interview
Colorado State Championships - Palmer Ridge Bears 4x400 Boys Colorado State Championships - Paonia Eagles 200 Girls Colorado State Championships - Lyons Lions 1600 Boys Colorado State Championships - Pine Creek Eagles 4x400 Girls
Colorado State Championships - Rachel & Rebekah Rairdon Intervie Colorado State Championships - Ryan Dollerschell Interview Colorado State Championships - Ryan Younggreen Interview Colorado State Championships - Sarah Yocum Interview
Colorado State Championships - Shining Mountain Waldorf Lions 4x Colorado State Championships - Sophia Anderson Interview Colorado State Championships - Spencer Long Interview Colorado State Championships - The Classical Academy Titans 4x40
Colorado State Championships - Trevor Lyons Interview Colorado State Championships - Will Schmidt Interview Colorado State Championships - Zac Petrie Interview

Girls Highlights

Boys Highlights