They say gains are made when no one is looking.
I don't exactly know who "they" are, but one thing was clear inside Steinhauer Field House Thursday night - quite a few athletes have been grinding away over the "off-season."
And I put "off-season" in quotations because any competitive athlete knows there is no "off" - the "off-season" is a time when you put in the real work, so when the season arrives, you're ready.
Onwards to the topic of gains...
Last summer Charles LaFore was a 42-10.5 shot putter. But the Chatfield sophomore has clearly put in some serious work since then...
Over the past month he's inched forward, throwing 46-3, but that was just scratching the surface, because LaFore added a few more feet to that at the Colorado Mines HS Indoor Series #3 Thursday night.
LaFore won the shot put with over a four-foot personal best, tossing 50-7.5 for a Colorado No. 1 mark. And that wasn't his only victory, or PR Thursday night - he also won the weight throw with a toss of 53-6, which is also a CO No. 1.
On the topic of PRs, Daryn Ofori-Kuragu and Tavon Underwood pushed each other to new heights in the 60. Ofori-Kuragu took the win, running 7.14, which was just ahead of Underwood's 7.17.
Moving on up in distance...
Bennett Feldenkirchen won the 400 with a CO No. 2, running 52.77. Tavon Underwood was a close runner-up in 53.21.
Likewise, Luke McAlenney ran a PR of 2:05.15 to finish second in the 800, while Stephen Zukowski telescoped away with the W in the mile, running 4:43.
Meanwhile, Ryan Pollyea starred in the jumps. He added another inch to his PR in the high jump, winning the event in 6-1 for a CO No. 2. Additionally, he won the long jump with a PR of 20-09.
On the girl's side of the competition Giavonna Meeks was a big highlight of the meet. She won the weight throw with a US No. 1 of 60-1. Needless to say, that's also a CO No. 1.
Additionally Rosie Mucharsky starred in the distance events.
Mucharsky picked up two big wins, taking the 800 in 2:24.02, and running away with the mile in 5:33 - a CO No. 1.
Meanwhile, the pole vault saw three girls clear 11-feet.
Isabella Coscetti not only cleared 12-3, but also the competition. Victoria Spitzley and Katie Wrona were second and third, with both clearing 11-feet. Cosecetti also won the high jump with a 5-0 clearance.
In the shot put it was all Addison Edwards. The Cherry Creek sophomore won the event with a PR of 34-9.5.