Spring has definitely arrived in Colorado. And I write those words because with Spring, comes WIND.

For the second, or third consecutive week the wind played a role in the results. This was not the week to circle around the track multiple times. Despite that fact, there were still some impressive performances. 

Let's get into it, here are the highlights of the highlights...

The Dakota Ridge Invitational was hottest meet of the week. And I don't mean in terms of temperature - the wind was swirling all sorts of additional challenges. 

Regis Jesuit's Fabiola Belibi torched a state-leading 14.28 to win the 100H. Chatfield's Amelia Hubbell ran a CO No. 2 to finish second in a 14.66 personal best. Hubbell did get the victory in the 300H, however. She ran 45.74 to edge out Leyah Martinez's 46.43. Meanwhile the 100 was insane - Rock Canyon's Sophia McHenry and Monarch's Julia Pattison ran the two-fastest times in the state, and showed that we've got a hotly contested battle on tap in (less than) four weeks at State... McHenry won the event in 12.02, which was two-hundredths-of-a-second ahead of Pattison's 12.04. Pattison didn't leave Jeffco without a W, however - she won the 200 in 24.83.  Olivia Alessandrini won the 800 in 2:17.95, which was just ahead of Maelynn Higgins' 2:18.00. Doubling up in distance, Emily Lamontagne ran away with the 1,600. The Arapahoe junior ran 5:01.59 for a 12-second victory. In the throws Giavonna Meeks continued to do Giavonna Meeks things. Mainly, dominate. The Northfield senior added a staggering six-feet to her discus PR, winning the event in a state-leading, US No. 4 of 162-11. She also won the shot put with a toss of 44-3. Of additional note, she currently leads Colorado in the discus by over 16-feet...

Wind-aided or not (it was), the boy's 100 was fast. Grandview's David Maldonado blazed a state-leading 10.56 to win the event. Hayden Marx and D'Andre Barnes made for a photo-finish for that runner-up spot, with Marx taking it 10.68 to 10.69. And as crazy as the wind was, so was Benjamin Anderson's 9:38 3,200 victory. The Mountain Vista freshman popped a Colorado PR in the event, despite eight laps of crazy winds. Add that it's a 5A No. 9. Meanwhile, Grandview ran a state-leading 1:28.13 in the 4x200, and Central (GJ) ran a 4A No. 2 of 8:05 in the 4x800. Sliding over the the topic of massive PRs, cue John Pastore. The Erie senior tossed 155-4 to win the discus - that's a 13-foot PR, and a 4A No. 3. In the pole vault Mateo Munoz cleared 15-1 to win the event over Lucas Couron's 14-7, while Miller Jones won the triple jump with a wind-aided 4A No. 2 of 46-3.

The shot put was the main event at the Huskie Invitational, and Mary Ella Brooks starred. The Ralston Valley sophomore had a massive PR in the event, winning it with a toss of 37-0 for a 5A No. 6. Likewise, Taylor Nichols won the boy's shot put with a toss of 52-2 - that's the sixth-consecutive time he's been over 50-feet this season.

The Coal Ridge Invitational saw some great Western Slope action.

Coal Ridge's Peyton Garrison torched a 12.16 to win the 100 in a 3A No. 1. She also won the 400 in 57.20. And keep an eye on Jessica Black. The Cedaredge freshman just dropped a 2A No. 1 of 5:13.33 to win the 1,600. Add that her victory came over defending 3A state champ - Katelyn Maley - who was a close second in 5:13.64. In the discus the event belonged to Melita Ferchau. The Gunnison senior won the event with a toss of 122-11 for a PR, and a 3A No. 2. 

The highlight from the Strasburg Dave Spiller Invitational was Zadie Mackey. The Elbert sophomore picked up her fourth-consecutive victory in the discus, winning the event with a toss of 128-6.

And on the topic of four consecutive wins in the discus, cue Durango's William Knight. The Durango senior won the event in 153-11 at the Ron Keller Invitational - that's just two-feet shy of his 155-11 personal best.

Sticking with the theme of discus domination... 

Elizabeth Brooks climbed up up the latest 2A discus rankings at the Rangely Panther Invitational. The Cedaredge sophomore won the event with a toss of 126-2 - which is a 2A No. 2. 

Likewise, Noelle Behr. moved on upwards in the discus rankings at the Rumble on the Divide. The Discovery Canyon senior added over seven feet to her previous best to win the event with a toss of 122-6 - that's a 4A No. 4.

The spotlight of the Maxine Erhmann Thornton Invite was on the field as well. Legacy's Victoria Spitzley won the pole vault with an 11-0 clearance - that's her sixth-consecutive time over 11-feet this season. And put 4A shot putters on alert - Paige Gilbert won the event with a massive nine-foot PR of 39-1 - that's a 4A No. 2. 

On the topic of throws: the Dick Evans Invitational. 

Bryant Schoenthal swept the boy's shot put and discus, winning the shot in 53-4.5, and the discus in 172-11. Correy Koellner won the girl's shot put with a toss of 38-9.

Like quite a few meets in recent weeks, the MavEagle Twilight was cut short due to raging wings. And when I write "raging winds" I mean it - it was pretty wild trying to shoot photos and videos when the wind was literally pushing me around. Regardless of the insane head-wind that bore down the final straight, the Niwot and Centaurus girls ran an impressive Sprint Medley, with Niwot taking the W in 1:51.31. Centaurus was a close second in 1:52.13.

The Jack Christensen Invite was another high quality meet.

Kevin Bruxvoort tossed a 5A No. 1 of 169-2 PR to win the discus. He was denied a sweep of the throws, however, as Cade Whish tossed 55-4.5 to win the event over Burxvoort's 54-6. Similar to Bruxvoort, Laura Davis has a massive day in the discus. The Fort Collins senior added another three-feet to her PR, winning the event in a 5A No. 3 of 128-1. She also won the shot put with a toss of 39-10. Meanwhile Brooke Naughton swept the horizontal jumps, winning the long jump in a 4A No. 4 of 18-2.5, and the triple jump in a 4A No. 3 of 37-5.25. Lily Patrick was second in 36-3.

Meanwhile Coral Tolman added six-inches to her PR to win the pole vault at the 4A Jeffco League Relays. The Standley Lake senior won the event with a 10-6 clearance.

There was plenty of action at Jeffco a day earlier at the 5A Jeffco League Relays Qualifier. Kylie Bahr won the 400 in 57.90 for a 5A No. 4, while Chatfield ran two-state leading relays. Chatfield won the 4x100 in 48.94, and the SMR in 1:46.67. In the discus Mary Ella Brooks dominated the event with a toss of 129-8.

At the Adams 12 Five Star Championships Legacy's Victoria Spitzley cleared 11-0 to win the event, while her teammates won the Sprint Medley in 1:52.66.

Kaeli Powe has put together an impressive freshmen season. And she continued to do so at the at Ponderosa Frosh/Soph Invitational. The Cherokee Trail freshman added a few inches to her triple jump PR, leaping to a 38-9.

The Denver East Angel Invite played host to a state-leading mark in the form of Ace Malone. The Castle View junior popped Colorado's first Sub-49-second quarter of the season, running 48.95 to win the event. Meanwhile Bryce Reeburgh picked up his second consecutive tight 1,600 victory, running 4:23.32, which was a second ahead of Jack Tolbert's 4:24.39. In the discus Blaine Fisher added a stellar 10-feet to his PR, tossing 170-5 to win the event.

We've got just under four weeks to State!