GREENWOOD VILLAGE | The Grandview girls track team geared up for a big end to the season with its performance Saturday at the Stutler Twilight Invitational.
In a loaded group of 17 teams — including four from the Aurora area — the Wolves picked up 107.5 points to outdistance Centennial League rival Cherry Creek (88) and defending Class 4A state champion Niwot (84) for team honors in competition that stretched into the night at Stutler Bowl.
Depth played a key role for meet organizer and head coach John Reyes’ Grandview team, which had just two event winners in junior Gabriella Cunningham in the 100 meter hurdles and freshman Sasha Kennedy in the 300 meter hurdles.
Cunningham did a lot of heavy lifting as well as she finished second head-to-head with Mountain Vista star Rachel Bair in the 100 and 200 meter dashes, while the Wolves also had three top-five relay finishes — topped by the runner-up result of the 4×800 meter team — on the track. In the field, junior Emerson Deferme finished third in the long jump to pace the Wolves.
Cherokee Trail — which competed without senior sprint star Symone Adams — had an event champion in sophomore Kaeli Powe in the high jump and accrued 61 points to finish in fifth place, while Eaglecrest edged the Cougars for the event title in the 4×100 meter relay on its way to seventh-place in the team standings.
Smoky Hill finished in a tie for 14th.
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Colorado Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
2023 STUTLER BOWL TWILIGHT TRACK & FIELD RESULTS (GIRLS)
Team scores: 1. GRANDVIEW 107.5 points; 2. Cherry Creek 88; 3. Niwot 84; 4. Mountain Vista 66; 5. CHEROKEE TRAIL 61; 6. Fossil Ridge 53; 7. EAGLECREST 51; 8. Palmer Ridge 47; 9. Doherty 36.5; 10. Fountain-Fort Carson 35.5; 11. Rocky Mountain 24; 12. Chaparral 18; 13. Broomfield 15.5; T14. SMOKY HILL 13; T14. Fort Collins 13; 16. Legend 12.5; 17. The Classical Academy 9.5