Oakley, Gregory split the pot in 5A Colorado distance races

By Brent New for DyeStat

LAKEWOOD, Colo. -- Grandview’s Brie Oakley and Fort Collins’ Lauren Gregory found some middle ground at the end of their short-but-sweet rivalry over the weekend at the state track and field meet in Colorado.

Oakley left the meet with gold in the 3,200 meters after taking the state cross country title in the fall, while Gregory won the 800 and 1,600.

The two rivals and friends certainly can appreciate the other’s strong suit.

“I think I function better with the shorter stuff,” Gregory said, “but two miles and up, she kicks my butt. It’s all in the stride I think.”

The snow and icy rain that forced postponement Thursday and Friday, and condensed the usual three-day affair into a two-day frenzy, was replaced by short-sleeve weather by Saturday.

Oakley soaked in the sun with gold on day one, running the fastest girls 3,200 ever in the state in 10:09.26. Her mark beat former Niwot runner Elise Cranny’s mark in 2014 of 10:17.48 -- as did Gregory’s second-place run of 10:16.43.

“I knew if I was going to do something big it was in the 2-mile,” said the Nike Cross Nationals champion, whose team won the 5A title. “Last week at league I tried to break it but I went like 10:23. But we took it easy this week and I was feeling really fresh.”

Gregory responded with an emphatic win in the 800 (2:10.94), five places better than Oakley (2:13.73).

And to the roar of the thousands of spectators packed in the high school stadium, and as described by an enlivened overhead announcer, the Fort Collins senior capped it off with another gold in the 1,600 as she pushed ahead of Oakley in the final 150 meters to edge her 4:50.77 to 4:51.01.

“I don’t think we could’ve planned it better,” Oakley said. “I think I’d rather get second to someone as great as Lauren than get first by 10 seconds.”

Oakley will run for the California-Berkeley next season and Gregory will run at Arkansas.

On the boys’ side, The Classical Academy’s Tanner Norman ran the fastest 3,200 at the meet in 9:14.45 and also won the 3A 1,600 (4:16.85).

It was a nice ending for the Iowa State commit, who’d built a resume like no other runner in the state over the past year. The senior was named the state’s cross country runner of the year by Gatorade -- and he could be in line for the same honor in track after he ran the fastest 3,200 ever on Colorado soil earlier this month in 9:04.97.

“I just wanted to finish on a high note,” he said. “I wanted to finish it strong.”

Valor Christian’s Anna Hall, a raw but promising multi-event athlete, won the 100 hurdles (14.62) and 300 hurdles (43.17), in addition to taking second in the high jump (5-6) and fourth in the 400 (56.43).

Earlier this year, the sophomore won the pentathlon at the New Balance Nationals Indoor meet and was second in the heptathlon at Arcadia.

Elsewhere, Discovery Canyon’s Lauren Gale returned to the state meet after having hip surgery on a torn labrum in January. Gale, who won four golds as an up-and-coming sophomore, was cleared by doctors to run just three weeks ago.

She took fourth in the 100 (12.46), second in the 400 (56.22) and helped lead her team to second in the sprint medley (1:48.65).

“I was just happy to be back,” Gale said. “Everybody was telling me that I wouldn’t be able to come back and run this season. And I didn’t think I could.

“Just to make it here was awesome.”

Fountain-Fort Carson won the 5A boys meet behind sprinter Donovan Williams’ wins in the 100 (10.70) and 200 (21.63) and jumper Jequan Hogan’s golds in the triple (50-7.25) and high jump (6-9). 

Darrien Wells of Hinkley ran 47.62 to win the 5A boys 400 and was seond to Williams in the 100 and 200. Isaac Green from Monarch swept the 5A boys 800 (1:52.92), the 1,600 (4:21.98) and the 3,200 (9:26.39).

Sophomore Arria Minor from Denver East was terrific in the 5A sprints, clocking 11.53 in the 100, 23.57 in the 200 and 53.30 in the 400. 

Emily Sloan from Rock Canyon ran 13.58 to win the 100 hurdles and was second in the 300 hurdles.

Team Champions

Class 5A - Fountain Fort Carson boys 106 points, Grandview girls 120

Class 4A - Vista Ridge boys 93.5, Air Academy girls 92

Class 3A - Lutheran-Parker boys 104, Classical Academy girls 101.5

Class 2A - Cedaredge boys 97, Paonia girls 110

Class 1A - Heritage Christian boys 105, Springfield girls 73.5