Photo by Bobby Reyes
3A
Girls Pole Vault
Two of the best pole vaulters in Colorado - and the country - will go head-to-head here.
They're both state champions. And they're both seniors.
Peak to Peak's Kourtney Rathke is the two-time defending state champ, winning in 2022 and 2023, and she'll battle 2021 state champ, The Classical Academy's Anna Willis.
Rathke is a storyline on her own, as she's competing in multiple events, and one of the best long jumpers in the country, but we'll stick to the pole vault here...
Willis has been on a tear as of late, recently clearing 13-6 several weeks ago, meaning she's finding her stride right in time. Rathke has cleared 13-4 this season, and was the New Balance Nationals Indoor runner-up with a 13-7.5 clearance.
We've been talking about a potential state record in the pole vault for years since this event has been loaded, and this week's state meet looks no different.
Spectators will want to keep an eye on the bar, as the 3A state meet record is 13-0 (owned by Rathke from 2023), and the Colorado all-classification state record is 13-9, set by Andrea Willis (Anna's older sister) in 2016.
The girls pole vault it scheduled for Friday at 2:30 p.m.
Boys Distance
On the topic of being on a tear, cue Resurrection Christian's Jackson Fagerlin.
Fagerlin has the potential to sweep the distance events - he's the top-seed in the 800 with a 1:52.41 clocking, the 1,600 with a 4:15.10, and the 3,200 with a 9:22. ,
He currently leads 3A in the 800 by four-seconds, the 1,600 by three-seconds, and the 3,200 by 16-seconds.
Last year he finished second in the 1,600, and third in the 3,200. As a freshman he won 1,600.
Fagerlin has had a streak of PRing at the state meet, which means we could see some real fireworks here.
He'll likely have competition with The Classical Academy's Matthew Edwards.
Edwards has raced sparingly this spring, though he has clocked 8:54 in the 3,200 at Arcadia Invitational (lower elevations,) which translates to around 9:12ish in Colorado.
Additionally, Edwards is the defending state champ in the 3,200.
Girls Distance
Two questions here...
1) How fast will Isabel Allori run?
2) Does she go for the triple?
Obviously the answer to the second question could affect the answer to the first.
The Liberty Common senior is the top-seed in the 800, 1,600, and 3,200, clocking 2:10.14, 4:46.83, and 10:04.
Her 10:04 state record came barely a week ago, meaning she's in prime shape to run fast.
Having that in her back-pocket opens up the question of: does she chase Emma Stutzman's 1,600 state record of 4:39.94? (She might not be the only one - you can read about that in the 4A Preview...)
Allori already owns the 3A state meet record, but she could very well take down Taryn Ceglowski's 2:09.19 from 2017, and Caroline Cretti,'s 10:52.49 from 2002 (in addition to her own 1,600 of 4:55.12 from 2022.)
Last year she spent the second-half of the track season injured, though she swept the 1,600 and 3,200 as a sophomore in 2022, and finished third in the 800.
This brings us back to the first two questions: Chase records? Or capture the elusive triple?
Either way, she'll cap her high school career with multiple state titles, and a state record to her name.