Ever since arriving in Colorado last year, Trey Richardson has been turning over sand in the pits that doesn't normally get disturbed. Photo by Paul Jaeger.
A good chunk of triple jump talent graduated last spring, but if you're looking for a down year in this event, you've been missing some important clues.
Most of those clues have been coming by way of the indoor circuit where an unusually high percentage of Colorado's top triple jumpers have been honing the art this winter.
4A could have a serious logjam at the top. Michael Seaman (45-3.25) of Skyline High School is the returning state champ, but he will have his hands full defending that title.
Widefield brings two serious entries to the table in Tony Carodine (46-4) and Dauante Delaney (44-4.75). Carodine has been made enormous progress since last spring and may figure as the favorite going into this spring based on winter performances.
Scott Carter of Elizabeth is another who has taken a step forward. With Carter pushing out over 45 feet in the indoor season, he, too, falls in line for some serious consideration. Dominique Goins of Coronado--the next big triple jumper in line at that school--comes down from 5A to add to the muddle.
Justin Nash, Andrew Khoury, Braden Hitchcock, and Noah Harold will be set to pick off any stragglers from the lead pack in 4A.
It's difficult to imagine a classification deeper than 4A appears to be, but 5A is overloaded with triple jump talent of its own. Trey Richardson (47-10), Jonathan Edmunds (46-8), and Reginald Allison (47-2.5) should keep one another awake at night.
Fountain-Fort Carson should, like Widefield, be bringing two contenders to the tale in Kordale Taylor and Trey Talley. Both were pushing 45 feet last spring. Others who went over 43 feet last spring include Richard Smith, Thomas Singleton, Riley Travis, and Ryan Hamlin. The top three may or may not be uncatchable, but there are no weaknesses in the next tier.
3A takes a little break from the intensity. The leader going into the season is sophomore Collin Scheer of The Classical Academy. Scheer has been pounding the indoor circuit along with the big guns from 4A and 5A. And Scheer's 43-3 from last season is easily the top 3A mark entering the season. The next 3A returner doesn't weigh in until 41-8, but that mark could be deceiving. The mark belongs to CJ Kukus of Brush who probably qualifies as a jump phenom. To this point, Kukus has spent his springs chasing baseballs. Rumor has him jumping full-time this spring and that could make a quick and substantial difference in his triple jump PR.
2A's top threats are Corey Miller of Wiggins (42-3.5) and Coley David (42-0.25) of Burlington. Shane Terrell of Yuma is close enough behind that the front two can't afford to take anything for granted.
The 1A preseason favorite status belongs to Adam Marostica of Idalia (41-9.25). That one's worth pinning an asterisk to because it's just yet one more example of that something special going on at Idalia High School. Though one of the smallest schools in the state, Idalia produces track and field talent grossly out of proportion to its numbers.
So, the moral to the story? Take a stroll over to the fence alongside the triple jump pit a time or two while you're taking in the spectacles at the state meet.