LAKEWOOD | Weather permitting, the Class 5A & 4A state track & field meet is scheduled to begin Thursday and run through Saturday at Jefferson County Stadium, with events on the track and in the field beginning at approximately 8:30 a.m. each day. (full time schedule).
Aurora has 36 individuals and 26 relays teams set to compete on the girls side (representing Cherokee Trail, Eaglecrest, Grandview, Hinkley, Overland, Rangeview, Regis Jesuit, Smoky Hill and Vista PEAK), along with 41 individuals and 16 relay teams (representing Cherokee Trail, Eaglecrest, Gateway, Grandview, Hinkley, Overland, Rangeview, Regis Jesuit and Smoky Hill) on the boys side.
There is plenty to watch over the course of three days as a wide variety of Aurora individuals and relay teams hold top seeds in their respective events.
The city also has plenty of returning state champions going after title defenses.
Cherokee Trail senior Sydnee Larkin (5A girls triple jump) and Hinkley senior Angel Heredia (5A boys 300 meter hurdles) both will be looking for three-peats in their respective events.
Larkin is in tremendous shape in her quest as she leads the state by more than a foot with her top mark of 41 feet, 9 inches, and the Arizona State signee — who is also the top seed in the 5A long jump — also went over 41 feet at the Centennial League Championship meet.
Heredia, on the other hand, missed most of the season due to injury and has some work to do to get the third title he desires. The University of Colorado recruit’s top time of 39.61 seconds in the 300 hurdles ranks him 13th going into the state meet. The Thunderbirds — who like to call themselves “Hurdle High” — have four qualifiers in the 300 meter hurdles in all.
The 300 hurdles will be the only event for Heredia, as Hinkley’s 4×200 relay team — state champions last season — did not qualify for the state meet this season.
Larkin and senior teammates Taylor Watson, Jaiden Paris and Chian DeLoach enter the meet as the top seed in the 5A girls 4×100 relay and aim to take down the state meet and Colorado record of 46.51 seconds set by George Washington in 2007.
Defending 5A girls team champion Grandview has senior Kylee Harr back looking to repeat in the high jump, while the Wolves’ 4×200, 4×400 and 800 sprint medley relay teams also seek to win again. Harr, junior Kaitlyn Mercer and sophomores Kameryn Brown and Lily Williams were part of those winning relays a year ago.
The Grandview girls 4×200 and 4×400 relays take top seeds into state.
Overland junior Joel Nyatusah is after his first state championship in the 5A boys 110 meter hurdles, but he’ll have to fend off Regis Jesuit’s Zion Gordon and Smoky Hill’s Darrius Gaw in what should be an Aurora-heavy medal podium. Nyatusah’s 13.98 has led all of Colorado since late March.
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Sentinel Prep Sports
2018 CLASS 5A & 4A STATE TRACK MEET
May 17-19, 2018, at Jefferson County Stadium
Full 5A-1A state meet schedule, here
Full list of Aurora boys 5A/4A state qualifiers, here
Full list of Aurora girls 5A/4A state qualifiers, here
