With the Centennial League Championship in the bag, Mar’Keith Bailey and his Cherokee Trail teammates didn’t need to run the 4×400 meter relay final May 10 at Stutler Bowl.
But the Cougars can’t stand complacency — part of the reason they are the defending Class 5A boys state track champions — and wouldn’t take even one race off, even with nothing on the line.
The team of Bailey and fellow seniors Isaiah Kaiser, Jalen Farnsworth and Julian Sherrell not only ran the race, they posted the best time in Colorado by finishing in 3 minutes, 17.54 seconds.
“We had a choice to run that 4×400, but we told coach we always have something to prove, no matter what,” Bailey said after the team’s last race before it heads to the May 15-17 5A state meet at Jeffco Stadium.
Cherokee Trail coach Chris Faust wasn’t testing his team by giving them the option to run in chilly conditions with yet another league title in hand, but he wasn’t surprised they wanted to run, especially after losing to a team from Palmer Ridge by nearly a full second a week earlier.
“I’ve got a great group of kids that works very hard and is super-competitive,” Faust said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen next week (at state)…but I know my kids are going to show up and compete.”
The best part for Faust was watching his 4×400 relay perform at that level without standout senior Brandon Singleton, who was used elsewhere.
Singleton won the open 200 and 400 meter races and anchored Cherokee Trail’s winning 4×100 and 4×200 relays as well.
“This team has more depth, so we can spread it out,” said Singleton, an Oklahoma State signee. “I don’t have to run the 4×400 and can run a 4×100 to help the team. I think we’re more hungry than we were last year. There’s no satisfaction at all.”
Cherokee Trail’s run a tough schedule of meets and performed well on the road in a meet hosted by state title contender Fountain-Fort Carson and also been at its best as well against Cherry Creek and Grandview, two others teams that could challenge at the top.
Senior Kossi Tchenawou spurs the Wolves, as the sprint standout owns the top times in 5A in both the 100 meters (10.63 seconds) and 200 meters (20.56) and plans to win both, while helping the Wolves’ 4×100 meter relay team take a crack at the 5A state record of 41.21 set by Overland in 2007.
Senior JR Smith in the jumps and junior Triston Sisneros in the hurdles could score big points to help Grandview as well.
Smoky Hill junior Blake Yount is the No. 1 seed in the boys 800 meters after a spectacular performance at the league meet, in which he set the Colorado state record with a time of 1:51.63.
“I’m definitely feeling confident, but I just want to win,” Yount said of his state prospects.
Regis Jesuit’s Jordan Hatfield will try to defend his crown in the 5A boys pole vault, but should get challenged by Cherokee Trail’s Harley Korte and others.
On the girls side, Cherokee Trail has an Aurora-best eight individuals qualified, including standout sophomore Shayna Yon, and is loaded in sprints, relays and throwing events.
Grandview freshman Michaela Onyenwere is a title contender in the 100 and 200 meters.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. Facebook: Aurora Prep Sentinel
