COLORADO STATE MEET

Tavon Underwood Runs US#1 And Colorado All-Time Best 45.36 400m 

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

PHOTOS by Brandon Lindner

Mead senior Tavon Underwood put together an incredible state meet competing across four events from the 100 meters to the 800, and winning three of the four. 

But it's what he did in the 400 meters that will go down in history and be long remembered by those who saw it live at JeffCo Stadium. 

Underwood, a Kansas State commit, blasted a one-lap time of 45.36 seconds to zoom to the U.S. lead in the event and demolish the Colorado all-time best. 

Underwood was also second in the 4A 100 meters in a personal-best 10.67, he ran 20.93 to win the 200 meters and 1:51.97 to win the 800. 

Underwood's heroics were just a part of a spectacular Colorado state championship meet. 

Emma Stutzman of Pomona won the 5A 1,600 meters in a meet record time of US#3 4:39.94 that was the first sub-4:40 clocking at Colorado's mile-high elevation. Stutzman also won the 3,200 meters in 10:12.68 and ran 2:11.32 for second place in the 800 meters. 

Bethany Michalak of Air Academy paired 4:42.65 and 10:16.04 and finished second to Stutzman in both races. 

Rachel Bair of Mountain Vista won the 5A girls 100-meter dash final in 11.82 seconds. She also won the 400 meters in 56.05 seconds and finished second in the 200 (24.78). She was also fifth in the long jump. 

Gabriella Cunningham of Grandview rolled through the 100-meter hurdles in 13.78 seconds and won the 300 hurdles in 42.71. She also anchored the winning 4x100 relay (47.63) and placed fourth in the 100 meters. 

Brandon Hills of Vista Ridge also had a tremendous meet, winning the 5A boys 100 in 10.52 seconds, winning the long jump with a massive PR of US#7 24-8, placing second in the 200 (21.12) and anchoring the winning 4x100 relay (41.29). 

Sophomore Peyton Sommers helped Cherokee Trail win the 5A boys team with with his victory in the 200 meters (21.10) and 400 (46.77) and second place in the 100 (10.62). He also anchored the winning 4x200 (1:25.65). 

Valor Christian's Drew Costelow and Dane Eike went 1-2 in the 5A 1,600 meters final, running 4:12.88 and 4:13.61, respectively. Eike, a junior, edged sophomore Benjamin Anderson of Mountain Vista in the 3,200, 9:13.27 to 9:13.48. Costelow also won the 800 in 1:52.17. 

Mountain Vista's boys ran US#7 7:42.58 to win the 5A 4x800 relay. 

Miller Jones of Grand Junction competed in two hurdles finals and soared to wins in both 4A boys horizontal jumps. He jumped 50 feet, 5 inches for US#7 and went more than a foot beyond his PR in the triple jump. He also won the long jump with 23-4. 

The Niwot girls rolled to an overwhelming 154 points to reclaim the 4A team title. Madison Shults made sure to go down as one of the program's legends with her victories in the 400 meters (55.76) and 800 (2:08.90). She also anchored the winning 4x400 (3:52.76) and was on the fourth-place 4x100 relay. 

Freshman Addison Ritzenhein contributed to the Niwot domination with a victory in the 3,200 (10:30.05) and she was third in the 1,600. Teammate Kimora Northrup was a double winner in the hurdles, running 14.43 and 43.05. 

Daniel Baroumbaye of Grand Junction Central won the 4A shot put (60-0) and discus (194-11) with huge PRs and state-leading marks. 

Joe Ciccio helped the Lutheran-Parker boys to the 4A team title with his win in the 100 (10.53), third place in the 200 and second in the 4x100 relay. 

Zander Cruzan of Montezuma Cortez swept the 3A boys sprints, running PR times of 10.61 seconds in the 100 meters, 21.47 in the 200 and 48.76 in the 400. 

In the 3A girls sprints, Julia Hodell of Holy Family won the 100 meters in 12.12 and the 200 meters in 24.56 seconds.  She was part of two more victories in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays.

Andie Rasmussen of Eaton won the 3A girls 400 final in 56.05 seconds. 

Odone Omofoma led Dayspring Christian's girls to the team title with her 2A sprint double (12.18/25.11). 

Yannis Diby of Twin Peaks Charter won the 2A boys high jump with a 6-6 clearance. 

In Class 1A, John Hainer of Granada swept the throwing events with personal best marks of 53-5.50 in the shot put and 142-10 in the discus. 

Ava Vines of De Beque jumped 5-5 to win the 1A girls long jump, matching the second-best height in Colorado this spring. Her brother, Scottie Vines, jumped 6-10 for a state-leading mark and US#27.

Team Champions -

Class 5A - Cherokee Trail boys 74 points, Valor Christian girls 84 points - RESULTS

Class 4A - Lutheran-Parker boys 67 points, Niwot girls 154 points - RESULTS

Class 3A - Classical Academy boys 109 points, Alamosa girls 98.2 points - RESULTS

Class 2A - Peyton boys 65 points, Dayspring Christian girls 90 points - RESULTS

Class 1A - Cheraw boys 85 points, Merino girls 88 points - RESULTS