Kenny Philpott was determined to win a state championship before graduation.
He did.
The Mancos High School senior picked up where he left off all year and high jumped to the 2A state title on Saturday. Philpott leaped 6 feet, 4 inches, at the Colorado High School Activities Association, State Track and Field Championships in Lakewood at Jefferson County Stadium.
Philpott edged Chris Epps of Peyton, who jumped 6-3. The Mancos product had been ranked No. 1 in the Colorado 2A high jump standings all year with a personal record jump of 6-6. Philpott will be a freshman high jumper in the fall at Colorado School of Mines, where he has committed to do track and field at the Golden school. Philpott will major in petroleum engineering.
As a team, the Mancos Bluejays finished 28th out of 40 schools. Philpott also placed 10th in the long jump at 19-5.50.
The Dolores girls relay teams had another strong state showing with the team of Lexi Atkinson, Mindy McCracken, Cassie Lard and Olivia Wright taking silver in the 4x200. Atkinson, McCracken, Lard and Brianna Schwartz ran to a fifth-place finish in the 4x100 relay.
Lard also claimed a bronze in the 200 meters.
At the 4A level Montezuma-CortezsAshley Lingo placed fifth in girls discus and Laura Heaton was sixth in the girls shot put.
In the 1A competition, Dove Creeks Madison Young claimed second place in the girls shot put, and Cori Guynes placed third and fourth in the 300 and 100 hurdle events.
See Thursdays Journal for more on the state track meet.