LAKEWOOD – Two years isn’t an eternity, but it certainly felt that way for Hannah Kugler.

On Friday at the state track and field championships at Jefferson County Stadium, the junior from Prairie won the Class 1A girls high jump for the second time in three years.

After winning the title as a freshman in 2024, she was plagued by an injury last year before managing a runner-up finish at state. But, Friday marked her return to the top for the first time in two years.

“It feels great,” she said. “I haven’t had a great jumping year since my freshman year; I’ve kind of been stuck at (5 feet, 3 inches), but it was good to get another good mark today. It felt good.

“I finally felt like I enjoyed it again. There for a while, it was just something that I did, but now I’m enjoying it again and I’m thankful for the girls I got to do it with, too. They’re great, so it was a good day.”

Kugler had a season-best leap of 5 feet, 4 inches to win the title. She took the title when she was the only competitor to clear 5-2. She then added to it by soaring over 5-4.

Hayden Cochran of Fleming and Rilynn Weickum of Stratton tied for second, at 5-0.

During the 2025 season, Kugler injured a knee, tearing her PCL and meniscus. She jumped just one time before state and then finished second.

“I kind of knew that it wasn’t going to be my best, but obviously I always have a winning mentality and I like to win,” she said. “When I lost it was just like, ‘Oh darn,’ but I knew that there was so much more and I was only a sophomore.”

This week, she leaned on her mother and coach, Meg Kugler.

“Going into this competition, there was definitely memories of last year and overthinking, but I’m so thankful for my mom,” Kugler said. “She’s my track coach. She’s just been praying with me the last couple days and she really got me mentally ready and I have her to thank for winning today.”

Through Friday, eight of 18 events were completed and Merino had a commanding lead in the team standings. The Rams, going for a third title in four years, have 49.5 points, well ahead of second-place Stratton, which has 22.5 points.

Peetz junior Suvaun Cook is a repeat champion, claiming the triple jump title for the second year in a row.

Cook had a winning jump of 37 feet, 1.75 inches that would have crushed the previous state record, but it was wind-aided and can’t qualify for record status.

“I was very excited and pumped that I’m a two-time state champion for triple jump now,” she said, “but I’m a little bit disappointed that it was illegal wind, and that I didn’t get the state record.”

Cook said it will “definitely” serve as motivation to go after the record next year.

“I feel like they were very good (jumps),” she said. “It was a PR by a foot. I felt like I jumped pretty good today.”

Second place was McClave’s Addison Vallejos, who didn’t get the win, but she did break the record. Her second-place jump of 35 feet, 4.5 inches wasn’t wind-aided and broke the record of 35-3.25 set four years ago.

“Yeah, I didn’t know that how that worked,” she said of not winning but claiming the record. “That girl (Cook) is amazing. She’s my age. I’ve been competing against her every year, and she’s so nice, and I think this is cool.”

Vallejos was standing on the podium for triple jump, waiting for the awards to be announced when she had to bolt and take her place on the track for the 800-meter relay.

She helped the Cardinals to a victory, as well as a 1A state meet record time, and then ran back to the podium for the triple jump.

“I was on the podium, and then I had to run, and they already had their blocks set,” she said. “It was a little stressful, but I think it made me run faster. Yeah, it was so cool. I’m so thankful for my teammates, and this is a moment I’ll never forget.”

Vallejos teamed with Ashlynn Steinbrunn, Abrielle Gomez and Kristen Marks to posted a record-breaking time of 1:47.05, topping the previous record of 1:47.88 by Deer Trail in 2024. Simla was second, finishing in 1:50.92.

In the 800 meters, Cheraw freshman Bristyl Barratt had an impressive performance, winning the title in 2 minutes, 15.17 seconds. Kiowa’s Bernice Summers was second, in 2:20.76.

“It feels really good,” Barratt said. “I really wanted to get this done this year. I like people knowing my name.”

Barratt came in as the favorite and will also go in as the favorite in Saturday’s 1,600.

“I was a little nervous at the beginning (of the 800), but once I started, I was like, OK, I got this,” she said.

In the last event of the day, Merino set a new state meet record in the 3,200-meter relay.

The team of Hailey Foos, Analeigh Hackbarth, Kya Piel and Laney Piel finished in 10:17.81. The Rams, who won the event for the second time in three years, crushed the previous record of 10:28.66, set by Plateau Valley in 2018.

Akron was the runner-up, with a time of 10:36.39.