LAKEWOOD - One new champion was crowned on the second day of the Class 5A girls state track meet, but three others went to athletes or relay teams that had garnered gold before.
The last of four finals decided at Jefferson County Stadium was the 4x200 meter relay, in which Eaglecrest extended its right of dominance over the state to four-consecutive seasons with a narrow victory in a challenge from Fossil Ridge and Cherry Creek, which settled in for second and third, respectively.
The Raptors’ state title win came from a team that spanned all the classes — senior Jaylynn Wilson, junior Tatum Gratrix, sophomore Zenobia Witt and freshman Evangeline Ansah — and kept the program unbeaten in the race stretching back to the 2022 season. The common thread among the relay winners is Wilson.
“Being able to come out here and pulling it off for a fourth time in a row and win it is amazing,” Wilson said. “I know I’m going to leave a legacy and it’s amazing to see the young ones perform. They are going to keep winning because that’s what they do.”
The Raptors ran Thursday’s prelims without Witt, who is qualified for multiple individual events, with Zoey Harris as the substitute and had the fifth-fastest time (1 minute, 41.77 seconds) to make it into the finals.
Adding back Witt made a huge difference, as she got the baton from junior Tatum Gratrix (who was also on last season’s state-winning squad) and gave it off to Wilson, who moved it on to Ansah, who had anchoring honors and fended off challenges to win in 1:39.88.
Witt made herself comfortable on the top of the medal podium as she was able to defend her title from last season in the long jump.
Battling with friendly rival Kaeli Powe of Cherokee Trail (who won the triple jump Thursday), Witt jumped 18 feet, 7 1/2 inches, which was the same top mark as Powe. The tiebreaker was the next longest jump and that went to Witt at 18-6.
“There was slight pressure, but as long as I believed in my training and rust in my coaches, it would happen,” Witt said. “It was an alright mark, but we had a negative headwind. I had to try my best, but we all had to face it.”
Another successful title defense was waged by Denver East’s Rosie Mucharsky, who extended her dominance in the 800 meters to a third straight season.
Mucharsky negotiated the wind — making sure she stayed out of the lead for the first lap — and then outlasted a spirited kick from Lakewood’s Eliana Angelino to cap her career with another crown.
“I was definitely a little nervous, but I was really excited,” said Mucharsky, who finished in 2:09.26 to Angelino’s 2:09.73.
“I really wanted to repeat and finish off senior year with another 800 title. I feel like its exciting because its the success I’ve had that I’m able to have that pressure.”
Mucharsky valued her 2023 title slightly above the others, but mostly because it was her first and unexpected.
A first-time winner was crowned in the 3,200 meters in Cherry Creek junior Emily Cohen, who came in as the No. 4 seed.
Cohen teamed with Caroline Laughlin, Mattie Sheehan and Kinley Wolfe to win the 4x800 meter relay on the opening day of the meet and she thought that definitely played a role in her win on the second day over a field that also included Wolfe (who finished seventh).
“I think having a relay the first day takes away the nerves a little bit because we are running for each other,” Cohen said. “Obviously to win brought a lot of excitement and joy and also created more belief that I could accomplish what I accomplished today.”
Cohen ran the first few laps conservatively as she had planned, then moved out into the lead on the third lap.
She held that position the rest of the way, powering through the final stretch with Fossil Ridge’s Tatum Berg closing fast.
Cohen crossed the line in 10 minutes, 27.70 seconds, with Berg just 0.15 of a second behind. Mountain Vista’s Keeghan Edwards finished third.
“Once I made my move, I wasn’t going to look back and keep going,” Cohen said. “I can hear the crowd cheering for the people behind me and sometimes on the curves, you can see the shadow of the person behind you. I heard people cheering for Tatum, so I knew she was right there. …I was holding on for dear life, but we made it.”
In the team chase, Fossil Ridge — which has yet to have an event winner — goes into the final day with a 16-point led over Cherry Creek (37), with Mountain Vista (35) and Eaglecrest (34) close behind with 10 event left to be scored.