2A boys track and field: Peyton wins first track and field state championship since 2006

LAKEWOOD – The Peyton boys track team didn’t need to win a lot of events to take home a team title.

The Panthers just needed a healthy Landon Hadley.

Led by the speedy junior, Peyton won its second-ever track and field team championship – and first since 2006 – at the state meet on Saturday at Jefferson County Stadium. The Panthers finished with 65 points, while Heritage Christian (54) and Holyoke (47) rounded out the top three in Class 2A.

Throughout the weekend, Peyton won just two events: the 3,200-meter relay on Thursday and Hadley’s victory in the 100 meters on Saturday. Winning a host of medals in various events added up, however.

Hadley finished the 100 meters in 11.11 seconds, just .04 of a second ahead of John Paul Keeley of Golden View Classical. In the 200 meters, Keeley returned the favor by taking the title in 22.35 seconds, while Ouray’s Caleb Crandall (22.39) and Hadley (22.43) were barely behind him.

Hadley also had a close call in the 400 meters, finishing second to Holyoke’s Maximilian Kleve, 49.03 to 49.22.

In all, Hadley racked up 25 points in the three sprints.

Kleve, a senior, won the first state title of his career and did it by setting a new 2A meet record in the 400. The previous mark of 49.08 was set just a year ago by Yuma’s Clay  Robinson. Kleve was also fourth in the 100 and eighth in the 200 and capped his day by helping the Dragons to a victory in the 1,600-meter relay. Holyoke finished in 3:27.40 to top second-place Plateau Valley (3:29.26).

Keeley also won his first state title after finishing top six in the 100 and 200 a year ago.

Twin Peaks junior Yannis Diby was worried about even competing this week after straining a hamstring in practice on Monday. On Saturday, he not only competed, but he won the high jump with a personal-best and school-record leap of 6 feet, 6 inches. Del Norte’s Michael Laymon was second, at 6-4.

“Get first place, but don’t blow a hamstring,” Diby said of his mindset going in. 

Diby also qualified for state in the 400 and the 1,600 relay, but chose to skip both events to save his hamstring for the high jump. 

“It definitely added stress,” he said of the injury. “I was just trying to jump high enough to where I could just clear the bar without hurting it even more.”

The plan worked, as Diby made up for finishing second a year ago.

“It feels very special and really accomplished (to win for Twin Peaks),” he said. “I’ve been waiting for this day for a whole entire year.”

After excelling in Class 1A the past couple of years, Heritage Christian’s Jack Nauman had a stellar meet in 2A this week. 

The senior won the 1,600 meters on Saturday with a time of 4:22.34, adding to the 3,200-meter crown he won on Thursday. Andrew Bel of Colorado Spring Christian, who finished second in the 3,200, was right behind Nauman again in the 1,600, finishing in 4:23.52.

Nauman won the 1A titles in the 3,200 meters in 2021 and 2022 and the 1,600-meter title in 2022 before the Eagles moved up to 2A this year. Heritage Christian had won six consecutive 1A team titles before their second-place finish in 2A this year.

Cedaredge junior Logan Tullis swept the hurdles on Saturday, taking the 110-meter title in 15.32 seconds and the 300-meter title in 40.19 seconds. In the 110s, Joe Probst of West Grand was second (15.67), while Twin Peaks’ Joshua Bishop was second in the 300 (40.76).

Also on Saturday, Limon’s Gabe Schubarth won the long jump with a leap of 21-2, while Isaac Templin of Thomas MacLaren was second (20-7.5); and Monte Vista edged Platte Canyon on the 400-meter relay, 43.81 to 43.98.