Colorado state track meet: Storylines, returning champions and what to know ahead of this weekend

A rundown of the CHSAA state track and field meet to be held Thursday through Saturday at Jeffco Stadium in Lakewood.

12 things to watch

1. Niwot’s dynasty: The Cougar girls have won five straight Class 4A titles by a wide margin and are poised to make a run at a sixth straight this week. Niwot is headlined by nationally renowned runner Addison Ritzenhein as well as defending throws champ Jade West and senior hurdler Reese Kasper. All three have marks that are among the best in the country.

2. 5A boys sprints: Last year, Cherokee Trail’s Peyton Sommers won the 100-, 200 and 400-meter titles, but the senior battled injuries this year and didn’t qualify for the 100 and 200. Brighton senior Ryan Elsen and Chaparral senior Wilkins Persichina headline both events in ’25. Sommers will have a chance to win the 400 for the third year in a row.

3. 4×100 flash: Eaglecrest’s 400-meter girls relay team set the state record in the event in the Centennial League finals last week. The combination of Tatum Gratix, Zenobia Witt, Jaylynn Wilson, and Eva Ansah clocked a 46.41, besting the prior record of 46.51.

4. Powe-rful leaper: Senior Kaeli Powe, one of the top high school girls leapers in the country, is chasing a state title double. The Central Florida commit comes into the weekend with top-five marks nationally in the long jump (20-0) and triple jump (41-6.25). She won the latter last spring, but faces a strong field in the long jump with Zenobia Witt of Eaglecrest looking to repeat as champ and Pueblo West’s Bradie Menegatti and Ralston Valley’s Emmaliegh Malcolm also lurking with national top-50 marks.

5. 4A long jump: Speaking of talented long jumpers, the 4A boys meet is loaded with ’23 3A champ Jayden Nohr facing off against Lewis-Palmer senior Jamesly Kelly-Cannon and Palmer Ridge senior Jonathan Rice in what figures to be a compelling competition. Nohr, a UCCS commit, has the 19th-best prep long jump mark (23-7.5) in the country, while Kelly-Cannon (23-2) and Rice (23-0.75) also have top-50 jumps.

6. Ward’s repeat: A year after Jarrius Ward set the 5A state meet discus record with a throw of 203 feet, 4 inches to upset Chatfield’s Charles LaFore, Ward is the top-ranked competitor this week. Grandview’s Derek Williams is the closest qualifier to him, 20 feet away.

7. 5A girls race: While Mountain Vista is the title favorite on the boys side after finishing runner-up last season, the girls race is going to be tight. Mountain Vista, Fossil Ridge, Cherry Creek and Eaglecrest all have the talent and the depth to make a run at the crown.

8. Mucharsky’s magic: Denver East senior Rosie Mucharsky is the state leader in the 800 (2:08.59), an event she’s already won twice at the CHSAA meet, and the 1600 (4:46.02) heading into this weekend. The Notre Dame commit also won the 5A cross-country title as a junior. As always, the distance running depth in Colorado is top-notch. Everything must be earned.

9. TCA’s talent: The Classical Academy is the 3A favorite. TCA’s boys are going for their third straight title, while the girls seek a repeat. Senior Heidi Nielsen holds the top 3A mark in the 100 (12.28) and second-best in the 200 (25.52) after winning both events last year.

10. 1A girls standout: Merino is vying for a third straight 1A title, but the star of the meet could very well be Cheyenne Wells’ Roxy Unruh. The junior swept the sprints a year ago, setting 1A girls meet records in the 100, 200 and 400. She’s the top seed in all three events once again, and another sweep would put her at eight individual titles for her career with one year left to go.

11. Fossil’s fastest girl: Fossil Ridge junior Addyson Smith is primed to win the 5A 100 (state-best 11.68) and 200 (state-best 23.93). But don’t count out Valor Christian’s Ellie Londo, the defending 100 champion who is ranked third in that race and also sixth in the 200.

12. The Castle View kid: Darrell Ishman, a star at cornerback who is headed to play at Northern Colorado, is looking for track titles. He is Colorado’s top-ranked triple jumper with a mark of 48-0.5, and is also third in the long jump (23-6). He has the talent to win both.

Returning state champions

Class 5A boys

Class 5A girls

Class 4A boys

Class 4A girls

Class 3A boys

Class 3A girls

Class 2A boys

Class 2A girls

Class 1A boys

Class 1A girls

** Two-time champion | (’22) won in 2022 | (’23) won in 2023