The following athletes have earned themselves one more week of track and field competition. Qualifying for state in Colorado track & field is no easy task. The competition throughout the state is stiff, and with athletes being abled to check standings on a weekly basis it makes it all the more competitive. Athletes know that while they are gunning for marks better than their own that there are also athletes behind them taking aim at their marks. Everyone's aim are the top 18 positions in the state. The positions and rankings change every week. The system has it's detractors, but I personally love it. It's wonderfully competitive.
Here are CV Track & Field's State Qualifiers:
EDIT: I got some wonderful news from CHSAA on Monday morning and it included this athlete at the top. It is a long explanation for how she got put in, and I'm not sure I even completely understand how it happened. Whatever the case, we're happy she is in.
Kendall Cooley- Kendall, a junior, is in her first year with CV track. She's added a lot to the team this season, and the future looks even better. As anyone that knows Kendall is aware, she is a standout volleyball player, but her budding track skills are reason to fetch her great attention going forward. She will compete on Thursday in the 5A girls 100m dash Congratulations Kendall
Savanna Dalton- Savanna will be running as the 16th seeded runner in the 1600m runner with a season best time of 5:14.16. Her time of 11:24.45 in the 3200m run was also enough to earn her the 15th seeded spot. Savanna will also be an integral member of the 4x800m team that will be running on Thursday morning. This is Savanna's second trip to the State meet. She competed in the 3200m run and 4x800m relay last year, finishing 10th and 13th respectively, and setting a school record in both. Congratulation Savanna
Parker Strahler- Parker makes his 3rd appearance at the state track meet having gone his Sophomore year for the 4x200m relay, and his Junior year for the 110m and 300m hurdle races. This year he'll make a return appearance in the 110m hurdles as the 8th seeded runner with a school record time of 14.86s. Parker will also be a part of our boys 4x200m relay, and with a little help help perhaps our boys 4x100m team. Congratulations Parker
Mackenzie Pettit- UNC bound Mackenzie finds herself in her 3rd state meet, having competed in the high jump in 2013, the high jump and triple jump in 2014, and in 2015 she adds a 3rd event by competing in the 100m Hurdles along with the aforementioned high jump and triple jump. Seeded 2nd in the high jump, 14th in the triple jump, and 16th in the hurdles Mackenzie has her sights set on some big performances. Congratulations Mackenzie
Julie Mackin- Julie makes her second appearance at State having run her freshman year (2013) in the qualifying 4x200m relay. This year she will return with two events: the long jump and the 4x100m relay. The soccer/track standout comes in ranked as 10th in the LJ having notched a jump of 17-6.5 in the Continental League meet, which earned her a personal League title, helped spur the team to victory, and a school record. Congratulations Julie
Christopher Linnin- Christopher is perhaps our most abundantly occurring name at this year's state meet. He makes his third appearance at the State track meet ranked third in all three of his jumps: long jump (22-5.5), triple jump 45-9.75), and high jump (6-10). His marks in those three events are our school records. Having competed twice before in the high jump, Chris is very familiar with the high jump apron at JeffCo stadium and is poised for a big performance. Congratulations Chris
Christian Mueller- Three years in Colorado, three years at the state meet...not a bad statistic for this pole vaulter to carry into this year's meet. Christian enters the meet as the second seeded vaulter, and is aiming for that top spot. Coach Munoz has this University of Sioux Falls vaulter ready to go big! His seed mark of 15-7 is our school record, which looks to be in danger of falling again on the runway of JeffCo Stadium. Congratulations Christian
Christina Stathakis- Christina is our only athlete to have qualified for state all four years of her high school track career. The swimmer turned trackster qualifies as the 3rd ranked female pole vaulter in the state. Christina's best finish at the State meet is 3rd, but I have a hunch that might change this week. Christina also looks to play a role with the 10th ranked 4x100m relay team. Congratulations Christina
Riley Chase- Riley looks to continue the lineage of pole vaulters we've had at CV over the years. What better way than going to his first state meet as a Sophomore? His Sophomore record vault of 13-7 (formerly the property of Mr. Mueller), makes him the 12th seeded jumper in the competition. Congratulations Riley
Ryan Hardin- (edited Monday night) Ryan qualified for State in the shot put just under the cuff in the 18th position. His mark of 48-4.25 is our school record. Ryan will not be able to compete, and the field of athletes should be grateful, because Ryan was going to eat them up. He qualified for the spot, and he should be extremely proud. Congratulations Ryan .jpg)
Michaela Kelly- Michaela qualifies for state in the discus as the 16th seeded thrower with a season best mark of 111-10. Michaela has proven she is more than a one-trick pony by adding "State qualifying thrower" to her resumè alongside softball player extraordinaire. If Michaela gets a good week of practice in she just might find herself with a podium position on Saturday afternoon. Congratulations Michaela
Sierra Suazo- Sierra was the Cinderella of last year's female state qualifiers. As a Freshman in 2014 she placed herself 7th with a throw of 34-6.25 in the shot put. Sierra returns to state in 2015, but this time she'll throw both implements being the 4th ranked discus thrower, and 15th ranked shot putter. Congratulations Sierra
Kelly Albers- Kelly, our school record holder in the shot put, makes her first State meet appearance. The senior, with a mark of 36-0.5, enters competition as the 10th seed and aims to get herself a podium finish. Kelly also figures to be a part of our girls 4x100m relay team. Congratulations Kelly
Boys 4x200m relay- (the relay team I have here are who ran them this past weekend at Continental League Championships--Coach Pfeiffer may make changes, and will appoint alternates) In alphabetical order: Kaden Russell, 12th; Parker Strahler, 12th; Ryan Stroz, 11th; Blake Wessbecker, 12th. Three of these 4 athletes will be making attending their first State meet. I can almost guarantee that the experience will make Russell and Wessbecker wish they had taken up the sport earlier. The boys come in ranked 17th, but with tough competition and the comfort of a couple weeks of working hand-offs together they can compete with almost anyone. 
Girls 4x800m relay- (the relay team I have here are who ran them this past weekend at Continental League Championships--Coach Kuhn may make changes, and will appoint alternates) In alphabetical order: Melissa Anderson, 12th; Savanna Dalton, 11th; Kylie Johnson, 12th; Calysta McKinney, 10th. Three of these 4 girls ran this race last year at the State meet and finished 13th. This year's mix has a great promise for a higher finish. Podium anyone?
One last note on State meet entries: We had a few close calls on athletes/relays making it in to the meet. Most notably is the boys 4x100m relay who was ranked 19th. I'm shocked that team didn't get in, but there is still a chance it can get in. One of the teams 1-18 will have to drop out. We will not know for sure until heat sheets are released which might not be until Monday afternoon. Hope for the best.
Entry sheet
Schedule
If you've been to the meet before you'll notice a change in the time schedule for this year, particularly with the field events. The 3200m has also changed days from Thursday to Friday for 5A.
If you've never been before, the state meet is a jam-packed feast for the senses. There are a ton of people there to both watch and compete. If this is your first time going I highly recommend showing up early, or if you don't compete until Friday or Saturday you might want to think about going on Thursday to take everything in and get your mind calibrated to what it will look like during competition. If you are on the team, but are not competing at the state meet I highly suggest you come to the meet especially on Thursday or Friday. I know that is during school, and, no, I cannot excuse you. However, you can ask your parents to excuse you, and heck maybe even ask them to come with you. They'd love to do that just to get the chance to spend time with you. Parents are suckers for that stuff these days.
Anyways, click here to see the schedule. (pink highlights are events a CV athletes is guaranteed to be in, blue highlights are events the athletes would have to qualify for in prelims)
This has taken me an insanely long time. It's Mother's Day--Go spend some time your mothers.
Coach Nack
