1A
BOYS
Can Josh Snyder sweep the distance events?
The Cheraw junior will head to Jeffco as the No. 1 seed in the 800, 1600, and the 3,200. He's run 2:03.21 in the 800, 4:36.67 in the 1,600, and 10:19 in the 3,200. What's additionally impressive is that all three personal bests have come in the last three weeks, meaning that his peaking right in time for State.
Add that Snyder isn't just the No. 1 seed - he tops each event by a dominating spread - four-seconds in the 800, 17-seconds in the 1,600, and 41-seconds in the 3,200.
A year ago he finished fourth in the 800, second in the 1,600, and third in the 3,200.
Likewise, Jacob Jefferson is in prime position to sweep the hurdles. The Arickaree senior won the 110 last year, and finished third in the 300H, but this year he's the top seed in both events (he's also got a monster range - he finished second in the 800 last year, running 2:02.)
Jefferson has run 16.07 in the 110H, and 41.67 in the 300H this year - both are PRs. Like Snyder, he tops the rankings by a sizable margin.
One additional question could be: Do Snyder and Jefferson battle it out in the middle ground - the 800?
What's additionally interesting here is that Cheraw and Arickaree will battle in a hotly contested team race - every point will matter.
The big question coming out of the boy's high jump is how hight will Scottie Vines go?
The DeBeque junior is coming in hot of his recent 7-0 clearance, which ties him at No. 7 in the US.
The 1A State Meet Record is 6-8. This mark is clearly in danger, because Vines has cleared 6-8 four times this season.
GIRLS
The main storyline coming out of the girl's side is Zadie Mackey.
The Elbert junior has been on fire all season, throwing 1A No. 1s of 144-9.5 in the discus, and 40-8 in the shot put. She leads Colorado across all-classifications in the discus.
She's tallied a staggering nine-consecutive wins in the discus this season, and eight-of-nine in the shot put.
She swept the throws a year ago. And it looks likely to happen again.
Collectively, she's perhaps the best thrower in the state.
She'll head to Lakewood as the favorite to sweep the throws.
On the track, the question is can a freshman sweep the sprints?
Roxy Unruh is the No. 1 ranked 100 and 200 sprinter. The Prairie freshman has run 12.55 in the 100, and 25.90 in the 200 this season. What's additionally impressive about her season is how she's progressed - she opened her high school career with a 13.43 in the 100, and 28.07 in the 100.
She's gotten faster nearly every week she's toed the line, meaning we're seeing an athlete find their stride.
We could also be seeing the beginning of four years of dominance.
On the topic of dominance, cue Booklyn Sutter.
The Merino sophomore tops the 800 and the 1,600, and by sizable margins. She's run 2:22.32 in the 800, and 5:29 in the 1,600. Add that she's won seven-consecutive 800s (she hasn't lost this season,) and her last two outings in the 1,600.
A year ago she finished second in the 800, and seventh in the 1,600. This year she'll head to JeffCo as the favorite in both events.
Likewise, Lisa Sutherland is in prime position to sweep the hurdles. She tops the 100H and the 300H (the 100H by nearly a full second.) She's run 15.33 in the 100H, and 47.37 in the 300H. She's been undefeated in the 300H this season, and won seven-of-eight in the 100H.
She is the defending state champ in the 100H, and she finished second in the 300H last year. This year she looks capable of sweeping the hurdles.
In the team competition Merino looks to be in a solid position to claim the title. They've got a loaded distance squad that can wrack up a ton of much-needed points.