Annie Kunz's versatility makes Wheat Ridge a 4A title threat. Photo by Alan Versaw.
There may be no better team contest at this year's state meet than the 4A girls battle. No one team is enjoying a breakout year, but several teams have reason to hope that, given enough breaks, they could end up on top of the pile.
Erie - This one may be a bit of a surprise entry on the list to many. And all the more so in that just a few short years ago, Erie was a 3A team. But the school has grown and this year's version of the team is the best in a long time for the Tigers--maybe the best ever. Relays are part of the success story. Erie boasts strong 4x400, 4x800 and SMR8 relays. The 4x800 is a legitimate threat to come home with a state title. Much of the relay success owes to Madeline Anderson, who also happens to own the best open 400 time among 4A girls this spring. Nicole Hulett is very much in the mix of the high jump battle. And this roster of potential state placers leaves Erie, in all probability, just a little short. Still, it's a team worth paying attention to.
Glenwood Springs - At the beginning of the season, this team looked like a strong contender for the state title. And, they're still a very good team, but the season has not--to date--materialized according to the hopes and dreams of the Demons. Madi Goodstein has had a solid season hurdling, but will need to have a breakthrough state meet to score the kind of points Glenwood Springs needs. Jolie Dubois is caught up in a numbers game in a very good 4A sprint season. Dubois has been a state-placing sprinter in previous years, but the 100 field, especially, seems a bit faster and deeper than in previous years. The famous Glenwood Springs relays have mostly lived up to expectations (the Demons rank #1 in both the 4x200 and 4x400), but the relay depth this program has enjoyed in recent years seems to have hit a thinner spot. Field events don't appear ready to score state points. A big surge is not yet out of the question, but a big surge will be needed for Glenwood to make it to the 4x400 finals with hopes of winning more than just the relay.
Greeley Central - Allie Parks (3200) and Addy Neibauer (PV) are the big-ticket items for the Wildcats. Parks could also score in the 1600, but the 3200 is clearly a better race for her. The absence of Janelle Martinez this season has hurt Greeley Central's hopes, and perhaps nowhere more so than in the 4x800. Alyson Foust has had a solid season pole vaulting and figures to collect some points in her specialty. This much definitely makes Greeley Central a top-10 kind of team, but probably not a certified title contender.
Mullen - If you had to pick a winner today, this would likely be your pick, and largely because Christine Scott has established herself as the top 4A girls sprinter (and pretty close to the state's top female sprinter, period). Scott has not been overracing this spring and so figures to be running on fresh legs at the state meet. Taylor Klein has been a pleasant surprise for Mullen in the hurdles. Kelly Moore is among the 3A leaders in the high jump. And the sprint relays are clicking along according to the usual Mullen standards. All this makes Mullen a tough team to beat if the state meet goes well for the Mustangs. But, one dropped baton, or one little slip somewhere else, and Mullen is vulnerable to being overtaken.
Niwot - Niwot always has a solid team, but has been snakebitten so far as taking a team to the top goes. Kelsey Traxinger is enjoying a standout season in the 400, and some of that success has spilled over into the 800 as well. Dana Maydew, a freshman, has added some nice support--even if she may not be quite ready to score in an individual event this spring (but don't be too quick to discount that possibility). Elise Cranny has continued the success of her cross country season at 1600 and 3200 meters. The 4x800 figures as the 4A favorite, Erie notwithstanding. But it's not the status of a prohibitive favorite yet.
Pueblo South - Megan Patterson adds a near-certain 10 points in the shot put. But the Colts will need other stars to shine as well. To date Patterson has not had the kind of discus throws that would put her in contention for top-three kind of points in an extremely tough 4A discus field. Samantha Bellah, however, is among the classification's best pole vaulters. Tyra Cruz gives the Colts two likely placers in the shot put. A good day at the high jump pit for Angelique Urenda could nicely augment the point total. To date, only the 4x200 relay has shown the kind of promise that might end up in state points. The Colts still need a few more answers and time to find those answers is growing short.
Pueblo West - The addition of G'naya Stewart to the sprint corps has made Pueblo West a top-ten kind of team among 4A girls. But the four-event rule will mean that Stewart can't do the 100, 200, 400, SMR8, 4x200, and 4x400. And that will diminish the Cyclones' chances at state. The 4x800 has been performing well this spring, but probably only figures for mid-level points in that event. All this would mean that Pueblo West probably needs another year of development to get to where they'd like to be.
Thompson Valley - It seems we can't have a track or cross country season without taking in Thompson Valley as a contender. Karina Ernst just might sweep the 800 and 1600 for the Eagles. Ernst also ranks high in the 3200, but it's a fair question whether or not she will run that event at state. Her strength seems to lie at shorter distances. Relays have produced very well for Thompson Valley in the past, but to this point in the season, the relays seem to have been missing on one or two cylinders. There is potential to score points, but the potential hasn't put all the pieces together yet. Freshman Lindsey Kroboth sits at second in the 4A high jump rankings, but only by the most slender of margins. It's probably best not to try to take those 8 points to the bank yet.
Valor Christian - The sprint crew has come along very nicely, but it would be better for Valor if MaryBeth Sant had the 100 and 200 to herself. As it is, she will go into the state meet as an underdog to Mullen's Christine Scott. Valor's chances get a lot better in a hurry if Sant can pull an upset in either of the short sprints. The 4x100 has certainly been humming along nicely, but more pieces are needed in other events. Jenine Becky is having a nice hurdle season as is Claire Mueller in the pole vault, but, for now, Valor's hopes seem to require someone or two in front of them stumbling. This is a very good team, yes, but not a team fully in control of their own destiny.
Wheat Ridge - When you bring the classification's best all-around athlete into the state meet, you're going to score some points. Kunz ranks at the top in the high jump, triple jump, 100 hurdles, and 300 hurdles. She's near the top in the long jump. So, give her 40 points if she has a great state meet. 40 points isn't likely to win this thing, but it's conceivable that it's close enough to keep hope alive. Payton Miller and Kait Boisnard offer some interesting possibilities in the sprints. There could be a few points coming from these two. At that point, however, the possibilities for state points this year begin running dry. And that's not great news for the Farmers.
Annie Kunz's versatility makes Wheat Ridge a 4A title threat. Photo by Alan Versaw.