Air Academy's Rainsberger caps career with 10 titles, Denver East's Minor has dazzling debut

Colorado State Meet Highlights

Katie Rainsberger concluded an exceptional career at Air Academy by sweeping Class 4A titles in the 800, 1600, 3200 and 4x800 relay at Jefferson County Stadium in Lakewood for the second year in a row, giving her 10 state track championships overall.

Denver East freshman Arria Minor made her state debut an impressive one, capturing Class 5A titles in the 100, 200 and 400, running a national-leading 52.50 in the latter, just off the state record of 52.47 set in 1993 by Denver South’s Cynthia Newsome.

Minor ran 11.83 in the 100 and 23.53 in the 200. She still boasts the fastest freshman wind-legal times in the country at 11.64 in the 100 and 23.42 in the 200.

Rainsberger ran a Class 4A meet record 4:45.27 in the 1600, just off her 4:44.31 from the Longmont Invitational in March, in addition to 2:09.57 in the 800, 10:23.24 in the 3200 and anchored the 4x800 relay that prevailed in 9:14.28 as Air Academy placed second with 64.5 points behind Classical Academy’s 84.5 points.

Classical Academy won its ninth girls team championship, second in state history behind Mullen’s 11 titles.

Here are additional state meet highlights:

Class 5A

Grandview junior Brie Oakley set the classification meet record by running 10:33.16 in the 3200, eclipsing Melody Fairchild’s standard of 10:34.09 set in 1990. Oakley also won the 1600 in 4:58.47.

Rock Canyon sophomore Emily Sloan doubled in the 100 and 300 hurdles in 13.46 and 41.24, the latter just off the state record of 41.18 run by Rocky Mountain’s Carly Lester in 2014.

Poudre senior Henry Raymond tripled in the 800, 1600 and 3200, clocking 1:51.97, 4:18.67 and 9:25.21.

Arapahoe challenged the state girls 4x400 relay record again with a 3:46.79, just missing its school record of 3:46.53 from 2013. Littleton set the state standard of 3:45.69 in 2011.

Class 4A

With Rainsberger dominating the distance events, Discovery Canyon sophomore Lauren Gale shined in the sprints, winning the 100 in 12.21, the 200 in 24.19 and the 400 in 53.72. Gale also helped Discovery Canyon set a classification meet record of 1:44.54 in the 800 sprint medley relay, one of two girls relay meet records set, along with Valor Christian clocking 1:39.80 in the 4x200.

After setting the state record with her 13-9 clearance April 14 at the R2-J Invitational, Classical Academy’s Andrea Willis contributed to the team championship with a classification meet record of 13-4.

Palmer Ridge senior Caleb Ojennes broke the boys classification meet record in the 400 with his 46.71, in addition to winning the 200 in 21.55.

Class 3A

Junior Tarynn Sieg contributed to Eaton’s title repeat by setting a classification meet record with her 45-5 shot put, in addition to winning the discus with a throw of 142-10

Moffat County senior Kayla Pinnt set a classification meet record of 55.01 in the 400, along with winning the 100 in 12.22 and 200 in 24.77

Faith Christian junior Sarah Yocum set the classification meet record by running 42.45 in the 300 hurdles prelims, before capturing the title with her 44.15 in the finals. Yocum also prevailed in the 100 hurdles in 14.57.

Kharon Hall highlighted Lutheran’s back-to-back boys championships with his classification meet record 48-1.75 triple jump.

Aspen junior Sunday Abarca won the 400 in a classification meet record of 48.54 and Manitou Springs produced a new 4x400 relay standard of 3:21.46, taking down the 2002 record of 3:22.42 set by Gunnison.

Class 2A

Brianna Van Vleet contributed to Paonia’s fourth consecutive girls team title, setting the classification meet record in the long jump by leaping 18-9.5.

Lyons senior Paul Roberts doubled, establishing a new classification meet record of 4:19.54 in the 1600 and winning the 3200 in 9:26.17

Soroco sophomore Ben Kelley took down the classification meet record in the 800, clocking 1:55.61 to eclipse the 2002 record of 1:56.13 from DeBeque’s Cory Kline.

Vail Christian produced new pole vault classification meet records in both genders, with Cooper Daniels winning the boys title with a 15-2 clearance and Taylor Alexander capturing the girls championship by clearing 11-9.

Class 1A

Heritage Christian swept team titles, with the girls repeating as champions, but Shining Mountain senior Jordan Cherin was the most decorated performer.

Cherin set classification meet records by clocking 48.80 in the 400 and 1:54.83 in the 800, in addition to winning the 200 in 22.87 and placing second in the 100 in 11.58

Sangre de Cristo produced classification meet records in the girls shot put and discus throw, with Jenna McKinley delivering efforts of 42-6 and 131-6, in addition to the long jump with Sarah Storey leaping 17-6.5.

Kim sophomore Zariah Mason established classification meet records in the girls 100 and 200, clocking 12.52 and 25.81. Springfield set a new classification meet standard in the girls 4x200 relay by running 1:48.27.

A trio of boys classification meet records were broken, with McClave’s Ian Beckett clearing 6-3 in the high jump, Flagler’s Cameron Klahn leaping 21-11.75 in the long jump and Arickaree’s Trent Leoffler producing a 44-3.75 triple jump.

Team champions

Class 5A – Boys: Pomona 94.5 points; Girls: Fort Collins 81 points

Class 4A – Boys: Mountain View 89 points; Girls: Classical Academy 84.5 points

Class 3A – Boys: Lutheran 137 points; Girls: Eaton 107.5 points

Class 2A – Boys: Cedaredge 98 points; Girls: Paonia 139 points

Class 1A – Boys: Heritage Christian 126 points; Girls: Heritage Christian 121 points