LAKEWOOD – Kaitlyn Pearson has been the multi-event bell cow for the Swallows Charter Academy track and field program for several years now.

As she has become more seasoned with each campaign, Pearson has steadily improved from chasing a state record to defending one. On Friday at Jefferson County Stadium, the Spartans senior accomplished the latter, jumping 16 feet, 9 inches to go back-to-back in the Class 2A girls long jump.

“I’m just so happy to be here again,” Pearson said. “Each year, I’ve just grown a little bit more and a little bit more. I’ve bonded with my teammates and it’s great to be bringing even more girls. Freshman year, I was our only girl competing. To be here now with 12 girls and one more boy, it’s just been amazing being a part of a team and growing.”

Now that she has won the long jump a second time, Pearson will turn her focus back to the other sports on her multi-sport resume.

Seeded second in the 100, first in the 200 and second in the 100 hurdles, Pearson will have a busy day when she competes in all three events throughout the final day of the state meet on Saturday.

“I’ve been doing four events every single year and each year, I’ve grown a little bit more,” Pearson said. “My sophomore year, I finished with three thirds and a fourth. Last year, I finished with three silvers and the championship from long jump. This year, I’m aiming for just having fun and I’d hope to have at least two firsts if not three.”

Last season, Natalie Washburn won the 2A girls 100-meter race to secure the Timnath track and field program’s first-ever title. On Friday at Jefferson County Stadium, the Cubs junior defended that title with a time of 2:17.88 in the 800-meter finals.

“It’s really exciting just to be able to go out there expecting first but just being able to defend it because people just come out of nowhere sometimes,” Washburn said. “I really just looked up to God for all this because I’ve had a lot of injuries throughout the season. So, just being able to pull through and get first is amazing.”

Also defending a title, Buena Vista’s Taiya Carl cleared 11 feet, 1 inch to win the 2A girls pole vault.

In the 2A girls 3,200-meter run, The Vanguard junior Nadhia Campos took home the title with a winning time of 11:45.55. Top-seeded Izzy Schimmelpfennig finished runner-up with a time of 11:26.33.

Strasburg – Emma Middlemist, Addison Kent, Rylee Tiffany and Peighton Marrero – defended its title in the 800 medley relay with a time of 1:50.90.

In the 3,200-meter relay, Timnath – Ayslee Stone, Izzy Schimmelpfinnig, Jensen DeAngelis and Washburn – defended the Cubs’ title with a time of 9:46.79.

Entering the final day, Timnath leads the race with 45 team points, while Heritage Christian has accumulated the second-most and sits second with 37 points. Wray is third at 26 points.