2A state track: Leeper repeats in triple jump and other champions crowned on Day 2

LAKEWOOD – Limon senior Jeremiah Leeper ended his high school career on top with a first-place triple jump of 42 feet, 7.5 inches on Saturday at the Class 2A state track and field meet at Jeffco Stadium.

The top of the podium was familiar territory for Leeper, who narrowly bested his winning distance of 42 feet, 6.75 inches from the 2021 state meet.

“I can’t believe I won it back-to-back,” said Leeper, a CSU-Pueblo football commit. “I was dreaming about it last night and then I got here today and I was like, I got to go make it happen.”

Tasked with jumping last in the finals round, Leeper had already won gold with a second jump of 41-10.25 when his third jump opportunity came around. Leeper, however, wanted to soak in his final high school event and after a quick clap to pump up the crowd, he added nearly a foot to his winning distance.

Leeper, who was navigating a sore hamstring that had been pulled earlier in the year, said that his experience winning gold last year was beneficial to the repeat performance.

“I definitely had a lot more knowledge going into it and knew what I needed to do before to prepare for it and stuff like that,” Leeper said.

Plateau Valley’s Devon Ealey was just behind Leeper with a second-place jump of 41 feet, 4.25 inches, and Rashuan McNeil of Crowley County finished third at 40 feet, 8.5 inches.

Leeper is the only male athlete from 2A to win a title in each of the last three state meets. He was also a part of Limon’s win in the 1,600-meter relay in 2019.

Tight races

Through two days of competition, the battles for team titles are still intense for boys and girls.

Lyons leads the competition on the boys side, with 37.5 points through nine of 18 events. The Lions have a narrow lead over St. Mary’s (33) and Wray (31). Overall, seven teams are within 13.5 points of the lead going into Sunday.

On the girls side, Colorado Spring Christian and Cedaredge are tied through nine of 19 events, with 35 points each. Banning Lewis Academy (33) and Wray (30) are both lurking closely behind, however. There are eight teams within 13 points of the lead.

Schoenthal repeats

In the 2A boys discus, Wray’s Bryant Schoenthal wasn’t the favorite going into state, but he came out on top for the second year in a row.

The senior had a top throw of 177 feet, 6 inches to win his second state title. He knocked off Wiggins senior Mohamed Ibrahim (167-7), who came in as the No. 1 seed. Ibrahim set a meet record in winning the shot put on Thursday.

Lyons junior Tyler Ball won his first career track title on Saturday, placing first in the 3,200 meters with a season-best time of 9:41.01. Ball was the 2A state champion in cross country in the fall.

Later in the evening, St. Mary’s junior Jackson Neppl won his first career championship, with a narrow victory in the 800 meters. Neppl crossed the line in 2:00.45, edging Lyons’ Cole Thomas (2:00.81) by just .36 of a second.

Calhan senior Johnathan Mikita capped his career in style, claiming the state title in the pole vault with a personal-best leap of 14 feet, 0.5 inches. He outlasted Wray’s Ron Shay (13-8). Mikita, who was seventh a year ago, leaves Sunday for San Diego to join the Marines.

Wrapping up the day in 2A boys, Centauri repeated as champion in the 800-meter relay. Seniors Mason Claunch and Ben Tailleur and sophomores Deven Brady and Richardson Tailleur finished the race in 1:31.09.

Another title for Koellner

Holyoke’s Correy Koellner is the queen of 2A girls shot put once again.

On Saturday, the senior won her second consecutive title with a throw of 39 feet, 4 inches. She defeated her teammate and fellow senior, Lauren Herman (38-4) by a foot. Herman is the favorite to repeat as champ in Sunday’s discus.

Cedaredge freshman Jessica Black won the championship in the 800 meters with a personal-record time of 2:17.79. Overall, Black won three medals on Saturday, helping Cedaredge to third in the 800 relay and fourth in the 800 medley relay.

In the pole vault, Platte Canyon sophomore Hannah Search was somewhat of a surprise winner. She came in as the No. 3 seed, but destroyed her personal best with a leap of 10 feet, 5 inches to win the title. Her best vault coming into state was 9-4.

Search defeated her teammate Hannah Grover, last year’s champion, by three inches. Wray’s Sydnee Cheek, the No. 1 seed coming in, was third.

Elle Stevens came into state with the top seed in the 3,200 meters and the Colorado Spring Christian senior was even better Saturday. She posted a season-best time of 11:25.03 to cruise to the title. Later in the day, she was runner-up to Black in the 800.

Jaysa Even of Banning Lewis won the girls long jump title with a leap of 17-1.25. It was a personal-best for the senior, who came in seeded fifth. Hannah Turpin of St. Mary’s, the 2021 champion, was second (16-9.75).

In Saturday’s relays, Yuma and Hoehne won close battles.

Yuma finished with a time of 1:54.96 to win the 800 sprint medley by just .16 of a second over second-place Dayspring Christian (1:55.12). In the 800 relay, Hoehne crossed the line in 1:48.03, just ahead of Highland (1:48.50).