Fort Collins will need a big weekend out of their sprinters if they are to repeat as state champions this year.
Despite the fact that I have a very strong sense we haven't yet seen all that we're going to see from Cherokee Trail, I do believe this still comes down between Grandview and Fort Collins.
So, who do you like? Would it be Grandview with Michaeala Onyenwere, Leilah Vigil, Kaitlyn Mercer, Brie Oakley, Lily Williams, Kennede Brown, Kylee Harr, and the rest of the cast? Or would it be Fort Collins with Audra Koopman, Jasmine Chesson, Lauren Gregory, Emma Dern, Samantha Gordon, and the rest of the bah-ram-ewe crowd?
Maybe the team with better umbrellas?
This should be an exceptionally good test of will, for a wide range of reasons.
Brie Oakley has had Lauren Gregory's number for a while now, but you've been missing something if you haven't noticed that Gregory has been closing the gap again. If Gregory can turn the tables, in either the 160 or the 32, this weekend, it's a huge bonus for the team in purple. Regardless, there's a good chance the all-class 3200 record takes a tumble this weekend. And, let's be honest: Madison Mooney ranks as at least a wild card in the 1600 contest. You don't get to ignore someone who won at Arcadia simply because Gregory and Oakley are on the start line.
Gabriella McDonald is the favorite in both throwing events, but it's close enough in the shot put that you probably want to put in an appearance (I'm guessing there will be a lot more standing than sitting this weekend) just to check and see.
There's an exceptional battle building in the triple jump, where Kiana Jackson faces Anna Hart and Sydnee Larkin.
It's impossible to guess what the eventual outcome of the high jump will be. For one thing, you have the weather--and different athletes will respond differently. For another, you have nine athletes between 5-4 and 5-5 for seed marks. And, finally, you have a highly technical event and the state meet. In short, there are no favorites and anything could happen here. Incidentally, both Fort Collins and Grandview have a serious stake in this outcome.
Whether or not she is challenged in either event, Emily Sloan figures to put on a show worth seeing in the 100 and 300 hurdles. The same goes for Arria Minor in the 100, 200, and 400. Cool temps and rain, however, could put a damper on the possibility for all-class records that might otherwise be in play.
Mountain Vista has 13 seconds of seeding edge on Broomfield in the 4x800. These girls have seen a lot of each other this school year, and I don't think it's reasonable to expect 13 seconds of difference in the final result. You might, however, see a scorching time by both.
See instructions in this article for creating your own 5A Girls virtual meet, up-to-date with all of the scratches!
