Grandview and Cherokee Trail both had their chances at winning the Class 5A boys state track & field championship at Jefferson County Stadium, but Fountain-Fort Carson nipped both at the finish line.
By just two points, the Wolves had the program’s first state team championship snatched away when the 4×400 meter relay concluded May 17. Before the final event, senior JR Smith, junior Triston Sisneros and a handful of others had moved up from their projected finishes to put Grandview in championship position.
But Fountain-Fort Carson managed to top the Wolves in the final relay to take the title.
Cherokee Trail, meanwhile, finished six points out of the top spot, but would have had a chance to win the title if not for a dropped baton in the 4×400 meter relay prelims. The Cougars had the state’s top time in the event coming into state before the disqualification and could have won the team title.
Senior Brandon Singleton raced to individual state championships in the 200 and 400 meters and Mar’Keith Bailey came in second in the 400 as Cherokee Trail closed strong.
Smoky Hill’s Blake Yount, the Colorado State record-holder in the 800 meters, lost the event by just 0.02 of a second to Denver East star Cerake Geberkidane, while Regis Jesuit’s John Schmidt posted top-three finishes in both sprint events.
Cherokee Trail had Aurora’s best team finish with an eighth-place result, while some excellent relay performances pushed Eaglecrest to 13th and freshman Michaela Onyenwere’s big state debut helped Grandview tie for 14th.
Eaglecrest’s Tashay Brown, Tori Coombe, Omotumininu Olatiopo and Alicia Taurchini won the 800 meter sprint medley relay for Aurora’s lone championship on the girls side.
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
2014 CLASS 5A STATE TRACK MEET
Boys 5A team scores: 1. Fountain-Fort Carson 76 points; 2. GRANDVIEW 74; 3. CHEROKEE TRAIL 70; 4. Fossil Ridge 42; 5. Cherry Creek 41; 6. Chaparral 38; 7, REGIS JESUIT 36; T8. Highlands Ranch 34; T8. Poudre 34; T10. Denver East 30; T10. Douglas County 30; 12. Monarch 25; 13. Mountain Vista 24; 14. ThunderRidge 22; 15. Pine Creek 21; 16. Rocky Mountain 20; 17. Fort Collins 17; T18. SMOKY HILL 16; T18. Bear Creek 16, 21. Ralston Valley 13; 22. Liberty 10; T23. OVERLAND 9; T23. Mountain Range 9; T25. Arvada West 8; T25. Dakota Ridge 8; T27. EAGLECREST 7; T27. Doherty 7; T27. Palmer 7; T30. Lakewood 6.5; T30. Pomona 6.5; T32. Arapahoe 6; T32. Boulder 6; T35. Rampart 5; T35. Lincoln 5; T35. Chatfield 5; T35. Grand Junction 5; T39. Legacy 4; T39. Rock Canyon 4; T41. Fruita Monument 3; T41. Prairie View 3; 43. Castle View 2
Girls 5A team scores: 1. Fort Collins 84 points; 2. Pine Creek 80; 3. Cherry Creek 67; 4. Denver East 52; 5. George Washington 51; 6. Rocky Mountain 42; 7. Fountain-Fort Carson 40; 8. CHEROKEE TRAIL 37; 9. ThunderRidge 36; 10. Fairview 35.5; T11. Poudre 33; T11. Rampart 33; 13. EAGLECREST 26; T14. GRANDVIEW 25; T14. Arvada West 25; 16. Loveland 20.5; 17. Highlands Ranch 18; T18. Monarch 17; T18. HOrizon 17; 20. Fossil Ridge 16; 21. Castle View 13.5; T22. Legend 13; T22. Brighton 13; 24. Pomona 11; 25. Boulder 10.5; 26. Arapahoe 10; T27. Rock Canyon 9; T27. Mountain Range 9; 29. SMOKY HILL 7.5; 30. Lakewood 6.5; 31. Standley Lake 5; T32. OVERLAND 3; T32. Fruita Monument 3; T32. Mountain Vista 3
AURORA BOYS PLACERS BY SCHOOL — CHEROKEE TRAIL: Mar’Keith Bailey (2nd, 5A boys 400 meters); Kyree Herron (3rd, 5A boys triple jump); Isaiah Kaiser (3rd, 5A boys 300 meter hurdles); Harley Korte (4th, 5A boys pole vault); Brandon Singleton (State champion, 5A boys 200 and 400 meters); David Thornton (4th, 5A boys high jump); Relays — 4×100 meters (2nd in 5A); 4×200 meters (2nd in 5A); EAGLECREST: Deyon Sizer (3rd, 5A boys shot put); GRANDVIEW: Isaiah Brown (9th, 5A boys 110 meter hurdles); Triston Sisneros (2nd, 5A boys 300 meter hurdles/3rd, 5A boys 110 meter hurdles/5th, 5A boys high jump); JR Smith (2nd, 5A boys long jump/8th, 5A boys triple jump/8th, 5A boys high jump); CJ Strauch (4th, 5A boys shot put); Isaiah Talbert (7th, 5A boys shot put); Kossi Tchenawou (5th, 5A boys 100 meters/9th, 5A boys 200 meters); Shayne Watson (4th, 5A boys 100 meters/8th, 5A boys 200 meters); Relays — 4×100 (3rd in 5A); 4×200 meters (3rd in 5A); 4×400 meters (6th in 5A); OVERLAND: Josh Wright (5th, 5A boys 300 meter hurdles); Relays — 4×100 (6th in 5A); REGIS JESUIT: Austin Campbell (2nd, 5A boys high jump); Jordan Hatfield (7th, 5A boys pole vault); John Schmidt (2nd, 5A boys 200 meters/3rd, 5A boys 100 meters); Rayvon Solomon (6th, 5A boys triple jump); Relays — 4×100 (4th in 5A); SMOKY HILL: Tesfai Holt (5th, 5A boys pole vault); Blake Yount (2nd, 5A boys 800 meters); Relays — 4×100 meters (8th in 5A); 4×400 meters (9th in 5A); VISTA PEAK: Kevin Morales (6th in 4A boys 300 meter hurdles/9th in 4A boys 110 meter hurdles); Ayo Sanusi (7th, 4A boys 100 meters)
AURORA GIRLS PLACERS BY SCHOOL — CHEROKEE TRAIL: Amazing Ashby (9th, 5A girls long jump); Tiana Cephers (4th, 5A girls triple jump); Maddie Leatherbury (4th, 5A girls discus); Shayna Yon (4th, 5A girls 100 meters/5th, 5A girls 200 meters); Relays — 4×100 meters (4th in 5A); 4×200 meters (5th in 5A); 4×400 meters (8th in 5A); EAGLECREST: Tashay Brown (3rd, 5A girls 200 meters); Tori Coombe (8th, 5A girls 100 meter hurdles); Relays — 4×200 meters (3rd in 5A); 800 sprint medley (State champion in 5A); GRANDVIEW: Michaela Onyenwere (6th, 5A girls 100 meters/6th, 5A girls 200 meters); Sylvana Ross (9th, 5A girls 400 meters); Relays — 4×200 meters (9th in 5A); 4×400 meters (2nd in 5A); OVERLAND: Tyler Allen (7th, 5A girls triple jump); SMOKY HILL: Ann Mahnke (7th, 5A girls discus/8th, 5A girls shot put); Melanie Vasina (T9, 5A girls pole vault); Brynell Yount (8th, 5A girls 400 meters)
