2A Girls Track & Field: Trio of Repeat Champions Highlight Day 2

LAKEWOOD – As she looks to her future, Lainee Nein has some emotions.

The senior from Sedgwick County is heading to the University of Northern Colorado to study nursing, and this week at the state track and field championships marks the end of her stellar prep athletics career.

“It’ll be very surreal knowing it’s my last event of high school,” she said.

Nein is leaving on a high note, though, as she claimed the Class 2A girls triple jump title for the second year in a row on Friday at Jefferson County Stadium.

“It’s pretty exciting. Feels good,” she said.

Nein’s second jump of 35 feet, 3.5 inches would have been good enough to win, but she pulled through with a 36-8.75 in her last jump. Dayspring Christian’s Gracie Gilmore was second, at 35-2.25.

“My first jumps weren’t very good,” Nein said. “My knee has been bothering me a little bit, and especially in long jump yesterday, but my last jump I pulled through, and it made me feel happy to see 36 on the board.”

Nein’s victory gave her 11 state meet medals in her career, including eight in individual events. She joked that she’ll show those to her kids one day.

“Oh yeah, I’ll brag about them for life,” she said with a laugh.

Also a player in basketball and volleyball, Nein will cap her career in the 300 hurdles on Saturday.

“It makes me think that I’ve really grown as a person,” she said of her success in high school. “And it makes me feel confident in myself that to know that I can really do anything I put my mind to.”

With nine of 18 events complete, Wiggins is the leader in the team standings, with 30 points, but Sedgwick County and Rangely are tied for second with 29 points. Wray is lurking, with 27.5 points.

Wiggins has been led by senior Brooke Schmidt, who – like Nein – is finishing in style. On Friday, she won her second-straight title in the discus, one day after repeating as the champion in the shot put.

Schmidt had a winning throw of 131 feet, 3 inches. Madison Heasley of Rye was second at 119-4.

“It feels so good,” Schmidt said of the discus title. “I was really stressed coming into it because I’ve been struggling, but I’m just really happy to come out with a good throw and just win it again my senior year with all my family around me.”

Schmidt won seven state medals in the throws during her career, including her back-to-back titles in both events.

“That’s really exciting,” she said of her four titles. “Last year was very big and it was a lot of pressure coming into this year, but I just relaxed and I came in knowing I could do what I do and it went out. … I’m just happy to have it done and I’m happy to be able to say that I could have done that.”

Telluride senior Austin Cook came oh-so-close to a state record on Friday, but still came away with a championship. She won the 800 meters in 2 minutes, 11.45 seconds – just .02 shy of the state meet record of 2:11.43, set in 2014.

“I was a little disappointed, but it’s a PR,” said Cook, who won the 800 for the second year in a row. “I’ll take that any day. I’ve got a long future in this sport, and I’m gonna get what I’m gonna run. I just need to be patient.”

Cook cruised to the title, while Shae Romero, a freshman from Monte Vista, had an impressive time of 2:17.77 to place second.

“Last year I was kind of the underdog,” Cook said. “And, this year I just wanted to make my name known, put myself out there and dominate this race. And take it because it belongs to me. … (Winning two in a row) just builds so much confidence for my future in the sport and my races tomorrow.”

In the 3,200 meters, Ridgway sophomore Natasha Hessler pulled through to win her first title, posting a time of 11 minutes, 10.6 seconds. She outlasted the defending champion, Taya Wren of Rangley, who finished in 11:17.5.

“I was so calm beforehand,” said Hessler, who finished second to Wren a year ago. “This year, our state team is some of my best friends … and my dad coaches the team, so I just felt so supported. And then I could hear them like five times every time I went on the track and I just felt good.”

Hessler took the lead with a couple laps to go and said, “Once I started leading, I was just like, ‘Well, now you can’t lose it,’ right? So I just sprinted a little — I mean, as much as I can sprint.”

Hessler said there was no thoughts of trying to beat Wren after losing to her last year.

“It was just, today was going to be whoever the best woman is, and today was me, another day might have been her,” Hessler said.

Wray freshman Cailen Smith came into state as the favorite in the pole vault, but still felt some pressure to prove herself. She did just that, winning the title with a personal best leap of 10 feet.

“It’s, like, really overwhelming,” she said of being a champion, “but also I’m really proud of myself. And, I know that there’s people who doubted me, so just the feeling of overcoming all that and the struggles when I did pole vault.

“I kind of felt like I had to prove myself, obviously, since I’m a freshman and everyone else is older than me, but I also had the belief in myself that I could be a champion and I could win.”

Four competitors cleared 9-4, with Teagan Behunin of Rangely placing second based on tie-breakers.

To cap the day, Lyons won the 800-meter relay.

Gianna Boccoluci, Carmen Dumbauld, Ella White and Afton Dewart teamed up for the win for the Lions, who finished in 1:46.64. Soroco was second, in 1:47.67.