Class 5A
Boulder Panthers
Coach: Carl Worthington
Last year’s result: Girls finished 33rd in the team state meet race; boys finished 26th.
Testing 1-2-3: Senior Kiki Vaughn completed the best individual showing at state for the Panthers with fourth in the 800-meter run and ninth in the 4×800-meter relay.
The Tea: Worthington said he looks forward to seeing how the newcomers and veterans can jive together, and will lean on senior Cohen Janssen-Roets (15th in pole vault at state meet), Embla Weibring (14th in 300 hurdles), Willa Stieler (shot put, discus) and junior Roman Tagliola (sprints).
Broomfield Eagles
Coaches: Justin Hazzard, Craig Boccard
Last year’s result: Qualified in multiple events at state meet; girls placed 18th and boys placed 34th.
Testing 1-2-3: Senior Lilly Nichols, who placed second in pole vault at state last year, will go for the gold this year before she heads to Arkansas State. Senior Baylor Baessler will look to build upon an already “scorching” time in the 100-meter dash.
The Tea: Hazzard said he’s looking for continued improvement in his athletes as seniors Diego Estebanes (sixth in 110 hurdles; ninth in 300 hurdles), Sarah Collins (15th in high jump), Taylor Greene (10th in triple jump), junior Vilate Carwin (distance), and sophomores Max Marchi (sprints) and Jacob Kress (pole vault) join Nichols and Baessler at the top.
Centaurus Warriors
Coach: Eddie Taylor
Last year’s result: The Warriors qualified in just two events in their first year in 5A.
Testing 1-2-3: The boys 4×800 impressed with fourth place at the state meet.
The Tea: The Warriors hope to send more kids to state in their second year in the biggest classification, and will look to seniors Lauren Kidney (pole vault, long jump, sprints), Jacoby Ennis (400, 800), Jake Schwarting (3,200), junior Joey Bermudez (jumps) and Jesse Hatland (4×800; 12th in 800) to take the reins.
Erie Tigers
Coach: Brandon Havard
Last year’s result: Boys won the Front Range League, placed third at state; girls placed ninth at the state meet.
Testing 1-2-3: Senior Myla Wilkes, who last year won state in the long jump and 200-meter dash, will sit out much of her final season due to injury.
The Tea: Senior Marco Martinez (third in 4×200; 5th in 4×400; 13th in long jump), a multi-time and multi-event state qualifier, will lead a band of Tigers that includes freshman hurdler and long jumper Abigail Bjerkaas, sophomore jumper Gabe Sema, senior jumper Will Pringle (14th in triple jump) and sophomore sprinter Braylon Toliver (ninth in 4×100).
Fairview Knights
Coach: Tricia Vieth
Last year’s result: Girls saw six podium finishes at the state meet, including a pole vault state champion in Olivia Kosanovich; boys earned five podium finishes.
Testing 1-2-3: Senior Charlotte Elliston comes in as a multitalented athlete in the pole vault, long jump, hurdles and sprints. Senior Holden Krizek excels at running any distance between 400 meters and 3,200 meters.
The Tea: Vieth predicts a year “full of PR’s and new school records” as a strong senior class leads the younger athletes forward. The Knights will coalesce most of their talent on the track, with seniors Mila Hagen, Helen Carlson, Madeline Saltarelli and Lily Davidoff leading the girls and seniors Vincent Mangat, Jack Brown, Calvin Brain, Travis Brown and Bryce Nibarger taking the lead for the boys.
Legacy Lightning
Coach: Rachel West
Last year’s result: Girls finished 21st at state meet; boys finished 46th.
Testing 1-2-3: Annalina Torres, now a junior, put together one of the better finishes for the Lightning at last year’s state meet with fifth in the 400 and fourth in the 800 sprint medley relay.
The Tea: The Lightning lost a big talent in Duncan Pearson, but will return state qualifiers in juniors Gabrielle Shepston (seventh in 4×200-meter relay; 4×400), Jonathan Hewlett (ninth in 4×400), Rhianna LaBar (4×200; 800 SMR), and seniors Colten Schuberth (ninth in 4×400), Cole Skinner (4×400), Parker Allshouse (4×400) and Natalie Flageolle (800 SMR).
Monarch Coyotes
Coach: Kent Rieder
Last year’s result: Boys finished 16th at the 5A state meet; girls did not score a point at state.
Testing 1-2-3: Senior Tyler Rowan returns after winning the 5A pole vault title with a leap of 15 feet, eight inches. Junior teammate Ethan Nuttall finished sixth.
The Tea: The Coyotes bring back nine state qualifiers from last season, including star senior football receiver Owen Mellish and junior Gavin Fagan, who were a part of the 4×100 relay that finished seventh. On the girls’ side, juniors Sofie Donker, Jordyn Phillips and senior Layla Fisher are back from the 4×800 team that placed 14th. Junior Maren Holecek and Catherine Campbell were on the 4×100 team.
Class 4A
Frederick Golden Eagles
Coach: Sheli Mares
Last year’s result: Girls placed 33rd; boys did not score at state.
Testing 1-2-3: The Golden Eagles boasted just three state qualifiers in individual events last year, but return them all.
The Tea: The Golden Eagles will be paced this season by a trio of seniors thanks to Gabriella Jima (eighth in shot put), Kemarly Davy (16th in shot put) and Gracie Wilts (18th in high jump).
Longmont Trojans
Coach: Scott Dickinson
Last year’s result: Girls finished seventh at the 4A state meet; boys did not score a point.
Testing 1-2-3: The Trojans have a total of 10 returning qualifiers, including senior defending 4A triple jump champion, Ella Pears, who is committed to the Air Force Academy. Pears had four podium finishes at the state meet last finish, also finishing fourth in the long jump, third in the 4×400 relay and sixth in the 4×200.
The Tea: The Trojans bring back three state qualifiers from the boys’ team, including hurdlers Kobi Derksen and Teagan Malcom, and unified athlete James Krat. The girls’ team has seven, including seniors Jordan Johnson (relays/jumps), Rosie Nowlin (relays). Makenna Smith (relays), junior Ella Augustaitus (thrower) and sophomore Terra Brubaker (hurdles, relays).
Mead Mavericks
Coach: Drew White
Last year’s result: Boys finished seventh at the 4A state meet; girls finished 11th.
Testing 1-2-3: The Mavericks will look to turn the page after losing star sprinter Tavon Underwood, who won the 400, 800 and set a 4A meet record in the 200 last spring. He’s now at Kansas State.
The Tea: The Mavericks return long-distance standout Ben Mayer on the boys’ side of things. Last year, he qualified in three events for the state meet, placing 11th in the 800, 12th in the 1,600 and 14th in the 3,200 relay. Sophomore sprinter Rylee Klatt returns on the girls’ side after, individually, she took fourth in the 100 and seventh in the 200.
Niwot Cougars
Coach: Maurice Henriques
Last year’s result: Girls won their fourth straight 4A title; boys finished third.
Testing 1-2-3: Sophomore Addison Ritzenhein, the nations’ reigning Gatorade Player of the Year in girls’ cross country, will look to add to her budding legacy this spring. She won the 3,200 and took third in the 1,600 last year.
The Tea: The girls’ team returns 16 state qualifiers from last year’s state champion. That includes seniors Mia Prok, Julia Rudolph and junior Simocea Esquibel from the 2023 4×400 state champs. Seniors Cayden Justice, Kendall Madine and sophomore Anna Prok from last year’s 4×800 winner. Junior Jade West won shot put. For the boys’ team, Kye Toothaker and sophomore Rocco Culpepper return from their 4×800 champ, and Abe Menjivar is back from the 4×400 winner.
Silver Creek Raptors
Coach: Jacy Riel
Last year’s result: Girls finished fourth at 4A state meet, boys finished 24th.
Testing 1-2-3: Junior Cloe Ruth reached the podium three times last season for the Raptors, finishing fourth in the 800, fifth in the 400 and seventh in the 3,200. She also anchored the girls’ 4×400, which placed fifth.
The Tea: The girls are also led by standout sophomore Willa Lover-Brandt, who was on the 4×400 with Ruth, and helped lead the 4×100 to an eighth-placed finish. The boys bring back junior Michael Fertitta, who took third in the 4A pole vault last spring. Others to watch include the school’s dynamic running back in football, Cole Rogers, who will help lead the sprinters.
Skyline Falcons
Coach: James Davis
Last year’s result: Did not score a point at the state meet on the boys’ or girls’ side.
Testing 1-2-3: Senior Rah Carson, the school’s running back in football, is back after finishing 14th in the last year’s 4A high jump.
The Tea: Seniors JJ Davis (thrower), Aiden Phelan (middle distance) and sophomore Logan Mault (pole vault) will look to join Carson at the state meet this season. Hannah Johnson (hurdler) leads the girls’ team. At the Murray Kula Invitational in Windsor earlier this week, she took second in the 300 hurdles with the state’s 20th-fatest time of the spring (50.13), fourth in the 100 hurdles.
Class 3A
Holy Family Tigers
Coach: Isaiah Remington
Last year’s result: Girls placed fourth at state and were Northern Colorado Athletics Conference league champions; Boys finished 14th.
Testing 1-2-3: Julia Hodell returns for her senior season after wowing the competition as a state champion in the 100, 200, the 4×100 (with Claire Tannehill, Alexis Mendlik and Isabella Rossi) and the 4×200 (with Tannehill, Rossi and Shea Owens).
The Tea: Remington is thrilled to see what his “talent-heavy senior class” can accomplish behind Chris Johnnides (hurdles, 4×400, maybe 400), Anabella Descalzo (10th in 3,200; sixth in 4×800), Mendlik (eighth in 100; sixth in 200; third in 400) and junior Parker Nelson (fourth in 4×800; 12th in 800).
Jefferson Academy
Coach: Eric Thimsen
Last year’s result: Girls took sixth at state; boys claimed eighth.
Testing 1-2-3: Three years after taking home the first state titles in school history, the Jaguars are looking to tap into another season of serious talent. Senior Sean Beasley, just a few months ago, finished fourth at state cross country.
The Tea: Senior Jessica Schaffer impressed at last year’s state meet with silver in the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles, and will lead a contingent that includes seniors Emilee Harding (hurdles), Mark Leoni (11th in 4×400; 12th in 200) and junior Lydia Thurston (10th in shot put; discus).
Peak to Peak Pumas
Coach: Kyler Meehan
Last year’s result: Girls finished sixth at the 3A state meet; boys finished 30th.
Testing 1-2-3: Senior Kourtney Rathke is looking for the three-peat in the 3A pole vault and long jump.
The Tea: Rathke is one of four returning state qualifiers on the girls’ side, which also brings back senior Annaka Rudolph (13th in 3,200 last year, 16th in 800), junior Carmela DiSciullo (prelims in 200) and sophomore Chelsey Streifel (pole vault, third). The boys welcome back junior Jack Cerullo (3,200, 13th, 1,600, 15th) and sophomore Ethan Rathke (PV, ninth).
Prospect Ridge Miners
Coach: Mary Marr
Last year’s result: Girls finished 23rd at the 3A state meet; boys finished 31st.
Testing 1-2-3: Senior Avery Marr should be one of the favorites to win the 3A 800-meter run and 1,600 this spring. Last year, she took second in the 800, fifth in the mile.
The Tea: With a record 76 athletes out this spring, the Miners are led by returning state qualifiers in senior Marr on the girls’ team, and senior Torrin Bennett (prelims in 400) on the boys’ side. Both are coming off of injuries, their coach said. Others to watch include boys’ junior Nick Shoemaker and girls’ junior Emily Jones, who are both looking to qualify individually in the mile. “Last year we qualified for state in 14 separate events,” Coach Marr said. “Our goal will be to exceed that for this season.”
Class 2A
Lyons Lions
Coach: David Goodman
Last year’s result: Girls finished 15th at the 2A state meet; boys took 19th.
Testing 1-2-3: Senior Gemma Powell is looking to three-peat in discus after she won her second straight state title last spring. She was eighth in the shot put.
The Tea: The Lions bring back six state qualifiers, including senior Miles Dumbauld, the school’s quarterback who missed his junior year of track season after qualifying in two events as a sophomore. Seniors Sage Wynja (who qualified in the 4×800 and 3,200), Matt Hunter (4×400) and Keenan Young (4×400, 300h, PV) also return for the boys’ team. Leah Shelton (1,600) is back on the girls’ side.
Nederland Panthers
Coach: Gavin Coombs
Last year’s result: Did not score a point in either boys’ or girls’ at the 2A meet last season.
Testing 1-2-3: Freshman distance runner Amika Begin is on the track and field roster after she finished 34th at the 2A state cross country meet in the fall.
The Tea: Begin is joined on the girls’ distance team by sophomore Abigail Hess, who finished 60th at the 2A cross country meet, and sophomore Eliza Brundege, who was 118th. Others to watch on the boys’ team include juniors Lukey Mahorski (long and middle distance) and Eric Thurston (sprints).
Twin Peaks Timberwolves
Coach: Pam Wanninger and Jill Robinson
Last year’s result: Boys finished 12th at the 2A state meet.
Testing 1-2-3: Senior Yannis Diby is back after he won the 2A high jump last season.
The Tea: The Timberwolves are young, their coaches say, with half of their athletes being freshman. But they have some strong experience coming back, returning senior Josh Bishop, who took second in the 300-meter hurdles. Others to watch include middle-distance senior Ian Chrisler and freshman sprinter Ethan Underwood.
Shining Mountain did not report to having a team this season. It did not field a team in 2023.
POINT ME TO THE POSTSEASON
The qualifiers for all five classifications will converge on Jefferson County Stadium for the state meet from May 16-18. Athletes have to meet specified, pre-determined marks in each event to qualify.
![While Monarch and Centaurus each got its second straight win under a new coach, top-ranked teams Broomfield (4A) and Holy Family (3A) began their seasons with an emphatic victory of their own. […]](https://www.bocopreps.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/DCC-L-RileyMontemayor_MJ28062-1.jpg?w=467 "While Monarch and Centaurus each got its second straight win under a new coach, top-ranked teams Broomfield (4A) and Holy Family (3A) began their seasons with an emphatic victory of their own. […]")