1A Girls Track & Field: Merino Makes It Happen in Final Event; Unruh Ups Individual Title Total to 10
By Brian Howell
LAKEWOOD – As Merino prepared for the 1,600-meter relay on Saturday afternoon, it had just one simple goal in mind.
“We were like, ‘Guys, if there’s anyone else that beats us, it cannot be McClave,’” said senior Hailey Foos, who ran the second leg of the relay for the Rams.
Foos and her teammates came through to hold on for the Class 1A girls team title at the CHSAA Track & Field State Championships at Jefferson County Stadium.
Merino finished with 76.5 points, followed by McClave (70) and Cheraw (62). It was the fifth team title in program history and the third in four years, as the Rams also won in 2023 and 2024.
Entering the final event, the 1600-meter relay, Merino had a narrow 2.5-point lead on McClave, which brought the team title to the wire. Merino, led by Foos, freshman Kaelyn Doyle and sophomores Kaebrynn Heller and Aislyn Samber, finished fifth to pick up five points, but McClave was ninth.
“It was close, but very, very thankful that we could pull through,” Foos said. “I think it was all a goal that we really fought for, but we had a lot of great (personal records) today, so even if we didn’t get (the team title), there’s still a lot of things to celebrate, so we were focused, but it was still very great.”
While Merino was the team champ, the day belonged, once again, to Roxy Unruh of Cheyenne Wells.
A dynamic sprinter who is heading to Colorado School of Mines next year, Unruh capped her career with state titles in the 100 meters and 200 meters. She was also second in the 400 and helped the Tigers finish third in the 400-meter relay.
It was actually the first time in her career that Unruh left with only two titles. She had swept the 100, 200 and 400 the previous two years and won the 100 and 200 – along with the 400-meter relay – in 2023.
“That’s totally OK,” the upbeat Unruh said. “This is kind of weird, but I don’t really care too much about the winning. I like spending my time out on the track and improving myself, and this year has been rough. I’ve been battling injuries year round; like, I broke my wrist in October, been fighting my legs all season, but I ran strong.”
Unruh set a 1A state meet record in the 200, with a time of 25.37 seconds, topping the mark of 25.58 she set last year. Unruh also won the 100 in 12.28 seconds and posted a time of 57.23 to finish second in the 400.
Unruh finished her career with 10 individual state titles and one more in a relay. Overall, she medaled 15 times, with all of them being for top three finishes. She also has the state meet records in all three sprints.
“It’s really exciting,” she said. “It’s so crazy; like 10 individual medals doesn’t even seem real. Like, that’s insane.
“I’m proud of my wins, obviously, but I’m really proud of how I’ve left an impact back home. We’ve had so much more support for track and little kids track, and we have a Special Olympics track team now. Just being able to create that sense of community and build this sport up, because this sport is my favorite thing ever. I don’t know where I would be without it.”
Unruh’s quest for a third consecutive sweep of the sprints was thwarted by Cotopaxi senior Hayden Eggleston, who kicked at the end of the 400 meters to finish in 56.69 seconds, edging Unruh, who was second in 57.23.
Eggleston has been chasing Unruh for four years. In fact, after finishing runner-up to Unruh in all three sprints last year, she was second to Unruh in the 100 (12.99 seconds) and 200 (25.63) on Saturday.
“It felt amazing. It was very surreal,” Eggleston, who will run at UCCS, said of finally beating Unruh. “Very grateful, and I’m grateful to have her to push me, especially these last four years. It was crazy. I didn’t know that was even possible for me (to beat her). Best way I could have finished this season.”
Unruh might have been just as happy as Eggleston, who medaled 11 times in her career in the sprints, after the 400.
“I’m so proud of her,” Unruh said. “Hayden has been working her butt off all year. I’ve run with her all four years, and she’s easily one of those hardworking people I know.
“We crossed the line, and I started crying, and I hugged her. I like watching other people win, too. It’s my favorite. That’s why I like track. It’s such a supportive sport. Everyone’s having their own personal wins, and I just get to cheer everyone on and it’s amazing. It’s so positive. Not a lot of other sports are like that.”
The 1,600-meter run was a battle between star freshmen, Bristyl Barratt of Cheraw and Cameron Skolada of Ouray. Skolada won the 3,200 meters on Thursday, while Barratt won the 800 on Friday. In Saturday’s 1,600, Barratt had a strong kick over the last 200 meters to cruise to the title, in 5 minutes, 19.82 seconds. Skolada was second, in 5:26.21.
Barratt then added a victory in the 300-meter hurdles, in 46.07 seconds. Springfield’s Tyler Mackey, another freshman, was second in 46.82.
“It’s really exciting. I really enjoyed it,” Barratt, who was second in the 100 hurdles, said of her first state meet. “With all my races, really, I was nervous, but yeah … it really does mean a lot (to win three titles).”
Suvaun Cook of Peetz won her second title of the weekend, placing first in the long jump, with a leap of 16 feet, 7 inches. Swink’s Karlee Knabenshue was second, at 16-3.5.
“It’s very, very exciting,” Cook, who won the triple jump on Friday, said of being a two-time champ. “Definitely a big deal for me.”
A year ago, Cook won the triple jump, but was second in the long jump.
“I definitely wanted redemption from last year, for sure,” she said. “I had a better jump last year, so I’m a little bit disappointed in that, and I really wanted to get the state record, especially because I couldn’t get it from the triple jump, but I’m so proud of my accomplishment.”
Caliche senior Ryann Svoboda repeated as champion in the shot put, placing in the top three for the third consecutive season. She had a winning throw of 39 feet, 0.75 inches. Tailee Weeks-Johnson of Eads was second for the third year in a row, at 37-7.25.
After narrow misses the past three years, McClave’s Ashlynn Steinbrunn won her first state title in the 100-meter hurdles. The senior posted a time of 16.06 seconds to outlast Barratt, who was second (16.82).
Steinbrunn was second in the 100 hurdles in 2024 and third last year. She also had third-place finishes in the 300 hurdles in 2023 and 2024 and a runner-up finish in 2025.
Later, Steinbrunn helped McClave to a victory in the 400-meter relay. The Cardinals posted a 1A meet record time of 50.80 seconds to beat second-place Hi-Plains (51.47). Addison Vallejos, Abrielle Gomez and Kristen Marks teamed with Steinbrunn to beat the previous record of 51.41 set in 2017.
To close the day and the meet, Stratton won the 1,600 meter relay in 4:15.22. Idalia was a close second, in 4:15.71. Rilynn Weickum, Elle Bohnen, Kinsleigh Brachtenbach and Layla Bancroft teamed up for the win for the Eagles.
