It’s time to start giving some thought to what it will take to find a place in the 1A state meet later this month. In 1A, the top nine qualify for state in each laned event on the track, including relays. Twelve will qualify for state in the 800, 1600, 3200, and 4×800. Ten will qualify for state in each field event. It’s possible that teams and individuals not at these levels in the rankings will advance to state, but only if one or more of those ranked above them scratch the event.
What follows is an inexact science. Ultimately, what I’m doing is making educated guesses. But, for the coach and athlete who want a ballpark estimate on what it will take to advance to state in a particular event, I can offer an opinion that’s reasonably well informed.
PHOTO BY OT SPORTSCHECK
Below, you will see listed each 1A event. With each event, I’ve listed the current final state qualifying more. Clearly, if you’re currently outside the list of qualifiers and want to find a place on the inside, you have to beat that mark. But, it stands to reason you’ll eventually have to beat other marks as well. I also score how “packed” the field is behind the current last qualifier on a 1-3 scale. A loosely-packed field scores a 1. A tightly-packed field scores a 3. Anything in between scores a 2. If you’re trying to you’re your way into the field a loosely-packed field is better news than a tightly-packed field. Finally, I lay down my own estimate of what it will take to hold a state-qualifying mark on May 15 when coaches must designate their state meet entries (and hopefuls).
Date: May 5 (this is important to cross-reference the #9 rankings shown below)
I will eventually complete this exercise for all five classifications. This article is the third of five in that process.
That should be adequate explanation. The events follow.
1A Boys 100 Meter Dash
Current #9: Ivan Losa, Akron/Carter Jaeger, Prairie, 11.82; Packing: 2; Projected Top-9 Cutoff: 11.74
1A Girls 200 Meter Dash
Current #9: Kali Siemers, Heritage Christian, 13.65; Packing: 1; Projected Top-9 Cutoff: 13.56
1A Boys 200 Meter Dash
Current #9: Owen Node, Haxtun, 24.35; Packing: 3; Projected Top-9 Cutoff: 24.18
1A Girls 200 Meter Dash
Current #9: Krista Wieser, Idalia, 28.34; Packing: 1; Projected Top-9 Cutoff: 28.10
1A Boys 400 Meter Dash
Current #9: Chorbin Cressler, Dove Creek, 54.41; Packing: 2, Projected Top-9 Cutoff: 54.02
1A Girls 400 Meter Dash
Current #9: Krista Wieser, Idalia, 1:05.62; Packing: 1; Projected Top-9 Cutoff: 1:05.00
1A Boys 800 Meter Run
Current #12: Dylan Ball, Cheyenne Wells, 2:17.70; Packing: 3, Projected Top-12 Cutoff: 2:13.50
1A Girls 800 Meter Run
Current #9: McKenna Sutter, Merino, 2:45.11; Packing: 3, Projected Top-12 Cutoff: 2:40.00
1A Boys 1600 Meter Run
Current #12: Gavin Steed, Heritage Christian, 5:12.22; Packing: 1; Projected Top-12 Cutoff: 5:02.00
1A Girls 1600 Meter Run
Current #12: Ava Turner, Hi-Plains, 6:24.36; Packing: 1; Projected Top-12 Cutoff: 6:15.00
1A Boys 3200 Meter Run
Current #12: Kaden Schohl, Heritage Christian, 11:29.28; Packing: 1; Projected Top-12 Cutoff: 11:08.00
1A Girls 3200 Meter Run
Current #12: Ryleigh Tunink, Simla, 15:30.64; Packing: 1; Projected Top-12 Cutoff: 15:05.00
1A Boys 110 Meter Hurdles
Current #9: Keaton Marriott, Kit Carson, 18.58; Packing: 1; Projected Top-9 Cutoff: 18.10
1A Girls 100 Meter Hurdles
Current #9: Holly McDaniel, Sanford, 18.49; Packing: 2; Projected Top-9 Cutoff: 18.15
1A Boys 300 Meter Hurdles
Current #9: Gavin Tempel, McClave, 47.46; Packing: 2; Projected Top-9 Cutoff: 46.25
1A Girls 300 Meter Hurdles
Current #9: Jordan Perreault, Kiowa, 53.59; Packing: 2; Projected Top-9 Cutoff: 52.00
1A Boys 4×100 Meter Relay
Current #9: Wiley 47.37; Packing: 2; Projected Top-9 Cutoff: 46.50
1A Girls 4×100 Meter Relay
Current #9: Haxtun, 55.61; Packing: 2; Projected Top-9 Cutoff: 54.30
1A Boys 4×200 Meter Relay
Current #9: North Park, 1:39.20; Packing: 1; Projected Top-9 Cutoff: 1:37.50
1A Girls 4×200 Meter Relay
Current #9: Sanford, 1:57.63; Packing: 1; Projected Top-9 Cutoff: 1:56.30
1A Boys 4×400 Meter Relay
Current #9: Akron, 3:57.05; Packing: 1; Projected Top-9 Cutoff: 3:51.00
1A Girls 4×400 Meter Relay
Current #9: Evangelical Christian, 4:39.33; Packing: 1; Projected Top-9 Cutoff: 4:32.00
1A Boys 4×800 Meter Relay
Current #9: Sangre de Cristo, 9:50.73; Packing: 2; Projected Top-12 Cutoff: 9:35.00
1A Girls 4×800 Meter Relay
Current #9: Sangre de Cristo, 13:01.08; Packing: 1; Projected Top-12 Cutoff: 12:35.00
1A Girls 800 Meter Sprint Medley Relay
Current #9: Haxtun, 2:02.88; Packing: 3; Projected Top-9 Cutoff: 1:59.95
1A Boys High Jump
Current #10: Three-way tie at 5-8; Packing: 3; Projected Top-10 Cutoff: 5-10
1A Girls High Jump
Current #10: Massive tie at 4-7; Packing: 3; Projected Top-10 Cutoff: 4-8.5
1A Boys Pole Vault
Current #10: Three-way tie at 8-4; Packing: 2; Projected Top-10 Cutoff: 8-8
1A Girls Pole Vault
Current #10: Grace D’Esposito, La Veta; Packing: 1; Projected Top-10 Cutoff: 6-5
1A Boys Long Jump
Current #10: Scottie Vines, DeBeque, Carter Jaeger, Prairie, 19-6.75; Packing: 3; Projected Top-10 Cutoff: 19-11
1A Girls Long Jump
Current #10: Trinidie Quintana, Granada, 14-11; Packing: 3; Projected Top-10 Cutoff: 15-3
1A Boys Triple Jump
Current #10: Maddox Coleman, Granada, 38-5.5; Packing: 3; Projected Top-10 Cutoff: 39-9
1A Girls Triple Jump
Current #10: Emily Mason, Hi-Plains/Allie Thomson, Haxtun, 32-1; Packing: 3; Projected Top-10 Cutoff: 32-6
1A Boys Shot Put
Current #10: Riley Shean, Stratton, 38-10.5; Packing: 2; Projected Top-10 Cutoff: 39-10
1A Girls Shot Put
Current #10: Cassidy Jagers, McClave, 32-5; Packing: 1; Projected Top-10 Cutoff: 32-10
1A Boys Discus
Current #10: Koy Pickard, Kim/Branson, 117-7 (note that any fractions of inches shown on discus marks should be ruled irrelevant); Packing: 2; Projected Top-10 Cutoff: 122-0
1A Girls Discus
Current #10: Diana Topping, La Veta, 93-0 (note that any fractions of inches shown on discus marks should be ruled irrelevant); Packing: 2; Projected Top-10 Cutoff: 97-9
Now, all that’s left to be done is for the athletes to go out and compete. There will be triumphs and defeats along the way, but that’s all part of the process of growing.
