LAKEWOOD – Hannah Kugler certainly made the most of her Colorado track and field state championships debut.

At Jefferson County Stadium on Friday, the Prairie freshman entered a talented field in the Class 1A girls high jump that included a defending champion. Getting off to the best possible start, Kugler kicked off her state meet career by clearing 5 feet, 3 inches and claiming the 2024 state title.

“It felt pretty good,” Kugler said. “I was a little frustrated that I didn’t PR, but it felt good. I was a little nervous but I just kept telling myself it’s just another meet and to just jump. I couldn’t ask for a better day. I loved how it was early so it wasn’t as hot. I thought it was a really good day.”

Kugler’s personal record is 5 feet, 5 inches, which was good enough to place the freshman as the second overall seed entering the event.

Defending champion Ava Vines from De Beque, a junior, finished runner-up after clearing 5 feet, 2 inches.

In the 1A girls 800-meter run, Cheraw’s Delaney Bond also entered as the second seed and won her event. Bond, who finished runner-up last season, ran a 2:25.76 to take home the gold on Friday.

“The race went well. It’s kind of exciting and a surreal feeling,” Bond said. “It’s a group of competitive girls that I’m thankful I get to run against. The first lap felt pretty good, actually, just running on the high of being at state. The second lap, I really knew it was going to be a race. It’s such a great group of girls and it’s such an honor to get to run against them.

“Any time you run at state, I really feel it should be a competitive brawl all the way through and I really think that last 200 was an absolute fight and it was pretty intimidating because I could really feel them picking up speed. But those last 50 meters were really exciting. It was a super fun race.”

Sanford senior Holly McDaniel brought home the gold in the 1A girls triple jump with a mark of 33 feet, 2.25 inches.

In the 1A girls 800-meter relay, Deer Trail – Ally Hardwick, Jaden Gudenkauf, Allena Sanchez and Megan Donovan – won the race with a 1A state meet record time of 1:47.88.

The relay team from Merino – Hailey Foos, Kya Piel, Destiny Gutierrez and Brooklyn Sutter – ran a 10:33.84 to take first place in the 3,200-meter relay and give the Rams a healthy lead in the team race entering the final day. Merino has accumulated 61 points, while Idalia sits second with 33 points and Sanford is third at 31 points.