1A Statewide Invitational Championships

Although billed as a "statewide" invitational, only eastern Colorado schools showed up. Nevertheless, they showed up en masse. And, we can now name Otis as king of the mountain among the 1A eastern Colorado schools. Despite the wind, Birdie Hutton smashed the meet 3200 record and beat the defending champion to win the 800.

3A Metro League Meet

Let's just say the Holy Family girls put on a convincing display of dominance. For the boys, it was the high-end performances of the Faith Christian boys winning out over the depth of the Holy Family boys.

Devon White of Machebeuf emerges as a legitimate threat to sweep the 3A boys sprints. It's a tough year to do that, but White is the strongest overall contender thus far in the sprint events.

Canon City Blossom Invitational

They need to stop inviting the schools from the San Luis Valley to this meet--they're starting to beat up on people. The DeSouchet sister act was at it again--winning the 800 and 3200, and then running three of the four legs of the winning 4x400. And, Kristjian Malouff sent himself to the front of the 3A discus pack with a nice toss of 156-6. As an aside, I really appreciate anyone who works or volunteers at a track meet, but somehow we need to spread the word that the discus is only marked to inches.

In case you've forgotten about Travvis Scott, he high jumped 6-8 at this meet. Coronado has jumpers this year.

Cedaredge Bruin Invitational

Call it a hunch, but I think the Cedaredge Bruins were trying to send a message to the assorted 3A contenders with their sprint relays. The message reached my eyes. Look for blue uniforms in the sprint relays at state--they'll be up front.

Otherwise, it appears the wind messed with meet results just a little.

Cherry Creek/Grandview Invitational

Winning the boys 1600 at this meet was no small accomplishment. Kudos to Chris Ganem on that. And, that was a scorcher of a 4x200 Cherokee Trail posted. Somehow, though, I'm growing accustomed to seeing that sort of thing from them.

For the girls, Olivia Anderson and Stephanie Gerber had outstanding meets. Try to act surprised.

Clint Wells Invitational

Moffat County postponed their invitation to Monday of last week. It probably cost them a few teams. But, at least Brian Ivy posted a nice triple jump for the hometown folks. Maddy Jourgensen definitely needs a few more people to chase her around the track. She may be a middle distance sleeper coming into the state meet.

FPL/WCL League Meet

I'm willing to wager most of you don't have clue one where Weston, Colorado, is. Custer County does. They went down there and cleaned up at their league meet. So, how many of you know where Custer County is?

Frontier League Meet

The Frontier folks came down and had a combined league meet with the 3A Metro folks at Holy Family. This might have been a good deal more interesting if they had combined the scoring, but they didn't (for understandable reasons).

Samantha Berggren posted a very nice 800 to win the league title and got a lot of support from teammates to help the Panthers bring home the league title over Platte Canyon.

Grand Junction Tiger Invitational

We haven't heard a lot from Annie Kunz this season, but the hurdle folks in Grand Junction heard plenty. There were a lot of hurdlers left in her wake.

Ryan Duman of Pomona had a nice double in the boys throwing events.

Jeffco 5A JV Meet

John Martin All Comers Meet

One coach in attendance at this meet that "five or six  team invitationals are the wave of the future." He might be right. It keeps your team together and they're much easier to reschedule in the event of weather disruptions.

And, as you look down through the list of performances for this meet, you realize you don't have to have 20 or 25 teams to have top-tier performances.

So, how many meet officials and timing systems do we have available in the state?

Lower Platte League Meet

Akron's girls and Wray's boys spent a little time tuning up their shows at the league meet without dipping too deep into the pool of reserves. The biggest mark of the meet, however, was probably a 21-7 long jump from Holyoke's Kyle Carper.

Patriot League Meet

The guy (or gal) at the wind gauge had to wonder what the point was. For the most part, marking down -9.x would have covered it all. It's a little disconcerting when hurdlers get blown back over the hurdles (only a slight exaggeration, folks).

Apparently, though, the wind doesn't affect that shot put. At least not with Kali Wolaver or Lucas Navarro throwing.

Pioneer League Championship

There's more talent here than you would think probable for a five-team league. Open up the meet results and take a look at history, because next year these schools each go their separate ways into different leagues and even different classifications.

Platte Valley JV Meet

Southwest Colorado Multi-League Meet

Myra Dean continues to impress in the high jump. The 3A standard is now at 5-6 and moving up.

The Dolores girls pounded a very nice 4x100. This is one 2A girls relay that won't go down without a fight. Llindsey Stindt of Norwood is starting to look more and more like a multis kind of athlete with each new meet.

Spartan-Indian Invitational

If you missed the boys 400 at this meet, you missed something special. I'm wondering how often we've had four runners in under 49.00 in an invitational meet--anywhere in Colorado. And, speaking of 400s, how about GinAsia Hamilton in the girls event?

The discus throws by Jamarius Mathis and Jaden Terry were monsters. Mathis added a pretty nice shot put to top the day off.

St. Vrain Invitational

Weather just didn't cooperate for this meet this year. First a cancellation, then 30 mph winds on the make-up date. As was the case all week long, though, the discus throwers didn't seem to mind.

Elsehwere, Samantha Kee was brilliant in the short springs. TV teammates Becky Schmitt and Karina Ernst posted a very nice 1600. And, Aaron Praska continued a season of solid hurdle races.

Swink Open

The listing of national elites below tells the story. Discus, it would seem, is king in the tiny agricultural community of Eads. Imagine what the throwing events would be like at your school if one in 20 students at your school was throwing the disc like Garrett Smith or the siblings Weirich.

Thomas Jefferson Twilight Invitational II

Pam Yu wins both horizontal jumps on a very nice evening for the Highlands Ranch crew. Eleanor Fulton's name shows up on a couple of interesting relays--the sprint medley and 4x400. Make of that what you will.

Thornton HS Last Chance Meet

Fairview's Kenny Bell had a very nice meet. The 100-HJ-LJ is a very interesting, and somewhat unusual triple crown.

Kirk Webb of Monarch keeps his spikes in the 5A 800 meter derby, dipping below 1:55.

And that 4x200 the Douglas County girls posted was pretty impressive, too.

Tri-Peaks League Meet

By any high school standards, 45-6.5 is a monster shot put. And with that throw, Megan Patterson solidifies her grip on the season-best mark for the state, any classification. What we're maybe not quite so accustomed to seeing from Ms. Patterson are discus throws in excess of 130 feet.

Union Pacific League Meet

In a final tune-up before regionals, Limon dominates the show on their own home track, but Burlington at least made it interesting for one gender. Nolan Queen of Burlington adds his name to a list of very nice throws for the week.

Yuma Washington County Area Prequalifier

The Yuma track was busy this week. Of the two meets, though, this one had less wind.

Lance Pickett of Otis is getting some nice shot puts. Holyoke's girls posted a 4x400 that indicates they haven't thrown in the towel to Akron yet. It's more fun when things stay interesting.