The 2023 edition of the Colorado State Championships is nearly a day old, and yet my mind is still spinning.
Literally.
When scanning the results, it's difficult to absorb it all, because so much went down.
There are a million storylines.
So we're going to recap the highlights of the highlights as best as we can...
When the sun went down Saturday night, a jaw-dropping four state-records had gone down with it. (And that doesn't include the myriad of state meet records that also went down.)
Let's start with Tavon Underwood, who made history.
And it wasn't just his speed that was impressive...
The range of the Mead senior was on full display as he picked up three insanely impressive state titles, including one runner-up finish.
He won the 200 in 20.93, the 800 in 1:51, and finished second in the 100 behind Joseph Ciccio.
But the highlight of the meet had to be the 4A 400, where Underwood scorched a Colorado state record of 45.36, which is also a US No. 1.
To add some additional context here, previously there had never been a sub-46 clocking in Colorado. Underwood sliced nearly a full-second off J.T. Scheuerman's 17 year-old record of 46.23.
That's also 14th-best 400m time in U.S. high school history.
When the dust had settled Saturday night, Underwood has three state-leading marks.
And on the topic of breaking aged records, cue in Brandon Hills.
On Friday the Vista Peak shattered the 33 year-old long jump record, previously belonging to Chris Sanders. Hills' leapt to a new Colorado state record of 24-8, going a half-inch beyond Sanders' 24-7.5.
Add that the mark is a US No. 4.
Sticking with the theme of record-breakers, state titles no longer were elusive for Pomona's Emma Stutzman.
Photo by Bobby Reyes
She picked state title No. 1 Friday morning with a 10:12 in the 3,200 - that's the fourth-fastest time ever run in Colorado. What made her 3,200 victory all the more impressive was how she ran it - from the front. In such a loaded field which included Bethany Michalak and Brooke Wilson - Michalak ran 10:11 a few weeks ago - it's a hard way to win.
But Stutzman did.
Add that she closed in a jaw-dropping 66-seconds.
Michalak was a close runner-up in 10:16.
Stutzman doubled back a few hours later to finish second in the 800 behind Rosie Mucharsky's 2:09 (monster personal best of her own!), though Stutzman saved her best for last.
In her final race at JeffCo Stadium, history was made.
Air Academy's Michalak was running 70-second quarters like clock-work, which put Riley Stewart's two-year old 1,600 state record of 4:44.13 on alert.
And just like the 3,200 a day earlier, Stutzman had another gear.
She torched the final 250 to run a Colorado state record of 4:39.84 - that's a US No. 2 without any altitude conversions...
Editor's Note: Depending on how many seconds you'd take off for an altitude conversion, Stutzman's performance is most likely a US No. 1, as Sadie Engelhardt's 4:36.82 nation-leading time is only three-seconds ahead. The NCAA adjusts about six-seconds for the distance, which would put Stutzman right around 4:33.
Michalak also dipped under the previous state record, running 4:42.65 - and she'll be back next year...
Add that a staggering nine girls broke 5-minutes in that 5A final...
As mentioned previously, the first state record to fall this weekend came Thursday, when Mountain Vista torched a 7:42.58 Colorado 4x800 State Record.
And despite a dropped baton, Cherokee Trail also ran 7:45.69 to finish second.
Moving along...
A highlight coming out of the field events was Miller Jones, who won the 4A triple jump in a state-leading 50-5 - that's a US No. 2.
In the discus Grand Junction's Daniel Baroumbaye set a 4A state meet record of 194-11.
Mountain Vista's Rachel Bair went two-of-three in the 5A sprints, winning the 100, 400, and placing second in the 200 behind Myla Wilkes, who literally ran 24.18 in the prelims and the finals.
Moving along the topic of impressive sweeps, Mesa Ridge's Janise Everett won the 4A 100 and 200, and was on their 4x100 state title squad.
Likewise, Odone Omofoma won the 2A 100 and the 200.
The 1A spring landscape has a new star - Prairie freshman Roxy Unruh. She won the 100 and the 200, starting what could be four-years of dominance.
Sticking with the topic of sweeps, Valor's Drew Costelow defended his 5A 800 and 1,600 state titles, running 1:52 in the 800, and 4:12 in the 1,600.
Likewise, Estes Park's Austin Tice swept the mid-distance events in 3A, winning the 800 and the the 3,200. Estes Park also won the 4x800.
In the 4A 800 is was all Niwot, led by Madison Shults' 2:08.90, which was just off Taylor James' meet record of 2:08.29. Niwot took five of the top-seven spots. Shults also won the 400 in 55.76.
In the 5A hurdles Grandview's Gabriella Cunningham made no contest of the event, winning the 100H just like she has all season, running 13.78, and the 300H in 42.71.
Likewise, Nigel James won the 5A 300H in a state-leading 37.61.
On the topic of state meet records falling, Silver Creek's Megan Kelleghan capped her high school career by going out on top - literally.
Kelleghan soared over the competition to defend her 4A pole vault title - and she added a few inches to her 4A state meet record, clearing 13-5.
Moving along to busy-bodies, Eaton's Andie Rasmussen finished fifth in the 3A 100, 200, and won the 400 in 56.05.
Likewise, Kourtney Rathke was everywhere.
Photo by Bobby Reyes
The Peak to Peak junior won the pole vault with a 3A state meet record of 13-0, she won the long jump with a 18-2, finished second in the triple jump in 37-0.75, and fourth in the 100H in 15.71.
DaySpring Christian Academy's Eboselulu Omofoma lived up to the hype - she won the 2A 100H, 300H, high jump, and the the triple jump - that's a solid 40-points!
Jefferson Academy's Chrisly Kelly-Cannon had a busy weekend of his own - he won the 3A 100, finished second in the 200, third in the long jump, and finished sixth in the triple jump.
Highlights coming out of the team competition include the girl's 5A team race, where Valor Christian and Grandview took this one down to the final event of the day - the 4x400.
Valor would not be denied.
Jocelyn Millican capped her huge weekend - and high school career - anchoring Valor to victory. Valor won the team title with 84 points to Grandview's 77.
Likewise, the boy's 4A team race was decided in the 4x400, as Lutheran, Northfield, and Niwot were separated by single digits.
While Niwot won the 4x400, it wasn't enough to surpass Lutheran, who finished sixth in the event, which was enough to secure the overall team title, tallying 67-points, which was one ahead of Northfield's 66, and Niwot's 65.
RESULTS | VIDEOS | PHOTOS
Editor's Note: Bare with us over the coming days as we unload all of our videos and photos - it was a very, very busy three days....
The 2023 edition of the Colorado State Championships is nearly a day old, and yet my mind is still spinning.
Literally.
When scanning the results, it's difficult to absorb it all, because so much went down.