The 2025 Colorado state track and field championships officially launched off the starting line today at 8 a.m. with a slew of prelims, but it didn’t take long for a final to crown the first state champion of the season.

Thirty-four state champions were crowned on the first day of competition. And while there was plenty to talk about, here are the highlights.

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Kicking off the first track final was the Class 4A boys 3,200 final, and it definitely set the tone for the day.

Cheyenne Mountain’s Aiden Le Roux set an honest pace that took the pack through the opening mile in 4 minutes, 34 seconds — or about 9:08 pace.

With 600 to go, Niwot’s Hunter Robbie attacked, and the once seven-man lead pack quickly stretched thin.

At the bell, seven were still in the mix, though Robbie’s hot pace was beginning to take prisoners.

Down the backstretch Cheyenne Mountain’s Brogan Collins and Niwot’s Ryder Keeton countered Robbie’s move.

But Keeton’s kicked would not be denied — he closed his final lap in 60-seconds.

The Niwot junior battled all the way down the homestretch to capture his first state title, clocking a personal best of 9:02.44.

“I kind of had this thought that I might win it,” Keeton admitted. “But I was like ‘no way’ something crazy would have to happen.”

His time was just off Will Brunner’s 4A state meet record of 9:01.22, set in 2022.

“I just had to believe going into the last lap,” he said. “This just feels amazing. I really wanted this. I’ve been working all year for this.”

Collins and Robbie were a close 2-3, finishing in 9:03.22, and 9:03.40. The top-seven went under 9:12, making it one of the highest quality races in Colorado history.

While the boy’s 3,200 went down to the line, Addy Ritzenhein closed shop early in the 4A girls 3,200 final.

The Niwot junior cruised through a steady opening mile, which a pack of five hit around 5:21.

And then she went to work.

“I didn’t want to take it out,” Ritzenhein admitted. “After I felt good and got into a rhythm, I would take it (the pace).”

The defending state champion pressed the pedal to the floor, ticking off 400-meter splits of 1:15, 1:14, and 1:16-seconds, before cruising home in 1:20 for a final mile of 5:06 for a final time of 10:27.

“I’ve had a bit of a different season, it was a bit frustrating at the beginning of the year,” Ritzenhein shared. “But I feel like I’ve caught my ground and gained my racing mentality back.”

Behind Ritzenhein, a hot race for second ensued.

Air Academy’s Chamorra Cooper kicked late top take second, clocking 10:37, which was just ahead of teammate Tesse Walter, who finished third in 10:40.

Ritzenhein’s race was her first of two before noon, and the first of four on the weekend — she’s slated to compete in the 4×800, 800, and the 1,600.

Niwot’s sweep of the 4A 3,200 individual titles would be mirrored nearly an hour later in the 4×800.

Niwot’s boys came out hot. They led the field at the first exchange and never looked back.

The quartet of Quinn Sullivan, Cole Mazurana, Gavin Engtrakul, and Rocco Culpepper ran away from all comers, clocking 7:51.53. Thompson Valley took silver in 7:56.81, while Cheyenne Mountain was third just over 8:01.

On the girls side of the competition the race looked up for grabs early.

Air Academy’s Walter doubled-back from the 3,200 just an hour before to clock a 2:16 opening leg to give the Kadets a slight lead, but Niwot did what Niwot does.

By halfway, the Cougars held a four-second lead, and it only stretched from there.

The quartet of Elisa Hagen, Elsza Bergen, Anna Prok, and Addy Ritzenhein telescoped away with a 9:18.

Ritzenhein clocked 2:15 on her final leg.

Air Academy took second in 9:26, while Timnath was third in 9:30.

The first 5A track final of the day came next, and it was perhaps the most exciting race of the day.

The 5A boys 4×800 was the first nail-biter of the meet, and it was done before 10:40 in the morning.

All the bell lap four teams were all still in the mix, led by Mountain Vista. Northfield was in the hunt, along with Rock Canyon and Broomfield.

But the final quarter-mile sliced that down to two, with Mountain Vista’s Benji Anderson and Northfield’s Ayuub Hassan battling all the way down to the line.

Anderson made a dive for the line, but Hassan’s final strides could not be matched.

Northfield — who you could argue were complete dark horses as they were competing in 5A for the first time this season — stunned the field by claiming the 4×800 state title in 7:51.26, which was just barely a stride ahead of Mountain Vista’s 7:51.36.

Hassen, along with his teammates Ian Larkin, Jack Sheehan, and Bridger DeCamp gave Northfield their first 5A state title.

Rock Canyon took third in 7:54.29.

Five schools ran under 7:57.

While the 5A boys 4×800 needed quite literally every inch of the eight laps to decide things, the girl’s 4×800 hinted at the eventual outcome a bit earlier.

Cherry Creek and Mountain Vista made it a two-team race, with Fossil Ridge giving chase.

When Cherry Creek’s Kinley Wolfe — who has run 2:12 this season — got the baton for the final leg with a three-second lead, things looked in favor of the Bruins.

Wolfe didn’t have to hunt here, she just had to maintain, and that’s exactly what she did.

The Cherry Creek quartet of Caroline Laughlin, Mattie Sheehan, Emily Cohen, and Wolfe clocked 9:10.27 to claim the 5A 4×800 state title.

On the field, Taegan Olson soared in the girl’s Class 4A pole vault. The Roosevelt senior captured her first state title, clearing 13-1.5.

Likewise, Cooper Van Maurer saved his best for the last.

The Central (GJ) senior cleared a 4A state meet record of 16-4.75 to claim the title.

The latter half of the day saw several great battles among the 3A, 2A and 1A schools.

In the 2A boys 4×800 North Fork and Peyton battled to the line.

North Fork’s Charlie Miller, Peyton Armstrong, Tate Fister, and Braden Flores took the state title, clocking 8:15.54, which was just ahead of Peyton’s 8:16.92.

Meanwhile, Resurrection Christian torched the field in the 3A 4×800, clocking 7:59.36.

An ongoing storyline here will be the Fagerlin brothers, who led off, and finished this race.

Lincoln Fagerlin, Jonah Morris, Trevor Lim, and Jackson Fagerlin combined for the fastest time run in Class 3A this season.

Likewise, The Classical Academy quartet of Jana Yuschalk, Joy Ahnfeldt, Makenzie Zachman, and Vivian Jack dominated the 3A girls 4×800, clocking 9:33.87 — a 16-second victory over Coal Ridge.

On the field, Centaur’s Troy Sowards capped his stellar season with the 3A high jump, clearing 6-9.

In the 2A boys distance action we’ve got a state title tracker going on, as Bobby Kiesewetter is looking for the triple crown — the 800, 1,600, and the 3,200.

In the first event of his 2025 state experience Kiesewetter came out swinging — he won the 2A 3,200 title in a 2A state record of 9:25.62. He’s slated to compete in the 800 Friday, and the 1,600 Saturday.

Day 2 of the 2025 Colorado state track and field championships launches off the line with the 5A 3,200 finals.