(Pictured: The Moscow girls pose with their state championship banner and trophy after claiming the Class 5A title.  Photo Courtesy of Steve Conner)

MERIDIAN, Idaho--The marquee finals of the Idaho 6A/5A track and field state championships lived up to their billing and brought the intensity Saturday at Mountain View High.

By the end of the 6A boys 110 and 300 hurdles finals, Highland junior Spencer Van Orden had swept the gold medals for a second consecutive year, nearly matched his Idaho all-time best (and personal best) in the 110s to continue his undefeated season in the event and ran a new Idaho all-time best and personal best in the 300 hurdles. Van Orden won Saturday's 110 hurdles final in 13.60, the 300 hurdles final in 36.51, placed third in the 6A 100 meters final in 10.78 and contributed to Highland's third-place 4x400 relay (3:21.25) after a quick turnaround from the 300 hurdles final.

Van Orden said he did feel pressure going into this weekend as he has received more attention since sweeping last year's 5A hurdles state titles as a sophomore and moving up the U.S. rankings this season. But any nerves got drowned out once he reached the starting line, and that sustained as he competed in all his event finals. 

"I was just thinking the more races I did, the more I realized that I'm wrapping up my junior year right now, so I figured I might as well just leave it all on the track and let Idaho know what I can do," Van Orden said.

Van Orden will compete in 110 hurdles at the invite-only Brooks PR Invitational on June 8 in Renton, Wash., a meet which features some of the top ranked high school athletes in the nation, and he said he also plans to compete at Nike Outdoor Nationals scheduled for June 19-22 at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field. Before this season, 2022 Emmett graduate Landon Helms was Idaho's only sub-14 second 110 hurdler. This spring, Van Orden (personal best and U.S. No. 16 13.55), Nampa senior Tegon Lords (personal best and No. 3 Idaho all-time 13.81), Boise senior Chase Lawyer (personal best and No. 4 Idaho all-time 13.84) and Emmett senior Kenyon Carter (personal best and No. 5 all-time 13.98) joined Helms on that list. Additionally, no Idaho boy had ever broken 37 seconds in 300 hurdles until Van Orden, Lords and Lawyer did so in April. Lawyer ran his personal best 36.98 at the Arcadia Invitational in April while Van Orden and Lords ran their personal bests in Saturday's finals. Van Orden's 36.51 is No. 1 all-time in Idaho and No. 12 in the U.S. this season, Lords' 36.79 is No. 2 all-time in Idaho and No. 22 in the U.S. while Lawyer's 36.98 is No. 3 all-time in Idaho. All there were ranked in the top 25 in the U.S. for 300 hurdles during the week of April 19.

Following Saturday's 300 hurdles final, where Van Orden, Lords and Lawyer finished 1-2-3, the trio shared a long embrace.

"It's pretty safe to say trackflation is real," Van Orden said of the Idaho boys hurdle history made this season. "You never really would have expected what we just did, but here we are. Tegon and Chase, they've been putting in the work all year. So while I was surprised,  at the same time I was kinda like yeah, they've earned it."

Lords bounced back from a fall in the 110 hurdles finals to place second in the 300 hurdles in 36.79. Lords, who will continue his career at Idaho State, soon collapsed to the track from his effort in 300 hurdles and cramped up in the infield.

"I can't really walk right now," Lords said. 

Lords was on the same club team as Lawyer since last fall, Orchard Athletix, and they trained and competed together at Simplot Games and other indoor meets over the winter. He anknowledged the progression he and Van Orden and Lawyer have made since last year that set the stage for Saturday's finals.

"It's probably the best thing ever especially competing against Chase and Spencer," Lords said of the history they shared this season. "I've definitely exceeded all the goals I had for this season."

A University of Idaho signee, Lawyer placed second in Saturday's 110 hurdles final in 13.93 and third in the 300 hurdles final in 38.00. Older brother, 2022 Boise High graduate and current Washington State track athlete, Mason Lawyer, was in attendance this weekend at Mountain View.

"He came here to support me and for my graduation," the younger Lawyer said. "I started realizing right after the 300s, this is my last time wearing a Boise jersey."

While he said he had hoped to perform better in the 300 hurdles final, Lawyer expressed gratitude for contributing to the history made in Idaho boys hurdles this spring.

"I think all season added up to what we do together," Lawyer said. "I think this season, this really wouldn't have been possible without all three of us."

Oklahoma State signee, Meridian senior Nate Stadtlander, won a second consecutive 1,600 state title in 4:09.39 and came back in the last 50 meters to win the 6A boys 800 in 1:52.92 to keep his undefeated season in the event. Stadtlander's 1,600 personal best of 4:06.14 from the Nike/Jesuit Twilight Relays in April is currently No. 13 in the U.S. this season and No. 3 all-time on record in Idaho.

Stadtlander said he felt more nervous about the 800 final than the 1,600, acknowledging the great competition from Timberline senior Nick Janecko, who Stadtlander passed for the win.

Stadtlander, who also placed second in Friday's 3,200 in 9:07.58 and contributed to Meridian's fifth place 4x400 finish in 3:22.06, said he is still deciding between competing this summer at Nike Outdoor Nationals or the HOKA Festival of Miles in St. Louis in June.

"My goal at the beginning of the season was to go sub-4, but you know, when I set the goal pretty high, when I don't get it, I'm still gonna achieve great things and going sub-4:10 here at state, so I'm pretty happy with how I did today," Stadtlander said. 

Mountain View completed a program-first sweep of track state titles, winning the 6A girls track state championship with 93 points and a 2.5-point victory margin over Rocky Mountain while the boys scored 100 points in two days for the 6A state sweep. This was the first time since 2018 that the state titles for Idaho's largest classification did not go to the Boise girls or Rocky Mountain boys. The Mavericks last won a girls track state title in 2018 while the boys have never won it before.

"I feel like I've had a lot of good memories and connections with people on the team," Mountain View junior Quincy Keller said. "I''m gonna remember so much throughout the rest of high school."

Keller scored 40 points for the Mavericks toward their girls team championship, sweeping the 100 and 200 finals in 11.84 and 24.45 and also anchoring the winning 4x100 in 47.83 and 4x200 in 1:40.38. In Friday's 200 prelims, she ran an all-classification state meet record 23.97, which is No. 2 all-time on record in Idaho.

"This entire season, that's been my goal so it was amazing to finally pull it off and do it," Keller said of breaking 24 in the 200. "The 200 definitely, that was a big goal of mine so I'm super grateful that I surpassed that."

Mountain View junior Kami Clayton was 6A girls shot put champion (41-11.5) and senior Madilyn McCarty was 6A girls discus champion (128-1).

Keller's 4x200 and 4x100 teammate, sophomore Talia Johnson, placed fourth in the 400 (58.57) and fifth in the 200 (25.88), the girls 4x800 took third in 9:24.12, junior Lilja Walmsley took third in 6A girls pole vault (11-6), and junior Bree Cardon took third in 6A girls triple jump (37-2.25).

Mountain View senior Joseph Miraya remained undefeated in shot put upon winning the 6A state title with 58.5-5. His personal bests of 62-8 in shot put and 191-4 in discus, which are each No. 5 all-time in Idaho in those events, respectively, ascended him into the top 25 in the U.S. earlier this season on athletic.net.   

Other medalists for the Mavericks included senior Kellen Walbuck ( third in long jump, 22-0.5), senior Nathan Bunning  (fifth in the 400, 49.43), junior Koda VanDahlen (second in the 1,600, 4:13.15),  junior Austin Riley (third in the 800, 1:55.40) and freshman Behr Scott (third in the 200, 21.86).

Both the 6A boys and girls 4x100 and 4x200 titles went to Mavericks. The boys 4x100 of Beau Stewart, Jacob Allen, Cashton Gennette and Catcher Gennette won in 41.64 and the 4x200 team of Allen, both Gennettes and Behr Scott won in  1:26.34, which is No. 3 all-time on record in Idaho and a new overall state meet record.

Stadtlander's Meridian teammates senior Carver Martin (boys long jump, 22-10.75), senior Hanmah Bingham (girls 400 in 56.49) and senior Paisley Taylor (girls 3,200 in 10:46.21) also won gold medals.

Kuna senior Myles Johnson-Nicholson won the 6A boys 400 in 48.07, celebrating with an archer pose as he crossed the finish line, placed second in the 200 in 21.83 and anchored the third-place 4x200 in 1:27.58 and second-place 4x400 in 3:19.13 (No. 4 all-time on record in Idaho).

Eli Rich, a Boise junior, ran a personal best 21.55 to claim the 6A boys 200 title in a race where the top four finishers all broke 22.

Rigby junior Brayden Maughan won the 6A boys discus state title with a mark of 174-6. He and Miraya battled back and forth in the final. 

"I definitely want to try to get over 200 next season," said Maughan, who earlier this month broke an 18 year-old school record in discus with a personal best 180-3.

Rocky Mountain senior Emme Hamm scored 40 points for the state runner-up Grizzlies and added four gold medals to her collection upon winning the 6a girls 800 in 2:11.71 (No. 4 all-time on record in Idaho), 6A girls 1,600 in a personal best 4:49.65 to become the fifth Idaho girl to go sub-4:50 and she was a member of the winning 4x400 team (3:58.50) and 4x800 (9:17.31).

Fellow Rocky Mountain seniors Paul Anderson cleared 16-0 to win state pole vault and Timothy Price leaped 46-1 to win triple jump. Rocky Mountain sophomore Lauren Rynhart ensured a Grizzly sweep of 6A pole vault upon clearing 11-6 and winning on attempts.

Timberline's boys 4x800 won in 7:43.06 (No. 2 all-time on record in Idaho) and after a review and disqualifiication were also deemed winners of the 4x400 in an overall meet record 3:18.62, which is also No. 1 all-time on record in Idaho by one hundredth of a second. Timberline junior Hudson Lewis won the 6A boys 100 state title in 10.70 to remain undefeated in the event this season. His teammate Nadja Burkholder, a sophomore, won 6A girls triple jump with a leap of 38-7.5. 

Eagle senior Makenzie Baisch won the 6A girls 100 hurdles final in 14.60 and the 300 hurdles final in 43.86 (No. 10 all-time on record in Idaho), leading an Eagle 1-2 finish in the 300 hurdles with fellow senior Ellery Brooke (44.29). Her teammate Ambrose Brainard cleared 6-6 to win the 6A boys high jump.

Coeur d'Alene senior Max Cervi-Skinner won the 6A boys 3,200 final in 9:01.59. He won all but one 3,200 he competed in this season.  Teammate and fellow senior Kimberlee Priebe cleared 5-6 to win 6A girls high jump.

The first ever 6A state titles in javelin, Idaho's newest event, went to Centennial senior Eliana Tia (113-4) and Post Falls senior Isaac Mckeown (169-6).

In 5A, Bishop Kelly won its fifth consecutive boys track state title and eighth in nine seasons, scoring 113 total points in two days for a dominant 56-point victory over runner-up Skyline. Moscow scored 95 points in two days to win the 5A girls title, its first girls track state championship since winning 3A in 1992, taking first place by 16 points over Bishop Kelly.

Moscow sophomore Mattea Nuhn scored 40 points, winning 100 hurdles in 14.71 to conclude an undefeated season, 300 hurdles in 44.96, clearing 5-6 to win high jump and was on the state champion 4x100 in 49.26, giving her seven gold medals at state track in two seasons. The Bears had all four girls relay teams medal at state, including winning the 4x200 in 1:45.20 with Brooklyn Becker, Jasmine Carr, Ashyn Fakhouri and Addie Lassen. Jessa Skinner, a junior, placed second in 100 hurdles (15.48) and long jump (16-11.25).

Both 5A 1,600 state titles went to Bishop Kelly as  senior Isaac Edwards won the boys title in 4:19.38 and senior Zoey Stauffer ran 5:09.58 to win the girls final. Seniors Owen Kane (long jump in 21-0.5, triple jump in 44-7.75) and Reed Martin (boys discus, 163-0) also won individual titles. The Knights placed in all four boys relays, including Mason Schweitzer, Dylan Gale, Beck Humphrey and Edwards winning the sprint medley in an overall state meet record 3:30 (No. 3 all-time on record in Idaho) and those same four boys winning the 4x400 in 3:23.55.

Like his 6A counterparts, Emmett senior Kenyon Carter wrapped up a historic season in hurdles in Saturday's 5A finals. He ran 14.11 to win the 110 finals, 38.05 to wiin the 300 finals and was anchor for Emmett's winning 4x100 in 42.22, which took place shortly before the 300 hurdles final.

"(My coach) said have a nice hard 4x100 leg and it'll act as your warm up for 300 hurdles," Carter said.

A second-year track athlete, Carter became the fifth Idaho boy to go sub-14 in the 110 hurdles this season and has committed to College of Idaho. He ran personal bests of 37.50 and 13.98 earlier this month at the BYU Invitational. 

Carter's teammate, junior Ryllie Smith, won 5A girls discus with a mark of 139-1.

Skyline junior Zyan Crockett ended his first season of track by winning the 5A  boys 100 final in 10.95, placing third in the 200 and contributing to third place in the 4x200 in 1:28.91 and fourth place in the 4x100 in 43.65 . He set Skyline's school record in the 100 this season (10.89).

"Just improve from day to day, just keep working," Crockett said of his goals moving forward.

Upon securing the lead in the final 50 meters, Blackfoot freshman Owen Gregory won the 5A boys 800 title in  a personal best 1:55.55 to stay undefeated this season in the event. He continued to express disbelief at his victory moments after leaving the track. He moved up at least seven spots from the beginning of the race to the end.

"I'm glad that I ran with (Bishop Kelly senior) Isaac (Edwards), (Wood River senior) Matt Wilde and all those boys," Gregory said. "They're all phenomenal runners. It was really tough."

Blackfoot also claimed two 5A girls individual state titles. Senior Cambrie Waterhouse threw 39-2.5 to win 5A girls shot put and junior Lauren Christensen leaped 36-6 to win 5A girls triple jump.

In the 5A girls 800 final, Mountain Home senior Anna Gilbert ran a personal best 2:15.96 for the win.

Burley senior Alex Rushton ended a historic season by winning 5A boys high jump with a 5A state meet record clearance of 6-8 and maintaining a second consecutive undefeated season in the event. At the 5A District 4 championships, he became the second Idaho boy on record to clear seven feet and is one of 18 boys in the U.S. this season to clear seven feet. Another District 4 athlete, Twin Falls sophomore Isabelle Pelayo, won 5A girls long jump with a mark of 17-1.5.

Idaho Falls junior Jaycee Jensen won Friday's 5A girls 3,200 final in a dead sprint with Century senior Hailey Jackson, recording a personal best 11:00.32 in the victory. On Saturday, she placed third in the 1,600 final in 5:13.08, sporting sunglasses despite the rainy conditions.

"I kinda just started that this year," Jensen said. "It protects my eyes from the rain, and it matches my ribbon."

The 5A boys 3,200 came down to a razor-thin margin as well. Century sophomore Ethan Hansen took first in 9:32.46 and Wood River senior Matt Wilde took second in 9:32.67.

Skyview sophomore Isla Anderson won the 5A girls 400 title in a personal best 57.60 to conclude a season that featured only one loss in the 400. Her teammate, junior Skotlynd Cagle, cleared 11-6 to win 5A girls pole vault.

The top three boys in the 5A 400 final all broke 49 seconds, with Wood River junior Jackson Wallace running a personal best 48.62 for the victory. 

Pocatello senior Gavin Schiffmann won 5A boys shot put with a mark of 56-5.5 to conclude an undefeated season in the event. Pocatello's Adrie Johnson, Nuala Rollins, Aryanna Gonzalez and Hailee Pool also won the 5A girls 4x400 in 4:06.17.

A freshman from Columbia High, Ammon Hammer, won 5A boys pole vault by clearing a personal best 15-0.

Lakeland sophomore Sapphire Ruelle completed a sweep of 5A girls sprint titles, winning the 100 in 12.57 and the 200 in 25.79.

The first ever 5A state javelin titles went to two north Idaho athletes: Sandpoint junior Jetta Thaete, whose winning mark of 138-10 put her at No. 40 in the U.S. as of Saturday afternoon, and Lewiston senior Cole Arlint, who threw 167-10. Thaete's teammate, junior Maverick Gomez, won the 5A boys 200 in 21.94.

CLASS 4A/3A/2A STATE MEET

MIDDLETON--Perhaps the most stunning result from the 4A/3A/2A state championships at Middleton High School, and one of the biggest stories of the weekend, was from the 2A girls shot put final where Potlatch senior Kathryn Burnette etched her name in history. Burnette's winning throw of 47 feet, 4.75 inches not only destroyed the classification meet record, but it put her at No. 2 all-time on record in Idaho behind the 49-5.25 by Leadore's Hollie Tyler from 2001 and also put her at No. 16 in the U.S. as of Saturday evening. Her winning mark was more than nine feet over second-place finisher and fellow north Idaho thrower, Prairie junior Sage Elven.

Similar to all-time record holder Tyler, Burnette competes for one of Idaho's smallest schools and has a Division I collegiate future ahead of her. Idaho's Gatorade Player of the Year winner in girls basketball in 2001, Tyler received numerous Division I offers in both basketball and track and field before choosing to pay basketball at Montana and later continuing on to a brief professional playing career in Europe. Burnette will join Washington State's track program later this year.

"I had so much adrenaline before and after the throw and I'm just so grateful for the ability God gave me and that I was able to pursue it all the way," Burnette said. "I'm still shaking with adrenaline from it."

Her win concluded a second consecutive undefeated season in shot put. Potlatch has no track, and its throwers share one concrete ring. Burnette said she was a 'total band kid' until eighth grade when her mom, Deanna Burnette, encouraged her to try throwing.  Also a thrower, Deanna's shot put personal best from high school was 36-6.

"My mom is my coach so I'm super grateful for her," Burnette said. "I wanted to outthrow my mom. My sophomore year, I threw 39."

Burnette has been Idaho's all-classification leader in shot put for much of the season while Elven led Idaho in girls discus for all classifications. Elven continued an undefeated season in discus Friday upon winning 2A girls discus with a mark of 142 feet, her second time reaching 140 feet or better this spring. Elven won Friday by 20 feet.

"I'm really proud of (Elven), too," Burnette said. "I've thrown with some of these girls for the last three seasons. They're not necessarily my competition. I just want them to do their best and they want me to do my best."

The Diggers' lone individual event champion, junior Jack Larsen, cleared 6-4 to win high jump in a jump off to determine first place.

Larsen had a rough week physically. Earlier in the week, he popped a rib while playing at the 4A state golf championships in North Idaho. Less than 24 hours before his high jump final on Friday, he was up late in pain.

"I went to a massage therapist before I came here just to help loosen up my muscle and then just took a bunch of ibuprofen and just kind of sucked it up and jumped," Larson said. "I felt good today, though. I landed once and felt it but after that, I didn't feel it again."

Freshman Darrel Dickson (1,600 fifth place in 4:29.23, 3,200 sixth place in 9:42.50), sophomore Tegan Brown (discus third place with 145-3), junior Andrew Galbraith (110 hurdles sixth place in 16.13, 300 hurdles third place in 40.71),  junior Ace Clark (long jump third place, 21-9.75), junior Benjamin Hegewald (400 fourth place in 51.42),  senior Abe Baldwin (long jump fifth place, 20-11; triple jump fifth place, 44-1),  sophomore Frank Fillmore (long jump third place, 21-8), and senior Hagan Morris (triple jump fourth place, 44-4) were among Sugar-Salem's medalists. The Diggers also placed in all four boys relays.

American Falls swept 4A boys sprint titles. Senior Jose Torres won the 100 (11.15) and 200 (22.16) and fellow senior Austin Adair won the 400 in a personal best 49.34. Torres, Adair, Jakub Sammons and Zakary Grigg claimed the 4x400 win in 3:25.83.

Fruitland junior Kelvin Obot swept 4A boys throws (discus with 155-0, shot put with 54-3.25). Fruitland junior Ezekiel Van Hofwegen won long jump with 23-6.5. Snake River senior Beau Driscoll won 4A boys triple jump with a mark of 46-7.25.

Kimberly senior Damon Taylor won boys javelin with a throw of 148-1 while his teammate, senior Nolan Klimes, won  pole vault upon clearing 14-0. The Bulldogs also had a victory in the 1,600 with senior Ethan Poff winning in 4:24.21.

Cole Valley Christian's Aidan Shanks, Ethan Minegar, Cristian Nicolas and Kruger Sipe won the 4A boys 4x100 and 4x200 in respective times of 42.41 and 1:28.85. Their girls 4x100 team of Brooklynn Marx, Vienna Westhuis, Tiffani Frame and Carlie Warriner won in 50.54, two hundredths of a second over Sugar-Salem.

Marsh Valley junior Lydia Townsend and Cole Valley Christian senior Macie Kern tied for first in 4A girls pole vault upon both clearing 11-0.

Timberlake sophomore Jonathan Barnhart won the 4A boys 800 in a personal best 1:55.52 and was also on the winning sprint medley relay (3:38.29) with Nicholas Rostege, Ethan Applegate and Cody Clemons.

Donning sunglasses, Teton senior Zane Lindquist won the 4A boys 3,200 in 9:29.18. He is Teton's first boys distance event state champion since Thomas Knight won the 3A state 800 in 2014.

"The plan was obviously to win, but also to have a really calm and composed race," said Lindquist, who will continue his running career at Liberty University. "Know that it feels hard and there's some work, but just stay composed with my form, not get sloppy and just maintain energy and then really put some emphasis into those fifth and sixth laps to have an accelaration, which I really think I accomplished today."

Lindquist added that a big moment for him occurred at the BYU Invitational earlier this month, where he ran an altitude converted 3,200 time of 9:03 and that he has thoroughly enjoyed all the bonding with his teammates and coaches.

"This is great, but it's about the memories at the end of the day," Lindquist said.

Teton sophomore Canon Kunz won 4A boys 110 hurdles in 15.40 while McCall-Donnelly senior Benjamin Walker won 300 hurdles in 39.82.

Sophomore Karlie Bair scored 36 points toward Kimberly's state championship: winning the 4A girls 100 in 12.39, 200 in 25.47, placing second in long jump in a personal best 18-8 and anchoring the second place 4x400 in 3:58.64. The Bulldogs' Renetta Welch, Hannah Baird, Maizee Olsen and Isabella Burnett won the sprint medley relay in 1:47.82 and Welch, Hannah Fisher, Samantha Hardy and Burnett won the 4x200 in 1:44.58. Kimberly junior Isabella Burnett won the 400 in 57.31 and sophomore Reagan Stephenson won javelin (114-0) and Kimberly also placed third in the 4x100 in 51.02.

Sugar-Salem freshman Sorelle Clark made a statement at her first state track meet, winning 4A long jump with a mark of 19-5.25. That is a meet record, an eastern Idaho all-time best and No. 5 all-time in Idaho for all classifications.

"It was a shock," Clark said. "I take deep breaths before I go. I just focus on what I can do."

Hill described her winning mark in one word: unbelievable.

"She doesn't know how good she is yet," Hill said.

Clark's teammate, junior Tasha Larsen, won 4A girls high jump with 5-4.

Coeur d'Alene Charter swept girls distance events to score enough points to move into second place in the team standings by the end of day two. Junior Annabelle Carr went 1-2 with teammate and fellow junior Helen Oyler in the 800 and 1,600, with respective times of 2:13.77 and 5:07.52 and Oyler won the 3,200 in a personal best 11:26.81. Teammate and junior Reagan Meine won 100 hurdles in a personal best 14.99 and 300 hurdles in a personal best 44.38. Both Carrs and Meine contributed to Coeur d'Alene Charter's 4A girls 4x400 win with Sofia Peppin in 3:56.57, a meet record and the fastest girls 4x400 time of the entire weekend for any classification.

Payette junior Olyvia Denison won 4A girls triple jump with 38-2, a meet record and personal record. Bonners Ferry senior Helene Rae won 4A girls shot put with a personal best 43-11.5 and discus with 123-6.

Nampa Christian won the 3A boys title with a total of 126.5 points, its ninth boys track title in program history. Firth won the 3A girls team title with the highest two-day girls team total of the weekend --134 points -- to claim its fifth state championship in program history and its first girls track state championship since 2004, when the Cougars competed in 2A and Sugar-Salem's Brett Hill was co-head coach with Stewart Portela. Firth won two individual events and three relays while piling up points elsewhere.

Multiple school record holder and Weber State signee, Kynzie Nielson, a senior, won a career-first individual state title upon winning the 1,600 in a personal best 5:15.86, finished second in the 3,200 in 11:31.61 and second in a photo finish in the 800 final in a personal best 2:15.99 and was part of the 4x400's first state title win since 2022 in 4:08.07 with teammates Baylie Mecham (sophomore), Allie Nielson (sophomore) and Baylee Johnson (senior). 

Junior Adyson Park, sophomore Ellie Christensen, freshman Ruby Hillman and Johnson won the 4x100 in 50.22 and Park, Hilllman and Christensen along with senior Olivia Christensen won the 4x200 in 1:46.52. Sophomore Madison Torgerson won 3A girls shot put (37-6.5) and was third in discus (114-1), freshman Kennedy Waite placed third in triple jump with a distance of 33-8 and freshman Paityn Messick won pole vault upon clearing 9-6. Senior Presley Messick's fifth place mark of 99-7 led three Firth scorers in javelin.

Torgerson competed in middle school track, then played softball last year as a freshman before returning to track this year.

She said she has no regrets about the decision.

"Everyone's just the nicest to everyone and that's what I love about this sport so much," Torgerson said.

Firth had already built a 36-19.5 lead over fellow District 6 team Ririe atop the 3A girls team standings after day one of competition. Both Torgerson and Nielson spoke to the opportunity the Cougars had over the weekend to claim the elusive blue trophy after more than two decades.

"I really want that, especially for my coaches," Nielson said Friday. "Especially Bob Lambert. He just cares about our team so much. We have heart. We put in the work. That's what got us here."

Every medalist in the 3A girls 3,200 final was from eastern Idaho. Last year's 2A girls 3,200 champion, Ririe junior Lucy Boone, won the 3A final this year in a personal best 11:29.63 against several former 2A competitors. 

"Once the gun goes off, a lot of my nerves go away, but it's still very nerve-wracking," Boone said. "The whole time I'm saying a prayer. I'm like, 'Please help me do this. Please help me finish strong."

Second-place finisher Nielson walked over to the infield to congratulate Boone shortly after the race. Nielson had briefly taken the lead from Boone before Boone surged back to the front entering the bell lap.

"I've been running with her since we were in sixth grade," Nielson said. "I'm happy for her. You make friends when you're racing. With about 800 left, I gave it all I had."

Avery Reece, a Nampa Christian sophomore, won four gold medals. She won 3A girls long jump with 17-6.5, the 3A girls 100 and 200 titles in 12.44 and 25.39, respectively, and the 100 hurdles in 15.57. She has gone undefeated in the 100 meters this season.

Parma senior Megan Atkinson, the reigning 3A girls cross country state champion, won the 3A girls 800 in a personal best 2:15.99 in a photo finish over Nielson and the 3A girls 400 in a personal best 58.79.

Junior Ian Johnson (300 hurdles champion in personal best 38.81, 400 champion in personal best 49.03), the boys 4x100 tteam (43.50), the boys 4x200 team (1:29.49) and boys 4x400 (3:24.49) all won titles for state champion Nampa Christian. Johnson also won gold as part of the 4x400 and 4x200 teams, Elias Mack won two golds as part of the 4x100 and 4x400 and Luke Mills, Tyler Szilagyi and Thomas Duerre won two golds each as part of the 4x100 and 4x200.

Parma senior Chase Klahr repeated as 3A boys throws state champion, winning shot put with 54-0.75 and discus with 168-6. Parma did not change classifications this year. 

Soda Springs senior Degan Stoor, last year's 2A state champion in both boys hurdles finals, won the 3A boys state 110 hurdles title in 15.07 and was second in the 300 hurdles in 39.22.

West Jefferson senior Rawley Calder became his school's first individual boys track state champion in 18 years upon winning 3A boys long jump with 22-3.75 to conclude an undefeated season in the event. Aberdeen senior Canon Foster tied his personal best of 13-6 upon winning 3A boys pole vault and his teammate, junior Sage Rowlan, won 3A girls 300 hurdles in 46.07.

St. Maries senior Julien Ceja-Grimaldo won 3A boys triple jump (44-9.5) and 3A boys javelin (170-6). Priest River junior Chase Smith won 3A girls javelin with a personal best 114-0. 

Orofino junior Reagan Kessinger was five inches shy of matching a personal best upon winning 3A girls discus with 124-0, her second win of the season in the event.

Declo senior Gavin Rasmussen won the 3A boys 100 in 11.26 and the 200 in 22.92. A year after winning 2A girls long jump, Declo junior Mara Rodgers won 3A girls triple jump with a personal best 35-1. 

North Fremont senior and Utah State signee Corbin Johnston, a Utah State signee, contributed to North Fremont's third consecutive state title in the sprint medley relay in 3:33.95 with teammates Andrew Martin, Lane Kirk and Owen Reid, won a third consecutive 1,600 state title in 4:20.21, a third consecutive 3,200 state title in a personal best 9:18.97 and placed second in the 800 in a personal best 1:55.47. All his previous titles were in 2A.

"I just knew the pace I had to go and just tried to stay consistent with it," Johnston said. 'I knew if I just kept pushing, I'd have it."

Another North Fremont senior, Roy Wynn, won 3A boys high jump upon clearing a personal best 6-4. Wynn, who is 5-foot-11, plays three other sports for North Fremont, including basketball, which he credits for helping him with high jump.

"I just think about basketball, like going up for a layup," Wynn said of his high jump approach. "It's kind of the same thing."

West Side junior Ethan Willis won the 3A boys 800 in 1:54.20 and was second in the 400 in 50.01.

Logos swept 2A track state titles, claiming a second consecutive girls team title with 112 points and winning the boys title with 150 points. This was the first track state title sweep for Logos since 2015.

Logos claimed several boys individual titles. Senior Seamus Wilson won the 2A boys 800 final in 1:58.99 while teammate John Henry Crapuchettes was second in 1:59, which were both personal best times. Crapuchettes was 1,600 champion in 4:32.54 and the 3,200 champion in 9:46.80. Senior Ryan Daniels swept 2A boys hurdles titles, winning the 110s in 15.33 and the 300s in 40.29. Senior Thomas Bowen won 2A boys discus (158-6) and shot put (50-7.5). The 2A boys 4x400 and sprint medley relay titles also went to Logos in respective times of 3:29.06 and 3:38.38, the latter of had Wilson and Crapuchettes among the members. 

Prairie senior Dylan Uhlenkott swept 2A boys sprints on Saturday, winning the 100 in 11.15, the 200 in 22.55 and the 400 in 48.82. He and Cole Duclos, Matthew Wemhoff and Ben Secrest won the 4x100 in 43.80.  Duclos, Levi Gehring, Secrest and Wemhoff also claimed a second consecutive state title in the 4x200 in 1:32.65.

Logos senior Naomi Taylor swept 2A girls sprints. She won the 100 in 12.61, the 200 in 25.36 and went 1-2 with teammate, junior Chloe Jankovic, in the 400 with her win in 58.13, all personal best times. The top four 2A girls medalists all broke one minute in the final. Jankovic also ran a personal best 2:17.79 to win the 2A girls 800. Jankovic was on the winning sprint medley relay (1:50.93) with Elizabeth Evans, Bethany Porras and Emily Bowen and the winning 4x400 (4:03.86) with Taylor, Lizzie Crawford and Marisol Wilson.

Victory Charter freshman Alyssa Hust won the very first 4A/3A/2A state meet title of the weekend in her state track debut, running a personal best 11:30.09 to claim the 2A girls 3,200. In Saturday's 2A girls 1,600 final, she finished third in a personal best 5:25.44. 

Challis sophomore Lilly Stebbins cleared 5-4 to win 2A girls high jump and remain undefeated in the event this season. She also won 300 hurdles in 46.64. Stebbins won both those events at last year's 1A state meet. She took second in the 100 hurdles final in 16.60 while Tri-Valley senior Lexi Gay won in 16.43.

Stebbins injured her ankle during volleyball season, which led to her ankle being heavily taped this season. She attempted 5-6 in Friday's finals but could not quite clear it. Her personal best is 5-8. 

For the second consecutive state meet, Stebbins began her high jump approach all the way beneath the eastside uprights on Middleton's infield. She said it was between 58 to 59 feet away.

"Today I was feeling good, I was feeling loose," Stebbins said. "The main thing that only changes is how far I'm back. How far I'm out has been consistent for this whole track season and the last."

Valley senior Lexi Huettig, a University of Idaho signee, broke her own meet records in triple jump (38-0) and the pole vault (11-8) and, along with Journey Fenton, Daisy Flores and Joanie Leiws, broke their own team's meet record in the 4x100 with 50.31. She was also long jump champion (18-0.75), giving her 11 total state track gold medals for her prep career. Her teammate and fellow senior Andrew Lukes won 2A boys triple jump with a personal best mark of 44-6.

Grace senior Cally Coleman claimed a career first individual track state title upon winning the 2A girls 1,600 in a personal best 5:20.35.

Cascade sophomore Garrett Rogers tied his personal best upon clearing 6-2 to win 2A boys high jump.

Challis senior Parker Banks tied his personal best of 13-0 to win 2A boys pole vault and fellow District 6 athlete, Butte County junior Keaton Archibald, won 2A boys long jump (21-6).

The first 2A javelin state titles went to Sho-Ban sophomore Sky Cree Medicine with a personal best distance of 148-11 to win the boys title while Deary junior Kaylee Wood won 2A girls with a personal best distance of 122-0. Wood is undefeated in javelin going back to the start of last season, when javelin was added as an exhibition event to Idaho high school track and field.